Why New Zealanders are choosing Australian hardwood

New Zealand's diverse family of native trees are prized for many reasons; species like rimu, kauri, matai and totara have rich histories as timber products, ranging from flooring and decking to furniture and other interior applications. But while our natives boast many of their own benefits, their lack of density means they're less suited to heavy structural loads and high-stress applications. 

As luck would have it, our closest neighbour has a plethora of native hardwood species, mostly in the eucalypt family. Australian hardwoods are known for their high strength, resistance to decay, fire resistance and aesthetic appeal – lending them a well-earned reputation as a highly versatile material. These benefits have led to a sustained demand for hardwood timber on this side of the Tasman. LMA Timber, New Zealand's largest supplier of Australian hardwood, has been on hand to fulfil it.

LMA Timber's managing director, Martin Thompson, says the increased density compared to softwoods is only half the story – durability and high sequester carbon storage per m3 are also hallmarks of Australian hardwood.

"There are a lot of softwoods used in the New Zealand construction market, such as macrocarpa, cedar, and thermally modified pine," he says. "However, none of these are Class 1 durable, that is, an adopted Australian classification recognised in New Zealand for being a 40-year plus durable timber.

"In essence, this means lower classified timbers generally require a greater amount of maintenance, which, of course, comes with a cost, whilst many state if you don't adhere to this maintenance schedule, you forfeit the warranty. With LMA Timber's Class 1 Australian hardwood offering, the natural durability of the timber allows the consumer to sit back and relax whilst their timber silvers off beautifully."

One of the significant advantages of hardwood is its ability to be used as a structural material. Australian hardwood is a sought-after alternative to steel, not only for its strength and aesthetics but also for its sustainability. 

"With the increased interest and movement towards sustainable business practices in the construction industry, going forward, it will be in the architects' best interest to consider hardwood options over steel – both commercially and residentially."

"Rather than using steel, which has an extremely high carbon footprint in comparison, the timber we import from Australia is some of the hardest timber in the world and is largely reclaimed," Martin shares. This interchangeability with steel provides a sustainable and cost-effective choice for builders and architects.

Whilst LMA Timber provides sustainability-sourced new hardwood from managed forests, supplied by the likes of Pentarch (formally trading as Boral), Outlast, and Coffs Harbour Hardwoods, just over 80% comes via reclaimed sources from Kennedy's Timbers, such as telephone poles, wharf and bridge beams, and warehousing timbers. By repurposing this timber, LMA Timber keeps perfectly good construction waste out of landfills, which is all the more pressing in the knowledge that construction waste comprises around 63% of New Zealand landfills.

LMA Timber imports approximately 24 tonnes of timber into New Zealand every week, with Grey Ironbark and Spotted Gum being among the most sought-after Australian hardwood species. Both offer exceptional versatility, serving as structural elements, cladding, decking, flooring and landscaping materials.

The Sudima Hotel in Kaikōura stands as a testament to the beauty and functionality of Australian hardwood. Envisioned as an injection of modern architecture that would boost the local economy, the designers wanted both its façade and its interior finishes to impress – and Australian hardwood was a way to achieve both. LMA Timber supplied reclaimed Spotted Gum for the project.

"They wanted to have something that would fit with the rugged coastal environment, both aesthetically and functionally as it is in a sea spray zone,” says Thompson. “The exterior spaces are filled with structural timber – beams and rafters align the entrance and courtyard areas. Then there was all of the decking and cladding, which also utilised spotted gum. 

"Using the same timber for all of these exterior applications worked perfectly with their vision – they wanted something that was highly durable while also having very little maintenance. Spotted gum ticks all of these boxes."

The interior of the Sudima Hotel continues the motif with architecturally placed hardwood slats framing the bar and restaurant areas. The rustic, warm feel achieved by cladding the front and rear walls of the bar in Spotted Gum perfectly complements the surrounding natural environment.

Since its opening late last year, the hotel has greeted many local and international tourists. Their responses have been as warm as the natural tones of the timber.

"The project turned out really well; it really complements the surrounding natural environment and looks great from the street."

Learn more about LMA Timber and its Australian hardwood products.