Some of our customers have express concerns about sustainability.
Though there is no such thing as a 200 years old sustainably managed forest in Australia,
in the Old World however...
...If you feel like sustainability is a long story cut short,
for your delight, here is the long story:
In the year of our Lord 1291, in a time when talking about Terra Australis would have taken you straight away
to the hearty bone fires of the inquisition, the then French king “Philippe le Bel” created the “Administration des Eaux et Forets”
(Administration of Waters and Forests), an institution that survived every hardship of the French history until 1966,
when it was replaced by the ONF (National Forestry Office).
Though the first French forestry code was written in 1346, modern day management really started under Louis the 14th prime minister Jean Baptiste Colbert
who, between 1661 and 1669 restructured all royal domain forests. The jewel in the crown was, and still is the “Tronçais” forest (pictured above),
certainly the finest oak forest in Europe.
Of course in the 17th century sustainability was not such a popular topic. Readily available timber for the purpose of building warships was rather the matter,
and unlike UK tapping freely into Tasmanian Huon pines for towering masts, France had to rely on local supply, therefore planning and management was the way to go.
Some awesome fellows well over 200 years old are here to remind us the job was well done, the older ones planted circa 1580/1630.
Nowadays 50% of commercial French oak comes from ONF managed national or local communities forests, a mere 12 million hectares
out of the whole 17 million hectares of forests representing 30% of the French territory, and still extending.
Our main supplier operates under a PEFC agreement, the European equivalent of the FSC. They are based in Burgundy,
oak barrels no strangers to the reputation of the local wines.
As far as oak flooring is concerned, the point we want to make is that our flooring, be it narrow or wide boards, comes from trees up to 200 years old,
and this is a sustainable supply, because 200 years ago there were people out there making sure these trees would not be the lasts !!!
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THE FRENCH PROVINCIAL FEELING WITH RANDOM WIDTH FLOORING:
The warmth of a timber floor always appeals to home owners and renovators.
This is particularly true with French Oak timber floors, and at THE GOOD HOUSE we have a soft spot for strip flooring
made of a blend of 3 different widths. This creates that rustic, countryside look described as “French Provincial”,
that can transform a simple bedroom into a room out of the ordinary, at no excessive cost, and make a lounge a place with a soul of its own.
Our traditional brushed and beveled finishes will enhance that weathered aspect without getting out of budget, as there will then be very little
or no need for sanding, thus a significant saving. Oil finish is best suited to oak flooring, and even more so if you are after that Provincial flair.
A typical blend of widths will include boards of 105mm, 140mm and 180mm.
Of course any other combination can be worked out of our 7 different standard widths:
85mm, 105mm, 125mm, 140mm, 160mm, 180mm and 200mm.
This blended pattern was in fact a very traditional type of flooring in farm and country houses all across Europe.
The simple reason is that tree logs are more or less round, and random width provides the best recovery from the raw material.
This makes sense even more with European oak, as the very heart of the log is usually not good at all and has to be discarded.
And not much has changed nowadays!
EXTRA WIDE EUROPEAN OAK BOARDS A MUST FOR WAREHOUSES AND LOFTS:
They come in extra lengths (2.5 and 3.0 meters + 10% of shorts), in extra thickness (22mm) and superb handcrafted finishes.
These extra wide boards (250mm) are perfect for converting warehouses and lofts into warm interiors with an old world flair.
Technology also is at its best in this product, with the engineered construction of the middle and bottom layers, both in oak,
offering greater stability than traditional wide planks.
Finishes include a light, a medium and a dark stain. Medium is the most popular, walnut hues enhancing the natural features of European Oak,
for a homely feeling. Along with the medium and dark stain comes the hand scraped finish, a rougher look tremendously at ease with contemporary design.
(real colour may slightly differ from displayed pictures).
Wide boards will also fit perfectly into a French provincial or Tuscan style project, as well as a heritage or period renovation.
The 8mm top layer will be even more serviceable than traditional solid boards.
Being a fully finished product also means there is significant saving on sanding and polishing
(with no bad surprise on the final result!) together with speed of installation (4 boards only to cover 1 meter).
Like all European traditional timber floors, it’s a T&G, end match product, therefore expect very little waste.
And given the extra thickness, there is no need for underlay if you are installing on joists.
ABOUT HORNBEAM:
We could almost call it “White Oak”, because Hornbeam is such a light coloured timber but it also has this marble wave effect across the grain,
so specific to European Oak. In fact Hornbeam is a natural undergrowth of Oak forests in the centre and North-East of France.
It is a tough and sturdy little tree reaching up to 25 meters, with a wavy and tight grain that makes the logs and the boards really hard to split,
thus it does not crack at all.
Being actually harder and denser than Oak, Hornbeam as a flooring is widely used across Europe for sporting venues, such as squash courts,
due to its very good rebound properties and light colour.
Its fine grain and smooth texture makes it perfect for contemporary designs.
In conjunction with our range of FOCUS designer fireplaces, it’s a stunner!
Mat or very low sheen finishes are best suited to this timber floor, in order to keep its amazing colours as light as possible.
Glossy finishes tend to turn yellow very quickly when exposed to the sun, therefore prefer mat acrylic or low sheen finishes.
Hornbeam is not recommended in wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens as it tends to retain moisture.
In combination with oak, walnut or darker local timbers, it makes wonderful patterns for a more classic and stylish look.
A light colored timber, Hornbeam has turned quite trendy for shop fitting recently. And the trend is now moving towards homes, specifically the kids corner.
The Kids room is often a nightmare in many regards, including design, to start with. Hornbeam can be a satisfactory answer for the floor.
Its fine grain and smooth texture makes it perfect for contemporary designs. It’s a hard wearing floor with minimal maintenance,
and using a lime wash or a pastel finish will ensure the kids absolutely love it.
Baby and kid clothes these days show a wide array of those soft and joyful tones, therefore why not try and match not only the walls
but also the floor in the playroom or the bedroom? Rugs of all sorts will happily complement the friendly look and your imagination is the limit.
For example take advantage of the strips to blend colors, the “panache” look will only mimic their latest track suits.
Ask your floor installer to provide you with color sampling or contact us directly.
Standard widths are 70mm, 90mm, 110mm and 130mm. it comes in random length up to 2m, with 90% over 1m.
Feel free to contact TGH anytime for more details. We will assist you in any aspect of style and installation as well.
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www.tgh.com.au
