Bringing in the light – the vast Tasmanian Oak ceiling exceeding expectations
When you get a man with a vision, and that vision is to create a tropical-themed 80sqm outdoor entertaining area at the back of his place, incredible things happen. Especially when his place is 32km east of Melbourne at the foothills of Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges. Not a suburb known for its tropical appeal. Despite the grandeur of the lush space, it is the Tasmanian Oak ceiling that makes this renovation extraordinary.
Home owner, said the key to the success of the project is the vast Tasmanian Oak ceiling that lines the entire roof.
“It’s certainly the first thing everybody comments on when they walk out. They don’t comment on the huge palm trees, the 10 grand barbeque or the pool. They say what an amazing ceiling!”
After ripping back the old building to a shell, the project started from a near-blank canvas giving plenty of scope for the tropical paradise to flourish under a massive pitched roof.
The owner wanted to use a hardwood over the scissor trusses, rather than plaster or pine. Harwood provides a far superior finish over pine. Choosing timber over a plaster ceiling creates a maintenance-free asset that won’t crack over time or need a lot of attention to keep looking terrific.
After considerable research, the owner selected Tasmanian Oak.
Real appeal in colour and reflected light
“I wanted Tasmanian Oak for several reasons. Not only does it compare favourably on price – and I was buying a lot of it – but the real appeal was the light colour and the huge step up in what you get as a finished product rather than going with pine.
“With a clear stain bringing out the natural, neutral colour, the Tasmanian Oak just seems to bring in so much light. I had an idea of how great it would look, but once it was up and that clear stain was on it exceeded my expectations.”
“The whole thing looks a whole lot bigger than it is too. It’s a massive area, but the pale Tasmanian Oak just expands it further.”