Blackbutt flooring from Boral Timber was specified for the Hawthorn Town Hall in Melbourne as part of a $19.7 million redevelopment project. For the flooring refurbishment, Boral Timber’s Australian hardwood solid strip flooring in varying lengths helped create visual interest underfoot at the historic landmark and neighbourhood hub.

Peddle Thorp architect Andrew Gordon, who oversaw the refurbishment, explained that they worked with Boral Timber to identify a solution that would allow them to incorporate a combination of timber boards to create texture and interest. Blackbutt flooring was specified for its hardness and character, which complemented the Town Hall’s existing heritage design.

Borthwick Timber Floors installed more than 1,250 square metres of Blackbutt solid strip flooring in three varying widths (85mm, 108mm and 135mm) in a recurring pattern from slim to wide in the galleries and surrounds. Combining faster installation with a consistent finish, BTF2 uniform profile boards were machined to precision with the tongue and groove profile consistent across board widths to allow the use of more than one width in the same application.

Clinton Borthwick from Borthwick Timber Floors said high quality milling of the boards was integral to achieving a well-laid floor. By working only with reputable suppliers who manufacture materials with high quality milling, they are able to complete flooring contracts on time and with a high standard of workmanship.

Borthwick Timber Floors used Boral Timber’s Blackbutt timber flooring to deliver a beautiful and durable flooring solution. Borthwick Timber Floors specify, support and prioritise Australian timber over imported timber, sourcing their materials only from local manufacturers.

In addition to Blackbutt solid strip flooring, the project also used approximately 300 square metres of mixed blond and red eucalyptus parquetry laid in a basket weave pattern in the entryway to replace the existing floor. The existing flooring was also re-sanded and polished for an area covering over 700 square metres.

The flooring project was recently nominated for the Australian Timber Flooring Association (AFTA) Floor of the Year Award.

Boral has achieved Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) chain of custody certification (AS 4707-2006) for its solid timber products, confirming that the timber used to produce their solid hardwood flooring, decking and structural timber has been sourced from certified, legal and sustainably managed resources. The Australian Forestry Standard Scheme also has mutual recognition by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Scheme (PEFC) - the world's largest forest management certifier.