The project

The true beauty of heritage timber floors can often be found hiding beneath layers of old and stained coatings. That's why the owners of this 160-year-old commercial building on Williamstown's historical Nelson Place were so keen to find out if the original Oregon timber flooring could be rejuvenated as part of the larger building restoration.

The challenge

Originally a branch of the English, Scottish and Australian Bank, this gothic building became a Mission to Seaman before taking shape as a hospitality venue in recent years.

Joe Cristiano of Nature's Best Floors inspected the floors, and assured the owners he could preserve the integrity of the original timber boards while removing the old coatings. With some boards broken and rotted through, it was clear the project would require careful planning and preparation before the sanding and coating process could begin.

Intergrain Trade & Industrial Technical Sales Executive, Pat Guarnaccia met with Joe to discuss the best strategy for this project, one that would result in durable and attractive finish that would preserve heritage timber in a high traffic, commercial space.

The Intergrain solution

Upon close inspection of the floors, Pat recommended a two-part system:

•              First coat: Intergrain Enviropro Timberseal Alcohol Based

•              Topcoat: Intergrain Enviropro Endure 2 Pack Matt

As the first coat, Intergrain Enviropro Timberseal Alcohol Based is a high performance alcohol based sealer which enhances the natural colour of timber and minimises grain rise. It's also low in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) than traditional solvent based sealers, low in odour and more than 80% of the formula is made from sustainably sourced ingredients.

"This was the most appropriate sealer for the job, given the age of the timber and the number of previous coatings over the years," Pat explains.

"After the first sanding of the floors, Joe discovered some boards were not suitable for refinishing due to long term damage. It was not easy to source reclaimed timber boards to replace the damaged areas, because Oregon timber has not been widely used in Australia. The boards were also narrow, with a 35mm thickness. However, with some luck and knowledge, Joe managed to source the timber through a local recycle yard."

"The floor was originally laid using a 'secret nail' method that is still in use today. This makes nails tough to remove, so it was a mammoth two-day task for Joe to repair approximately 60 lineal meters of flooring."

The full floor restoration was completed in eight days using the following process:

•              First sand of the floors including nail punch

•              Damaged boards replaced and gaps repaired with water based timber filler

•              Fine sand and vacuum to remove dust and surface contaminants

•              Intergrain Enviropro Timberseal Alcohol Based applied using brush and roller

•              Second vacuum after coat was dry

•              Topcoat of Intergrain Enviropro Endure 2 Pack Matt applied using brush and roller

•              Cut back next day, once fully dry

•              Final top coat applied

The results

The restoration revealed the natural colour and character of the original Oregon timber boards, with all their heritage charm on display. Intergrain Enviropro Endure 2 Pack Matt created a gorgeous matt finish that highlighted the intricate grain patterns. Importantly, it will not yellow over time, so this new look will be retained.

This highly durable new coating system will protect the timber over the long term, which is especially important in a busy hospitality venue. Additionally, the water based formula is low odour and fast-drying, which allowed the very happy clients to move to the next stage of their renovation quicker.

Get in touch

Contact the Intergrain Trade & Industrial team for expert product knowledge, service and support for your next project. Call our Help Line on 1800 630 285 or visit our project gallery for more inspiration.