A jet-black mountain home protected by CUTEK

Wānaka is known for its stunning scenery, with homeowners carefully designing their homes to sit comfortably within the landscape. 

For the owners of this home, a true black exterior was crucial to their vision and they knew that the extreme UV in Wānaka would quickly fade stained cladding. The solution was charred larch and they painstakingly charred the timber themselves to achieve this look. The resulting charred timber cladding is low-maintenance, UV-protected and visually striking. The char repels water and protects against rain, decay and UV damage, gradually eroding to reveal the beautiful timber grain beneath. However, charred timber does weather over time and at different rates depending on the depth of the char.

“Char can erode or break off the timber over time, exposing the natural timber colour. Maintenance is important to protect both the char and the timber under the charred surface, enhancing the dimensional stability of the timber by making it less susceptible to moisture and dryness,” says CUTEK’s Jenny Tyler. “The owners weren’t happy with the product they had used in the past as it hadn’t lasted as long as they hoped. They approached CUTEK for advice after a recommendation – they were very keen to use a New Zealand-made product with a focus on sustainability.”

CUTEK Extreme CD50 with double-strength Punga proved to be the ideal solution – the double-strength colourtone provides the desired rich tone while providing excellent UV protection, safeguarding the timber from the harsh South Island sun. 

“Because of the advanced technology of our product, the CUTEK CD50 Extreme oil was able to penetrate quickly into the timber, allowing only five days between coats.”  

As a penetrating oil, CUTEK Extreme CD50 was the perfect solution: “Unlike traditional coatings that form a surface film, it penetrates deeply into the wood, protecting it from moisture and movement from the inside out. With CUTEK, there is no risk of adhesion problems to a charred surface, and it will maintain the natural appearance and texture of the charred wood surface.”

By working with their in-house chemist, the CUTEK team also developed a bespoke solution for a small area of the cladding where the charred timber was previously rubbing off onto clothing on the washing line, which homeowner Sian is very excited about.

Susceptible to moisture, it’s vital to protect timber in all projects. Whether your home is in beautiful Wānaka or overlooking the ocean in the North Island, CUTEK’s unique formulation celebrates the natural beauty of wood while providing robust and long-lasting protection. 

New Zealand’s harsh environment can be detrimental to timber, both visually and structurally. In rainy and damp conditions, its fibres soak up water, causing swelling. In warm, dry conditions, the timber dries out and shrinks, with this process repeated over and again. 

“This expansion and contraction can degrade the timber over time, causing it to split, cup, and warp,” says Jenny. “If you’ve ever seen a piece of decking timber that is slightly bent or bowed, that’s been caused by moisture damage.”

CUTEK Extreme CD50 has been formulated to protect against this and is used throughout New Zealand on a range of timber surfaces, from cladding and decking to mass timber commercial projects. CUTEK is becoming increasingly popular on commercial projects given their ability to offer bespoke products that use renewable or recycled materials with lower volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which help projects meet their green credentials.

While many traditional varnishes are only surface-level and can peel and wear down over time, requiring regular maintenance and reapplication, CUTEK offers a low-maintenance system (no stripping or sanding required) that deeply penetrates the wood – allowing it to maintain its structural integrity and natural appearance. 

The New Zealand-made CUTEK Extreme CD50 oil is not impacted when the timber is degraded, cut or perforated with fasteners; instead, the oil inside migrates to the newly exposed area, automatically protecting it against the damaging effects of moisture. 

“Our penetrating oil goes deep into the timber. It will continue to move into the timber over time and it will never leave the timber. It’s different from a film-forming product where a barrier is only created on the surface of the timber. Over time, with exposure to the environment and UV, that barrier can break down, allowing moisture to get into the timber. Rather than creating a barrier around the outside, CUTEK oils protect the timber from the inside out.” 

CUTEK’s exterior wood oils are New Zealand-made and have been proven for over thirty years to powerfully protect wood while highlighting and enhancing its natural grain and colour. Now also sold in Australia, Canada, the US, Chile, Thailand, and more, it’s a leading product range ticking the boxes – from sustainability to stringent regulations. 

If you’d like to preserve your timber for as long as possible, CUTEK Extreme CD50 is the premium protection option with easy ongoing maintenance. Get in touch with CUTEK to learn more and explore more products on ArchiPro.

Disclaimer: CUTEK® is a registered trademark.