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Oiled Timber Flooring in Christchurch Passive Home

Architectural home featuring Vienna Woods Oak timber floor oiled

In the picturesque coastal suburb of Sumner, Ōtautahi, a groundbreaking home is setting a new standard for sustainable, high-performance living with its oiled timber floor. Designed by Aaron Jones, director at Urbanfunction, this project, aptly named “Peak Performance,” demonstrates how energy-efficient principles can harmoniously coexist with architectural elegance. The home is a testament to the evolving vision of residential design in Christchurch, emphasising environmental responsibility without compromising on comfort or style.

Vision and Execution

The brief for was clear: create a near-passive house that serves as a warm, inviting family home. This was a personal project for Aaron, as the clients were his sister and her husband. Having designed their previous home, Aaron was determined to exceed expectations with this new build. The result is a meticulously crafted 300sqm residence that integrates durable, natural materials and cutting-edge energy efficiency.

One of the standout features of this home is its use of a naturally oiled European oak timber floor, supplied by Vienna Woods and crafted by Admonter in Austria. This high-quality engineered oak flooring is not only visually striking but also contributes significantly to the home’s sustainability and indoor air quality. The homeowner was quite particular about avoiding harmful chemicals and an oiled timber floor was the obvious choice. See another NZ home with Admonter oiled floors here.

The Role of Oiled Timber Flooring

An oiled timber floor plays a crucial role in enhancing both the aesthetic and functional aspects of the Peak Performance home. The choice of a naturally oiled finish over traditional lacquers aligns perfectly with the project’s emphasis on health, sustainability, and durability.

Oiled timber floors offer several benefits:

Natural Look and Feel: The oil penetrates the wood, highlighting its natural grain and texture, giving each plank a unique and organic appearance.
Durability: The oil finish provides a robust protective layer that can withstand the wear and tear of a busy family home while being easy to maintain and repair.
Indoor Air Quality: Unlike some finishes that can off-gas harmful chemicals, natural oils are non-toxic, supporting the home’s goal of low to no off-gassing.
Sustainability: The oil used in finishing the floors is derived from natural sources, aligning with the home’s overall eco-friendly ethos.

These benefits were particularly important for the homeowners, who desired an airtight home with low to no off-gassing. The natural oiled finish of the Vienna Woods European oak flooring ensured that the indoor environment remained healthy and sustainable.

Collaborative Excellence

The success of the Peak Performance project was the result of a collaborative effort involving several skilled professionals. Aaron Jones and the team at Urbanfunction worked closely with suppliers and craftsmen to ensure every detail met the high standards required for a super high-performance home.

Architect: Aaron Jones, Urbanfunction
Bespoke Cabinetry: Podocarp Cabinetry, responsible for the custom-made kitchen cabinetry and American oak joinery, which complemented the natural aesthetic of the oiled timber floors.
Photography: Stephen Entwisle of Right Angles Photography, capturing the beauty and functionality of the home with stunning visuals.

Sustainable Design Features

In addition to the oiled timber flooring, the Peak Performance home incorporates several innovative features aimed at maximizing energy efficiency and sustainability:

Twin-Skinned Timber Framing: Thicker than standard building code requirements, providing superior insulation.
Cross-Laminated Panel Flooring System: Enhances the structural integrity and thermal performance of the home.
Triple-Glazed Windows: Imported from Lithuania, these windows optimize natural light and solar gain while minimizing heat loss.
Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery System (MVHR): Ensures optimal indoor air quality and energy efficiency by continuously exchanging indoor air with fresh outdoor air.

This home in Sumner stands as a beacon of what’s possible in sustainable residential design. With its naturally oiled European oak timber floors from Vienna Woods, it exemplifies the perfect blend of aesthetic beauty, durability, and environmental responsibility. As more homeowners seek to reduce their environmental footprint, the principles and practices demonstrated in this project will undoubtedly lead the way, showcasing the immense potential of super high-performance house design.

You may also be interested in these articles….

