Welcome

Ironwood's Rozelle showroom

Welcome to the first of our monthly newsletters. In these publications we plan to provide you with an informative and in-depth feature article on hardwood timbers and also let you know about our monthly special offers. We hope you find most of our feature articles useful and of interest. We aim to deliberately pitch these articles to architects and designers, so they will contain a little more technical data than you would otherwise get out of a glossy magazine.

We at Ironwood pride ourselves in having the largest range of quality timber floors in Sydney. Our warehouse and display rooms are conveniently located in Rozelle (near the ANZAC Bridge). Come in and visit us, we are open Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Message for architects, designers and renovators

Wide-board flooring makes a powerful initial impact.

We believe that high quality wide-board flooring has a stunning initial impact. It is a point of difference. Our Australian hardwoods have tons of character and are increasingly being sought for million dollar homes. Because of their relative size and area covered, wideboard floors do command attention. There is no question that they add value and leave a lasting impression - especially our 100 year old + recycled timbers.

Relatively speaking, new floors are far more affordable than most home renovation options. Chances are you will get back far more then you invest - which is particularly relevant if buying or selling a house, or setting the ambiance in a retail outlet.

Keith Mackenzie
Managing Director

Monthly product specials!

This timber is particularly rare. It is only on special because we have stock to move and won’t last long

• Queensland Red Ironbark 240 x 22mm (T&G and End Matched)
  $153.00 per s.m.

• Queensland Red Ironbark 200 x 22mm (T&G and End Matched)
  $117.00 per s.m.

...and our Architects’ Special – to commemorate the launch of this newsletter

• All ground and wire brushed beams 20% off

Feature story - Colour

The visual appeal of wood is mainly attributed to its colour.

Colour variations arise between species and also within species, dependent on moisture and soil changes. This valued characteristic prevents the monotony of tones found in products, which try to imitate the real thing.

Australian hardwoods are unique. Aside from being extremely durable they are full of character and are available in a wide range of colours.

A few simple technical facts: The overall colour within a timber depends on polyphenolic compounds and quinones. The former can be colourless but are easily oxidized to quinones, which are usually coloured. Surface timber in trees is generally lighter in colour than heartwood. This variation is partly due to oxidization. Freshly cut wood also browns because of oxidisation, similar to that which occurs when an apple is peeled.

It is not practical to maintain colour as it appears on a freshly dressed surface. Sunlight, even indirectly, has a gradual bleaching effect on dark colours and a yellowing effect on blonde colours.

Clear finishes change the colour of wood considerably, for they fill the air spaces between wood fibres and have a higher refractive index than air, which also has the effect of darkening colours. The amount of air that is replaced by clear finishes varies with and within each timber specie - these factors all affect the absorption of light.

Quick drying finishes that form only a surface film do give a paler initial colour than those that soak into the wood. This initial advantage will probably not be maintained for long because of the light oxidization process.

Weathering

When wood is exposed to external light, rain and dew, initially dark colours will become paler (because of leaching and bleaching) and pale colours darken because of oxidization, but in time all surfaces exposed to rain become grey. This colour change is usually confined to (a) the surface layers; and (b) areas affected by gum vein.

Questions & Answers

Q. Why does a new timber floor darken over time?

A. Ultra violet light and certain finishes affect the floor’s colour.

Q. Do colours vary in species?

A. Yes. All floorboard batches have colour variations. Some more noticeable than others. If a uniform colour is required you are restricted to certain species that generally have less grain and features (usually pale coloured timbers). Also, you should be aware that timbers may vary if not all acquired at the same time.

Q. What effect does the age and size of a tree have on colour?

A. The larger the tree the deeper the colour. Timber closer to the bark will be lighter than that which comes from the centre of the tree.

Q. Can I choose a colour based on a timber species?

A. The name of the species does not always reflect the colour, i.e. Grey Ironbark refers to the colour of the bark and not the wood which itself displays various cream through to red shades. Within the same specie you also get substantial variations in colour because of differing climatic conditions and soils in which trees are grown.

Ironwood ready reference colour chart and guide:

Available ‘cream’ coloured species:

• Recycled Creams
• Blackbutt, Kauri, Baltic, Mountain Ash, Tallowood, Tassie Oak

Available ‘red’ coloured species:

• Recycled Reds
• Jarrah, Sydney Blue Gum, Queensland Ironbark, Red Mahogany, Rose Gum, Flooded Gum

Available ‘red / brown’ coloured species:

• Brushbox, Turpentine

Available ‘cream / red / brown’ coloured species:

• Grey Ironbark, NSW North Coast Spotted Gum

Our warehouse and display rooms are conveniently located in Rozelle (near the ANZAC Bridge). Come in and visit us, we are open Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m