Responsible Wood Community Grants
Applications for this year's funding round have opened. On 1 September 2022, Responsible Wood launched its 2022/23 Community Grants Program. This is the program’s third year, following the successful 2020/21 and 2021/22 programs. The aim of the program is to support...
LVL Markings
The branding on quality LVL can tell you everything you need to know, as can its absence. By Craig Kay, national product engineer, Tilling A graphic illustration conveys a stronger message than words. The phrase “one picture is worth a thousand words” was invented by...
Jobs and Skills
The recent summit in Canberra identified some of the major problems facing Australian industry, but solutions still need work. Neither the great success it was hailed by the Government nor the union gabfest it was dismissed as by the Opposition, the Jobs and Skills...
Easy Decks
Clients love a deck, but don’t always treat them right. Timber suppliers have responded with highly durable but still wholly attractive options. By Donyale Harrison Smooth timber underfoot; the gentle warmth of lying on wood in the spring sun; eating dinner outside as...
Treated Timber Strength
Treatment is an invaluable partner in prolonging the life of structural, outdoor and cladding timbers. But many are still unclear on its benefits – and its limits. By Donyale Harrison By any metric, it’s been a hard year for the standard housing frame. Soaking weather...
Roofs Shouldn’t Twist
Lateral stability is more complicated than you might expect for free roofs. By Paul Davis Over many years I have investigated damaged structures – something around 2000 of them. I’ve seen all sorts of damage – ranging from the dramatic to the mundane: the devastation...
Multinail Expands
Production capacity and speed to market will benefit from a multi-million-dollar investment. Multinail is strengthening its long-term commitment to the timber F&T industry with a comprehensive upgrade of its structural building products and machinery manufacturing...
Beyond Compliance
Meeting your legal obligations as an employer is a minimum requirement. Doing more is what makes you and your business stand out. By Peter Maguire Under our Fair Work system of minimum wages and employment standards, we spend a lot of time talking about the importance...
Sustainable Building
Revival, a Melbourne-based sustainable building practice, has been shortlisted for a 2022 Premier’s Sustainability Award, thanks to their zero waste…
Stair Cassettes
Staircase cassettes go in fast, give following trades easy access, and can be fancied up to fit any style. Not bad for an idea dreamed up in a ski lodge. Thomas Horsfall, project engineer at Meyer Timber, was on holiday in Jindabyne when he came up with the concept...
Prepare for Building Issues
If more building designs and plans adopted a Scouting attitude, fewer rectifications would result. By George Dolezal, Principal Engineer, Meyer Timber. It’s one of the most famous mottos of any organisation in the world. With so many people involved in the Scouting...
Hello Pentarch
After acquiring Boral Timber last year, Pentarch Forestry is powering ahead. Any name change is a gamble, but Pentarch Forestry has emerged as a strong and trusted brand in the timber and flooring market after acquiring the Boral Timber portfolio of building products...
Uplift on Roofs
Fly me to the moon is a great song, but a terrible option for roofs. By Paul Davis In late June, media reported that a rocket of unknown origin crashed into the moon. I have several theories: instinct suggests that it was Elon Musk landing his secretly designed...
Swift Rafters
Roof cassettes are a valuable addition to the offsite production offer. We talked with Thomas Horsfall of Meyer Timber’s NSW team about their forays into the field. What sent Meyer Timber into roof cassette fabrication? As Meyer project engineer Thomas Horsfall puts...
Healthy Lining Boards
Magnum Board delivers a lining option that lives up to the higher safety standards of most timber buildings. We’re all familiar with the joys of working with timber: it’s a fairly easy and forgiving building material and, aside from not inhaling dust and taking basic...
Asbestos Information
A new campaign is designed to protect buyers and renters. The Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency has launched a new information campaign informing residential property buyers, sellers, renters and landlords of their responsibilities and rights when it comes to...
The State of Work
The latest international Gallup report on global workplaces sheds light on worker engagement. By Peter Maguire Global consulting organisation, Gallup, recently released its State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report, reporting on its latest findings from its annual...
TABMA WHS
With a focus on practical and worker-focused initiatives for the timber sector, TABMA’s new GM for training explains what’s on offer for keeping your staff safe. By Louise Kinloch We all want to keep our staff safe, improve productivity and reduce injury in the...
FTMA Weekend Retreat
After a long Covid break, the 2022 FTMA National Conference was bigger and better than ever with a welcome chance for fabricators to share and learn. By Kersten Gentle The aim of the 2022 FTMA National Conference was to bring the industry back together for some...
Don’t Assume with LVL
When it comes to LVL, decisions should be based on solid knowledge. By Craig Kay The definition of assume from dictionary.com is “to take for granted or without proof”. We all make basic assumptions about things in life, but sometimes these assumptions are wrong. We...
Protecting Timber
For practically every type of timber product you make, pre-oiling can help keep it looking and performing at its best from day one. Pre-oiling is far from the sexiest topic, but like fibre and sunscreen, it’s worth every bit of effort in most cases. For a small...
PieceGiver Productivity
When Multinail realised many of their customers weren’t getting the most out of their linear saw, they engineered a solution. By Warwick Porter In response to our customers’ production needs, Multinail has been delivering highly specialised and technically advanced...
Forest Tales
Designer furniture celebrating under-used timber takes centre stage in Milan. Much as it pains me to admit this, sometimes Americans do things better than we do. The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) has brought together 22 recent projects made from American...
Comfortable Safety Boots
The new Blundstone RotoFlex doesn’t sacrifice comfort for protection and comes in a range of fits. The number one reason most people give for not wearing proper PPE is that it’s uncomfortable. Blundstone’s new RotoFlex boot range has been designed to stamp out...
