Engineered flooring has soared in popularity over recent years due to its stability and functionality. An engineered floor can be floated over an existing floor or glued to a substrate to allow for a quick installation on floors, walls and ceilings.
However, up until now, blonde hardwood has been absent from the engineered flooring range within Australia – unless it was imported from overseas.
This development from Australian Sustainable Hardwoods (ASH) and Oslek reflects a constantly evolving building sector, and the need for local industry to keep up with customer expectations.
Oslek’s Boyd Kelso said the consumer will stand to benefit from this type of hardwood finally being available in a local flooring product.
“Essentially, we’re offering the savvy buyer a local choice in wide board engineered flooring.
“A blonde hardwood provides flexibility, and offers a colour range that rivals the imported oaks and allows the buyer to maintain consistency with the materials used throughout their home,” Boyd said.
As a long-time importer of wide board European Oak flooring, Oslek had received many enquiries for a local timber option.
ASH’s Chief Executive Officer Vince Hurley said that the collaboration to offer such an option first came about approximately a year ago.
“We put our heads together and, I’m not going to lie, over time it has required patience – but the finished product will now be available as a pre-finished board, hopefully to multiple flooring merchants in each state,” Vince said.
ASH will now produce the blonde hardwood from locally sourced, back sawn hardwood – at a very competitive price.