Sustainable and Compliant; Oiled Timber Flooring

The Different Finishes available for Engineered Timber Flooring

Oiled vs Lacquer Finish

Interested in how to care for an oiled floor? You can see the care guide here.

Night club turned characterful office

New project recently completed for the Land Development Engineering office in Victoria Park utilising Vienna Woods Admonter Galleria reclaimed timber. Interior Designer Stacey Mitchell, gives us details on the renovation which involved refurbishing an old night club to create a characterful office space.

The site is in the old Victoria Park Markets, the Victorian architecture lends the space great proportions, and the brick has lovely honey hues.

The surrounding area is steeped in New Zealand’s logging history, large Kauri would be cut down and floated down the harbour to Custom Street depot. The Markets themselves were built on reclaimed land.

We wanted to use reclaimed timber for the meeting room walls to reference the site’s history and sit harmoniously with the exposed heritage brick. We paired the timber with steel framed partitions and doors for an Industrial edge. We kept it dark with ceiling and floor and paid a lot of attention to spotlighting the timber to let it take centre stage.

After a long search, we used the Admonter reclaimed timber for its exquisite tonality and depth. The broad planks with their warm characterful grain, exposed knots and aged nail marks create a moodiness and contrast without looking distressed and rough. We found that only Admonter had both the sophistication and character in one.

This timber has more history than the site itself – a testament to the longevity of this endearing material.

Reclaimed Timber Wall Cladding from Admonter

Key mentions:

Interior Designer – Stacey Mitchell www.scoutinteriors.co.nz

Office – Land Development Engineering (LDE)

Photography – Mark Scowen

The CAB Residences

We are thrilled to have Vienna Woods Baltic Oak timber flooring throughout Auckland’s newest apartment building – The CAB Residences.

A few words from Damon Jackson, Managing Director of Vienna Woods.

“A unique feature of The CAB Residences, is the inclusion of European timber flooring that my company has been supplying and hand laying for Love & Co. You just don’t see such quality materials in many apartments. At Vienna Woods, we are a New Zealand business that shares a passion for great design, quality finishes and working with sustainable products. It’s been thrilling to see the commitment to these ideals throughout The CAB building and to be a part of it”

Amazing team effort from The CAB Auckland, Love & Co and Josephine Design.

love co josephine designs- The cab Residence

Herringbone – A Family Home with Soul

Vienna Woods customer Sophie Heyworth shares her inspiration behind the design of her home and the reasons why they went with Vienna Woods Flamingo in a Herringbone flooring pattern.

Why did you choose this Vienna Woods flooring?

Vienna Woods was our first port of call having seen their flooring in a number of homes we liked. The idea of a herringbone floor was something we didn’t realise was possible until we saw a beautiful example installed by one of VW’s craftsman installers – we were immediately hooked. We wanted to use timber with plenty of grain and texture, laid as individual pieces – something that would feel amazing and tactile under bare feet. Flooring is arguably one of the most important decisions in a house and has a huge impact on the aesthetics and feel of a space, so we thought it was worth investing in.

What was your inspiration when designing your home?

We wanted to create a home with soul – to us that meant warmth, natural materials and a sense of craft. It’s not a big home by today’s standards and is a renovated ‘modernist’ style architectural home from the 70’s. It had nice proportions, large windows and novel details – some which work and some which don’t! We were inspired by the architect’s original drawings and details, many of which were never implemented. So we essentially went back to the materials and detailing which were originally drawn by the original architect and then improved on by our builder, landscaper and kitchen designer.

What was the overall look and feel you were trying to achieve?

For us, the house is predominantly intimate and personal, yet able to open out on both sides in summer to create a pavilion-style area for larger numbers of friends and family. In that sense it makes a great summer house which is cool, breezy and very much indoor-outdoor, whereas in winter it is closed in to create a cozy, warm place to hibernate. Ultimately the house needs to function as a busy family home, so it has to be able to withstand a lot of wear and tear. The floor is testament to this – we don’t have to be too precious about it and it still looks great. As with all natural materials, it gets better with age!

