Intalok Natural Timber Homes

Intalok buildings withstand the worst of nature while you enjoy the best of it.

All Intalok buildings are fully engineered and held together by our unique interlocking building system, which has been designed with extra strength and durability for New Zealand’s shaky seismic conditions.

Until now, the perception of solid wood homes has been tarnished by the loud cracking noises caused by changes of temperature contracting and expanding the timber. Intalok has solved this problem with a special 50mm cavity created by the pre-stressed method using interlocking pins and battens. This cavity is filled with extra insulation which not only gives added warmth, but also acts as a perfect buffer against changes in temperature. The result - no cracking noises.

1. The internal pine walls are held together by interlocking steel pins driven into the boards at wall and post intersections.
2. Threaded steel rods are hidden within the walls and tightened to give Intalok the incredible strength and durability. This also prevents creaking.
3. The special battening system between the interior and exterior walls produces an insulation cavity for extra warmth and energy efficiency.

Our Engineered Timber:

At Intalok we produce all our own laminated beams and posts.

Our certified New Zealand Standards processing plant is audited regularly so you can be assured that any product coming out of the Intalok factory is of the highest standard and quality.  We can produce engineered laminated products for many applications including lintels, exposed rafters, ridge beams, bridge beams and engineered portals.

It addition to laminated products our factory has the capability to produce dressed timber, exterior weatherboard, finger jointed timber, fascia board and many other specialist products.

Timber is the only renewable building resource on that planet and is flexible, durable and environmentally friendly for all types of buildings. From coast to country, residential to commercial – timber provides a building solution tailored to your requirements.

NATURALLY GROWN: Imagine living in a home built from New Zealand grown Radiata Pine, using local builders and products from local suppliers. Every single Intalok construction carries the unique qualities of New Zealand homegrown natural solid wood.

NATURALLY HEALTHY: Imagine living in an Intalok, surrounded in natural solid wood. Its properties promote healthy living unlike many other building materials on the planet. It purifies the air you breathe and acts as a natural dehumidifier.

NATURALLY STRONG: Imagine living in an Intalok, a building that is so strong its core structure can withstand extreme conditions. A lone pine tree standing 35 metres tall can withstand earthquakes and extreme wind gusts. Your Intalok has these same characteristics.

NATURALLY EFFICIENT: Imagine living in a home that is intuitive to your heating, cooling and ventilation needs. Did you know that a solid wood structure has the capacity to store and exchange up to 2.5 times as much heat as concrete per kg?

Earthquake Resilient:

• ELASTICITY & ENERGY ABSORPTION: The elastic and energy absorption properties of solid wood construction make it the ideal system to use in earthquake regions. The solid wood wall boards are designed to move slightly and then return to their original position once the shaking stops. This together with the interlocking pins & tie rods used to construct an Intalok provide the strength & resilience under earthquake conditions but is also flexible to absorb the seismic motions. Gypsum board braced walls (timber or steel frame) cannot take the same level of movement without showing signs of damage. Concrete can crack under these conditions.
• HISTORY: Earthquakes in New Zealand have caused major damage to masonry buildings and even light timber framed buildings have shown damage, while solid timber buildings have emerged unscathed and required little or NO repairs.
• SAFETY: Solid wood buildings can absorb severe shaking with a very low risk of injury or structural damage. Even in areas of liquefaction, provided the house was on a suspended timber floor, the houses remained safe and serviceable. By contract 40,000 fatalities were recorded in the 1999 Turkish earthquake, mainly in masonry and concrete buildings.

Fire Safe:

Solid wood resists fire. Contrary to popular thinking it burns at a slow rate and does not melt and suddenly collapse as steel can when heated. It can also often be sanded and reused after less severe fires.

• RESISTANCE: When wood is exposed to high temperature it will burn and decompose to provide an insulating surface layer of char that retards further degradation of the wood. The rate of char is initially fast but as the depth of char increases the rate of char slows because of the increasing insulation provided.
• STRENGTH: Although wood is a combustible material, when it burns, a surface layer of char is created which helps to protect and maintain the strength and structural integrity of the remaining unburned wood beneath. Engineered pine solid wood walls have a char rate of 0.6mm per minute.
• FACT! Most building fires are started by heat sources that ignite materials such as furnishings and items that are introduced into the building, and it is these materials that emit toxic fumes that most often threaten life and limb. The building structure is usually not the first material ignited.

Cladding Options:

With an Intalok building you choose the exterior cladding to suit your taste and your landscape. The building strength is assured by the unique Intalok building system so your exterior cladding options are limited only by your imagination. And, there are a wide range of interior wall treatments that make the perfect backdrop for your favourite décor.

• Wax Coating
• Honey Coloured Oil
• Polyurethane
• Blonding

Houses have been built from wood since the first day man felled a tree. As the world looks for an alternative to the finite resources consumed worldwide, Intalok knows it has already found a winner and with over 1.2 million hectares growing throughout New Zealand, it is our most widely grown renewable resource.

The NZ Wood programme promotes growing forests and using wood in a sustainable, responsible way for us, here, now, and for generations to come. The entire NZ Wood programme is founded on research evidence, industry consultation and commitment.

Learn more about the beauty and benefits of wood at www.nzwood.co.nz

Residential Buildings:

Select a home that best suits your needs from our range of established set plans, or use them as a starting point to design your very own unique dream home.

1. Bach Series: The bach series is our most affordable range of plans. (1-3 Bedrooms50m2 to 105m2).
2. Basic Series: The basic series incorporates modern, contemporary designs. (3-4 bedrooms77.93m2 to 108m2).
3. Bigger Series: These designs have a more traditional and timeless look, but include extras. (3-4 Bedrooms150m2 to 191m2).
4. Sunshine Homes: Intalok has had an association with Sunshine Homes for many years and their range of transportable homes are available throughout New Zealand. These can have the timber interior finish similar to Intalok or a conventional triboard or gib board finish that can be painted. Build a Sunshine Home with Intalok today.

Commercial Buildings:

Commercial: The performance of Intalok solid timber is the perfect solution for commercial applications. The proven structural integrity in both earth- quakes and fires means your business, assets and people will be protected long term. Past commercial premises built include a veterinary clinic, tavern, ski lodges and childcare facilities that were tested by the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Intalok is the perfect partner for any (rigorous) commercial environment. – solid wood provides both the good looks and durability required to survive the test of time.

Resorts: The Intalok building system is tested year after year by the seasonal cyclones that frequent the tropical islands. Resorts including Sheraton Bora Bora, the Maldvies Cocoa Beach Resort and Mataqali Fiji have all been built using the Intalok system to provide the durability and low maintenance required by the high traffic volumes synonymous with resort living. The natural look of Intalok compliments the natural environment of resort living.

Interior Timber Finishes:

If strength is not at the top of your requirements but you still want the durability and low maintenance that solid timber delivers then an ‘Intalok Solid Timber Interior’ can be tailored to your design using conventional building systems but still providing the good looks and easy care that solid timber provides.