If these floors could talk! Chevalier Rock Maple Gym Flooring
June 2024
In the quiet suburb of Hackett, a Canberra home underwent a transformation unlike any other. Elisa and Andrew, a young couple with a passion for sustainability and creativity, embarked on a renovation journey that is turning heads and sparking conversations.
The heartbeat of their project lay in some salvaged treasures sourced from Thor's Hammer. Rock maple timber floorboards, once gracing the floors of a high school gymnasium at Chevalier College in Bowral, became the focal point. The original painted stripes form random highlights of colour, and are a playful reminder of the timber’s history.
PRODUCT Salvaged Flooring - Chevalier College Gym Flooring
TIMBER SPECIES Rock Maple
LEARN MORE: SALVAGED FLOORING
“I love that the timber was harvested 60 years ago from trees that were hundreds of years old. Old-growth tropical forests that are now mostly protected. You can’t buy this timber new anymore.”
For the benchtops, Elisa, a visual and graphic designer, selected a piece of teak benchtop salvaged from the CSIRO Black Mountain Plant Science labs which had some interesting white resin-filled holes and timber plugs remaining from the original benchtops. Some customers prefer a cleaner look but Elisa and Andrew could see the potential of these features. We sanded the benchtop before delivery, and Elisa and Andrew did the rest as part of their renovations (docking, and applying an oil-based finish).
PRODUCT Benchtops
TIMBER SPECIES Teak
PROCESSING & FINISH Clean dressed.
LEARN MORE: CUSTOM KITCHEN BENCHTOPS
Amidst the renovations, a structurally unsound roof support caught their attention. Seizing the opportunity to infuse character, they opted for a 150x150mm spotted gum re-sawn telegraph post from Thor's Hammer. This choice not only resolved a structural need but also became a stunning and intriguing feature in their transformed space.
PRODUCT Re-sawn 150 x 150 spotted gum post
TIMBER SPECIES Spotted Gum
PROCESSING & FINISH Wire brushed
LEARN MORE: POSTS & BEAMS
“At Thor’s Hammer, we follow the journey of every piece of timber from its initial demolition. This means whether it ends up as a custom piece of furniture or part of a home renovation, it comes with its own unique story.”
Their home, now a testament to the transformative power of timber, stands as a beacon of creativity, sustainability, and the enduring beauty of history reborn. As visitors step inside, they're greeted not just by a beautifully renovated space, but by a narrative woven in timber – a story told through the warmth and character of salvaged wood.
We have some remaining Chevalier gym flooring still available. See our recent Quarterly Stock Update for remaining quantities.
Photography Rohan Thomson
