Chosen by leading award?winning architects for its versatility, stability, strength and visual aesthetics, Big River Armourpanel decorative plywood offers simplicity, warmth and texture to create intimate and inviting environments.
Combining the stunning intimacy of native timbers with the rugged durability of a precision-engineered structural product Armourpanel is a popular choice for both residential and light commercial building practices. The versatile panel product can be used for flooring, wall panelling, screening, cabinetry, joinery and ceiling linings.
Confidently Australia’s strongest plywood, Armourpanel has a unique construction method that sees each of its five layers of Australian hardwood sheets bonded together in a cross-ply manufacturing process to form a strong, solid, stable panel. Its toughness makes it ideal for use in hardwearing areas and a solid choice amongst architects, builders and homeowners looking for a superior product at a lower price.
Armourpanel boards are proven to remain stable through a range of harsh climatic conditions and have a much greater resistance to shrinkage than solid timber boards. Australia is well known for producing some of the best looking timbers in the world and Armourpanel’s face veneer panels are available in a range of native species including Blackbutt, Flooded Gum, Spotted Gum and Sydney Blue Gum.
Maintaining the natural characteristics of the selected wood species every Armourpanel sheet offers an individual and natural look, with the species’ unique grain structures being preserved so no two sheets look alike. This makes Armourpanel particularly desirable for residential and creative commercial fit outs requiring character with a distinctly natural appeal. Panels are available as a 2400mm x 1200mm sheet or optional 1800mm x 1200mm sheet in 15mm, 18mm or 21mm thickness and supplied “raw”, so water based, solvent based stains and oil and wax finishes can be used. Armourpanel is manufactured in Australia under the Plywood Association of Australia’s third party audited quality control program and Milled from managed regrowth and plantation forest hardwoods. It is Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) certified. Big River Group is a wholly Australian owned and operated company. To download a brochure or for more information on Big River’s engineered plywood range visit www.bigrivergroup.com.au
Case Study – Commercial Application
After designing Aesop’s flagship Collins Street store in Melbourne, Kerstin Thompson Architects went on to design stores in Australia and overseas in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
The building product of choice for its Burnside and Emporium projects was Big River’s Armourpanel, which was able to blend perfectly with their design aesthetic for the look and feel of the iconic Australian brand. The singular use of Big River’s Armourpanel in Spotted Gum played an integral part in their winning the 2014 Interior Design Excellence Awards for the Aesop Emporium in Melbourne.
When first spying the new store with its massive perforated timber screens, it’s impossible to miss the signature material. “The choice of timber as the dominant element fits with the Artisan vision developed for this store,” Kerstin explains, “one that in subtle ways represents the craft and care that goes into the making of Aesop products and the spaces they’re housed within”.
The interior of the Burnside Village store in SA makes use of Big River’s Armourpanel Blackbutt, playing into key aspects of the design scheme.
“We selected it because of its colour and versatility. We sought a warm timber to background the distinctive amber packaging of the product and to also feature in a multitude of uses: perforated screening, shelving, countertops, wall lining and flooring. Our design features sustainably sourced timber to create an immersive space that is intimate and visually calm – simple forms enriched through the expression of the grain.”
Case Study – Residential Application
Big River Armourpanel Spotted Gum Kleev Homes (builder), Nic Owen Architects (architect), Rhiannon Slatter (photographer)
Nic Owen Architects use timber as a tool for warmth and individuality in their residential projects. In the case of this North Fitzroy House, the challenge was to transform a heritage-listed family home into an updated space to accommodate their growing family.
Timber features throughout the fit-out, the choice for the timber flooring being Big River Armourpanel, for its “beautiful texture and hardwearing finish”. For the joinery, which included a study desk and a substantial kitchen bench top, Big River timber was used extensively to add “warmth and individuality” to the interior.
The thoughtful blending of old with the new makes for a dramatic and timeless look for this Melbourne home.
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About Big River Timber Flooring
With over 110 years in the timber industry, Big River is now one of Australia’s largest private timber manufacturing and marketing businesses, servicing all Australian States and many international projects.
Involved in the Australian timber industry since the early 1900?s, Big River adds more value per cubic metre of log than any other operation in the NSW hardwood industry. Big River’s range of timber flooring includes decorative timber products combining the aesthetic value of hardwood timbers with the structural qualities of an engineered product.
