Outdoor decking areas at the iconic Perth Zoo's new cafe and function centre needed to meet strict safety and accessibility criteria. A bespoke Intergrain Trade & Industrial coatings system rose to the challenge.

The project

The Perth Zoo is one of the city's iconic tourism attractions. Their 2024 master plan includes the staged release of a range of upgrades and new developments to ensure the Zoo maintains, and builds on, its world-class facilities.

One of the most recent upgrades was the design and build of Habitat, the Zoo's stunning Café & Function Centre. James Christou from Christou architects was the visionary behind the contemporary yet timeless building that embraces its unique nature-based environment.

Many of the outdoor spaces surrounding the cafe and function centre feature beautiful spotted gum timber decking, and that's where Intergrain's timber protective coatings solutions stepped up to the challenge.

The challenge

With close to one million visitors each year, the Perth Zoo and its Habitat dining area experience intense foot traffic. The 960m2 of spotted gum decking specified for the outdoor eating and seating areas was about to be put to the test not only by the constant stream of visitors, but by the harsh West Australian elements.

Intergrain Trade & Industrial Business Development and Specifications Executive Taryn Nostrini worked with architect James Christou, and Nick Stokes from timber suppliers Subiaco Restorations, to o specify a high-performance coating system that that can provide durability, protection and colour selection that meets suitable a luminous contrast and slip resistance performance for accessibility in public spaces.

The Intergrain solution

"This Intergrain coatings solution for this project needed to take into consideration multiple factors," explains Taryn. "We locked in the product specification with the architect to meet a P4 slip resistance rating and selection of Intergrain Ultradeck Timberstain to meet Light Reflectance Value (LRV), then discussed the coating and application with builder and applicator Declan Cordial of DNC Projects to ensure the correct finish would be achieved."

The final system consisted of:

• Intergrain Universal Timber Oil – one coat applied to the timber to protect and nourish while it sat on site for a few months. This initial coating helped prevent warping, cupping and splitting and provided an 'unlocked' base, allowing either water, or oil based, topcoats to be used.
• Intergrain Ultradeck Timber Oil (Natural) with a non-slip additive – three coats were applied to provide enduring protection against strong climate conditions and the abrasive effects of foot traffic. The additive increased the coating's non-slip attributes, while the natural colour showcased the unique grain of the spotted gum timber.
• Intergrain Ultradeck Timber Stain (Driftwood) with a non-slip additive – three coats of the pale Driftwood stain were applied to steps and raised areas to achieve Light Reflectance Value (LRV) accessibility requirements for vision impaired patrons. This ensured the steps were in gentle contrast to the natural finish applied to the deck, and clearly visible.

The results

"Every stakeholder involved with this project was delighted with the final result," says Taryn. "The Intergrain Trade & Industrial solution met every requirement of the brief, including a beautiful aesthetic that showcases the natural spotted gum grain."

The system also achieved:

• P4 anti-slip resistance rating
• Accessibility Light Reflective Values (LRVs)
• Enduring protection from the harsh WA elements and Perth Zoo foot traffic
• Fast drying for seamless re-coating

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.