Implementing Hardwood Timber  

Class 1 Australian hardwood timber is a commonly used material for boardwalk construction in Australia. Correctly designed and specified it provides excellent performance and project outcomes. Any risk with hardwood timber almost always comes from misapplication, incorrect species or grade specification or poor design, not material failure. For example, choosing timber based purely on aesthetics or past experience without consideration of the specific project needs is where materiality mistakes are often made. The cost of such decisions is typically felt later through increased maintenance and reduced operational lifespan. Class 1 hardwood timber is ideally suited to many boardwalk projects with particular benefits for sites that are well ventilated and those with heritage considerations. As with any material choices, lifecycle project thinking is critical to balance upfront design and installation costs with longer term obligations relating to maintenance. FORGE brings decades of experience working with Class 1 Australian hardwood timber and can help you make informed decisions long before contracts and designs are locked in.  

Material selection is critical in the successful delivery of boardwalks in Australian communities. Whether specifying the right species and grade of hardwood timber, choosing FRP composites or even hybrid systems, councils, landscape architects, engineers, architects, developers, contractors and asset managers must carefully assess all project and site variables to ensure these vital access structures meet all operational and budgetary requirements while maximising safety for users and design life. Correctly designed and specified, Class 1 Australian hardwood timber can perform brilliantly for many decades. The key is making the right informed choice for each individual project.

Boardwalk Construction

Class 1 Australian hardwood timber is a proven and widely used material for boardwalk construction. While it’s built an excellent track record across Australia for many decades, every application is different so it’s essential to ensure it is the right material for your specific project and site. This is because the risk in boardwalk construction almost never comes from material failure. It comes from poor design, incorrect species or grade specification (in the case of timber structures) and misapplication, which is why FORGE partners closely with clients to ensure informed up-front decisions are made for every boardwalk project.

Better understanding drives better project outcomes

It’s important to avoid locking in material choices before a thorough site and project assessment has been completed. This is essential in order to understand traffic loads, environmental conditions and ongoing maintenance commitments, all within the context of the project budget. Without this vital information key decisions can be unevenly influenced by aesthetics, familiarity or simply what was used previously. Doing so can lead to unwanted consequences in years to come including unforeseen maintenance bills, compliance concerns and significantly reduced operational lifespan.

Where Class 1 Australian hardwood timber typically performs best

Different species and grades of Class 1 Australian hardwood timber are suited to different applications. When correctly designed, specified and detailed, hardwood timber typically excels in ventilated and heritage-sensitive environments such as inland walking tracks, park settings and areas where natural character is a genuine requirement and conditions are mild enough to support its longevity. Timber offers high compressive and tensile strength and excellent levels of workability with standard tools, making it versatile and generally easy to work with. It’s also a naturally renewable and biodegradable resource. While timber naturally fades and weathers visually over time, when correctly maintained it retains its strength for decades.

Whole-of-life cost

It’s easy to focus on upfront costs, but lifecycle cost is the full story for any boardwalk structure. When you factor in inspection schedules, surface treatments, section replacements and compliance upgrades over a 25+ year asset life, the material that looked expensive at tender could prove to be the more economical choice. It’s a conversation worth having early long before contracts are signed and designs are locked in. FORGE brings extensive experience across all material options for boardwalks, including hardwood timber. We don’t advocate for one material over the other, rather we advocate making the right decision for your unique project.