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Suppling Hardwood Timber That Doesn't Cost The Earth
We boast an extensive range of both structural and non-structural beams, posts, and battens, catering to the needs of both residential and commercial projects.
While all of our hardwood species are available for these requirements, Spotted Gum and Grey Ironbark are often preferred for their exceptional structural qualities. To enhance the final aesthetic, our structural hardwood can be either left sawn, be dressed, wire-brushed, or detailed with our distinctive hand-brushed finish. Embracing the characteristics of the hardwood’s previous life adds to the charm of these reclaimed timbers. Upon request, holes or cracks can be resin-filled at no additional cost. We provide structural certification for our beams and posts free of charge. Sizes range from 50mm up to 400mm and can be supplied up to 11.8m long in one solid piece.
We have the capability to supply and/or fabricate your hardwood trusses based on the requirements of your building plans.
These trusses serve for aesthetic purposes or can be structurally certified, ranging from F17 to F34. When fabrication is necessary from our supplier’s mill in Australia, the trusses will be assembled, disassembled, and then shipped to New Zealand. Many builders prefer on-site truss manufacture and assembly to accommodate any inaccuracies in the build, rather than ordering pre-fabricated trusses off the plans. Additionally, we offer laminated beams for interior use only, catering to requirements larger than 350 x 350 solid. We can undertake a take-off for you by submitting your plans through to info@lmatimber.co.nz or by getting in contact with anyone on our team.
Our comprehensive hardwood supplier network allows us to fulfill a wide range of hardwood needs for wharfs, jetties, and marinas throughout New Zealand.
Whether it’s 20-meter-long piles, 400 x 400 stringers, or sawn face jetty boardwalk planking, this network enables us to address a wide range of marine hardwood requirements. Upon request, we are capable of treating the timber to meet the necessary levels of H4, H5, and H6. A recent milestone involves the supply for the 300-meter-long Governors Bay jetty, which included piles, capping beams, stringers, and boardwalk timbers. This significant project was efficiently delivered in 16 x 40-foot containers over several months, resulting in a visually striking finished jetty that will be enjoyed for generations to come.
The true difference between hardwood and softwood lies in their cellular structure, which you can plainly see in the grain. Australian hardwoods, such as the Blue Gum pictured here, have a tightly packed, highly dense grain. In contrast, common softwoods like Pine have a looser, more porous structure. This incredible density is exactly what gives structural hardwood its superior strength, natural durability, and fire resistance – making it the ultimate choice for demanding, heavy load-bearing projects where standard timber falls short.
It’s staggering when you look at the numbers. Did you know that in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria alone, 300 buildings are demolished every single week? That’s not just rubble – an average post-war house holds a full truckload of high-quality recyclable hardwood. When you add in the fact that 200,000 timber power poles (out of the 6 million currently in service) retire every year, the potential for waste is massive if we don’t step in.
By reclaiming this timber, we are saving a precious resource from landfill and giving it a second life in your project. And don’t worry about us running out – our exclusive reclaimed supplier, Kennedy’s Timbers, currently has 14 acres of power poles seasoned and waiting to be repurposed, with more arriving daily. When you choose LMA, you can have total confidence that the supply is secure, sustainable, and ready to go.
Designed around the Danish concept of Hygge, this high-performance home was built with energy efficiency and resilience at its core. It features stunning recycled grey ironbark weatherboards, sustainably repurposed from retired Australian power poles.
This massive eco-conscious development centers around a communal building sitting partially over a man-made lake. By repurposing retired power poles and old wharf timbers, the project achieved an elegant design while saving new timber from being milled.
Located on the Kaikōura shoreline, this 4.5-star hotel utilized sustainable building practices to complement its natural environment. By incorporating reclaimed Spotted Gum hardwood beams and rafters, they achieved a rustic aesthetic with a reduced environmental footprint.
Despite the growing awareness of global deforestation, the New Zealand construction industry still heavily imports hardwoods from vulnerable tropical rainforests in the Amazon and Indonesia. Why? Often, it comes down to cheap supply and high demand for durable timber. However, the environmental cost of this practice is devastating, leading to habitat destruction and illegal logging.
At LMA Timber, we believe you shouldn’t have to compromise the earth to build a beautiful home. Our Australian reclaimed and sustainably sourced hardwoods provide superior density, strength, and fire resistance without contributing to the destruction of the world’s most vital ecosystems. By choosing LMA, you are choosing ethical procurement, complete transparency, and timber that protects our planet’s future.
True sustainability requires proof. We ensure that our procurement methods adhere to the strictest global protocols. Our new hardwoods are backed by comprehensive environmental certifications, including FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). These certifications guarantee that the timber is harvested from forests that are responsibly managed, socially beneficial, environmentally conscious, and economically viable.
Timber is uniquely positioned as one of the only mainstream building materials that naturally sequesters carbon. By utilizing reclaimed timber – giving a second life to retired power poles and wharf beams – we completely bypass the carbon emissions associated with harvesting and milling new trees. Furthermore, consciously selecting sustainable timber alternatives actively contributes to your project’s carbon reduction goals, acting as a long-term carbon sink and helping New Zealand transition toward a net-zero building industry.
In addition to our reclaimed Australian hardwoods, we are proud to champion innovative, eco-friendly timber alternatives that reduce the strain on slow-growing hardwood forests:
As part of our commitment to maximizing our natural resources, LMA Timber is proud to offer our exclusive Tongue and Groove Veneer Panels. By utilizing a high-quality hardwood veneer over a stable, eco-friendly core, these panels provide the luxurious aesthetic and texture of solid hardwood while using only a fraction of the raw timber. It is the ultimate sustainable solution for interior walls and ceilings—delivering a premium architectural finish while significantly preserving our precious hardwood resources.
FAQs
Sustainably sourced means we only cut down one tree from every 3 Hectares ensuring mass deforestation does not occur. When harvested from managed Australian/International forests this equates to 2 trees harvested every 5 years forever. Managed forests where older trees are harvested for wood production (carbon storage) sequester carbon at a faster rate than unmanaged forests.
“Responsibly sourced wood is beautiful, versatile and renewable and, by storing carbon, it also helps tackle climate change.” – Planet Ark
Australia has an abundance of reclaimed hardwood telephone poles (200,000 available each year), bridge beams, wharf beams and large inner city warehouses – wool stores. There are in excess of 300 buildings being demolished in NSW, GLD, VIC every week so timber stocks are plentiful!
Our hardwood timbers have significant structural capabilities. As a comparison, our F27 graded hardwoods are 5 times stronger (bending strength) of SG8, nearly triple GL12 and double LVL11.
As mentioned above, there’s an abundance of reclaimed timber in Australia including 35,000 timber bridges which are being replaced year on year.
Cladding, Decking, Flooring, Big Structural Beams and Posts, Joinery, Landscaping Timbers, Commercial fit-outs and much more.
Before the timber leaves Australia it is fumigated and kiln dried down to between 9 – 14% moisture. When it arrives into New Zealand, MPI is then supplied with the Fumigation and Kiln Dried Certificates. They undertake a visual inspection of the timber along with a moisture test to confirm what the documentation states and the timber is then released. We have had countless containers go through this process so we are very efficient with our import systems and processes.
As the timber comes by ship in a container with thousands of other containers, our carbon footprint is less than driving from Christchurch to Kaikoura! Many timbers imported into New Zealand come from North America or the Netherlands so have a considerably greater initial carbon footprint.
With LMA Timber being part of the Caldwell Group, we have been planting hundreds of acres of trees which result in Carbon Credits which in itself is going above and beyond to ensure we look after the future of our environment.
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