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controlled by VicForests, the Victorian
Government business responsible for the
sustainable harvesting, regeneration and
commercial sale of timber from Victoria’s
public forests.
Their operations are certified under the
Australian Forestry Standard and
internationally recognised by the Geneva-
based PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement
of Forest Certification), the world’s largest forest
certification scheme which covers two-thirds of
the globally-certified forest area.VicForests is
also a member of the Forest Stewardship
Council.
Having been dubbed “the next big thing in
Australian timber,”Wormy Chestnut is finding
a ready home as character flooring, in
commercial fitouts, and as furniture timber.
A Melbourne furniture manufacturer,Total
Bedroom, is using Wormy Chestnut to make
upmarket architectural-quality furniture such
as dining tables, buffets, entertainment units
and bedroom furniture.The volume end of
the residential furniture market has been
decimated by imports prompting Total
Bedroom to use this unique timber to stay
one step ahead of his competitors.
The company also uses other imported and
local timber species such as spotted gum and
American oak but the face of Stace Karikas,
Total’s owner, lights up when he talks about
Wormy Chestnut.
“It’s the character of it, the grain feature, the
natural worm holes and where the fires have
gone through, all that smoke from the forest
fires, and the bugs boring through it leaving
their mark. It just looks alive!” he says
enthusiastically.
Now Architecture selected Wormy Chestnut for
the redevelopment of the Bairnsdale Library in
regional Victoria to create a folded timber wall
for the meeting room, and a distinctive
information desk.
Wormy Chestnut has also been used in a
number of commercial fitouts such as cafes
and restaurants, including Schnitz fast food
outlets in food courts dotted around
Melbourne.
Hardwood flooring is remarkably popular and
Wormy Chestnut is rapidly developing a
following in this market. It is valued for its
hardness (an average value of 8.1 across the
species), workability and of course that
uniquely Australian character.A suitable
coating is all that is needed to enhance and
protect Wormy Chestnut flooring.
Wormy Chestnut tongue-and-groove boards
are available in three widths – 85, 130 and 180
mm – and in two thicknesses and a range of
end conditions.
Wormy Chestnut even made it on The Block,
Nine Network’s popular renovation program
which concluded in mid-October. Contestants
Chris and Jenna chose Wormy Chestnut for
the 22 treads of a U-shaped feature staircase
in the apartment they were renovating. It was
fabricated by Jamin Wheeler of Jamin
Wheeler Staircases who says he uses “quite a
lot” of Wormy Chestnut.“It’s a good product,”
he remarks.“It has a good, rustic look to it,”
what he calls “a lot of feature.” Jamin
considers Wormy Chestnut to be a “good hard
timber” and says it is “well priced for a
Victorian hardwood.”
Wormy Chestnut is also being marketed in
China,Vietnam, South Africa and,
appropriately, the USA.
With Auswest Timbers as its fairy godmother,
this distinctive timber with the funny name will
be sure to go to the ball!