Engineered Timber Flooring: Flamingo /// Himalaya Herringbone

See the full collection from Flamingo here.

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Raftwood Collection – Flooring with a History

Discover Raftwood

Raftwood is more than just a timber flooring option; it’s a piece of history brought into your home. Originally produced from railway sleeper oak, each Raftwood plank is unique, featuring natural grains and textures that tell a story from a bygone era.

The Origins of Raftwood

The oak used in Raftwood has a rich history. For many years Raftwood was produced using reclaimed railway sleepers from the Eastern Bloc. Interestingly, railway sleepers used oak for its hardness and resistance to rot. In many cases this timber was more than a century old and characterised by natural wood splits, knots, cracks and dents. All of these factors have contributed to beautiful repurposed product that lives on and exudes character.

Today Raftwood is still produced from French oak, however the original railway sleepers are no longer available. It is still produced by the same artisans with techniques to showcase the natural characteristics of this ultra rustic wood flooring. Every plank still tells a story of time that’s passed with a nod to it’s origins.

Light Colour Texture Rustic Oak Herringbone Floor

Specifications and Uses

Raftwood is not just aesthetically pleasing; it is also highly functional. The flooring is fortified with a natural oil finish that preserves its integrity and enhances its natural beauty. It’s perfect for a variety of applications, from flooring to wall installations, and can be used in both residential and commercial settings. Additionally, matching stair nosings can be produced to ensure a cohesive look throughout your space. The oiled finish also allows for the application of intumescent coatings, enhancing its fire resistance, where required.

Most Common Domensions;

- Available in Engineered timber planking and parquet in a 15mm overall thickness and 4mm wear layer
- Herringbone/ Chevron at 600 x 120mm or 700 x 140mm
- Standard planking up to 3m in length and up to 300mm wide

Other Specifcs;

- Made in Germany and The Netherlands
- Birch multiply engineered backing
- Tongue and Groove connection
- CE certified
- No added formaldehyd, rated VOC A+
- Sustainably sourced

Downloadable resources available here.

Living area, architectural finishes, rustic textured wood flooring

Colour Palette and Texture

The Raftwood collection offers a range of colours that suit various interior styles. The palette includes shades from warm mid-tones to rich dark hues, each enhancing the rustic charm of the wood. The rich texture, complete with open splits and cracks, adds a rugged yet elegant touch to any room, creating spaces that are both inviting and timeless.

Rustic texture herringbone wood flooring in kitchen area

Romantic Appeal

Choosing Raftwood means bringing a piece of romance into your home. Its unique, weathered appearance nods to a time long past, adding character and charm that modern materials often lack. Each plank’s history and individual texture contribute to creating a space that is truly unique and full of character.

Learn More

Explore the full range of Raftwood and discover how it can transform your space. Visit our Raftwood Collection page to see the options available in this unique flooring.

VIEW THE RAFTWOOD COLLECTION

Park Hyatt – American Walnut Flooring

Before its opening, the Park Hyatt approached Vienna Woods because it required trusted flooring experts who would deliver an exceptional product.

As a result, Auckland’s newest waterfront luxury hotel, now features Vienna Woods’ American Walnut flooring in key areas throughout the entire building including the impressive Presidential Suite and Captain’s Bar.

Walnut’s refined tone compliments the Park Hyatt’s modern, minimalistic aesthetic which in turn creates warm and welcoming spaces for guests to enjoy. This hardwood flooring helps bring the concept of ‘natural luxury’ to life, with its superior craftmanship, quality and design.

Inspired by New Zealand’s history, the Park Hyatt incorporates nods to Maori culture. The interiors all feature heritage details like custom-made tukutuku screens, traditional Maori artwork and textiles made from local wood. It was therefore imperative that all design elements subtly enhanced this rich heritage without compromising on quality.

American Walnut’s natural appearance and durability does just this. It not only helps elevate the space, but it will stand the test of time and look good doing it.

Engineered Timber Flooring: Special Order