The project

In tropical Airlie Beach in Far North Queensland, this stunning, architect-designed home features extensive use of timber including both rosewood and merbau. Bringing out the natural beauty of these timbers and maximising their impact on the home's visual appeal was important to both the architect and homeowner. Local timber coatings specialist, Aaron Doherty from Coastal Brush Whitsundays was engaged to deliver the most effective solution.

The challenge

The home's original Tasmanian oak floors had been coated with an epoxy that had yellowed significantly over the years.

Airlie Beach's tropical, coastal location creates challenges for homeowners and builders working with timber. "The humid environment means timber is more prone to mould here than in other parts of Australia. Coating it with a highly protective coating is absolutely vital," explains Aaron. Another challenge for Aaron is finding products that realise the stunning, high end finish his clients expect. "I work on new homes and renovations where a premium result is required. I need coatings that enhance the natural beauty of timber while also providing complete protection from the tropical coastal environment." "This home in Airlie Beach makes extensive use of timber throughout, including on the walls, stairs, floor, bar, railings, doors, interior and exterior, ceilings, fencing, and day beds. About 50 per cent of the home is timber. As such an important design element, the choice and application of coatings was vital to realise the architect's and client's design vision," explains Aaron.

The Intergrain solution

A two coat system was chosen for this luxury home:

• Primer: Intergrain Universal Timber Oil, a deeply penetrating, oil-based clear timber coating that nourishes from within and helps protect the structural integrity of all exterior timber. Universal Timber Oil is an 'open' or 'unlocked' product, meaning it can be top coated with either water based or oil based coatings.
• Topcoat: Intergrain UltraClear Exterior Satin, a tough, clear, marine grade, water based timber finish. Non-yellowing, UltraClear Exterior provides superior protection against UV. Water based, UltraClear Exterior also emits significantly less VOCs (volatile organic compounds) than traditional oil-based exterior clear finishes, making it safer to use and gentler on the environment.

Intergrain Trade & Industrial Territory Manager Samantha Stevens introduced Aaron to Intergrain Universal Timber Oil, providing him with a sample tin when it was first released.

"From that very first try, I was hooked," Aaron says. "I love how easy Intergrain Universal Timber Oil is to work with, the protection it provides, and of course the gorgeous finish."

At this Airlie Beach home, Intergrain Universal Timber Oil was rag-applied to all timbers offsite. The topcoat of Intergrain UltraClear Exterior Stain was applied onsite.

"The sustainability features of Intergrain UltraClear Exterior Satin are also important to high end applicators like Aaron," Samantha says. "As a low VOC product, with UltraClear Exterior you can deliver stunning results with very low odour and low environmental impact."

The results

With rich timbers a key feature of this luxury home's design, Aaron and his team achieved a stunning finish thanks to Intergrain.

"Intergrain Universal Timber Oil is my favourite product as a primer or topcoat. It brings out all the grain, colour, and marble and gives the timber life again," Aaron says.

Get in touch

The Intergrain Trade & Industrial team bring expert product knowledge, service and support to residential and commercial timber projects. Call our Help Line on 1800 630 285 to find out how we can support your next project. Or visit our project gallery for more inspiration.