Red Grandis: The Oak Alternative

Oak is a very popular species choice for acoustic timber slat panels here at BCL. It is the most widely used internal timber in the UK due to its high quality, historic background and easy matching in the veneer market. However, in recent years this has led to an ‘over-demand’ pushing the price of solid Oak up further and further, making it one of the most expensive commercially available species on the market today.

The problem is that substituting alternate species for Oak is a tricky task – its fine, straight grain, rarely seen in other species makes matching to Oak veneers and other joinery components difficult. Thankfully there is a little known species that is almost identical in grain and texture, which can be stained to match Oak at a fraction of the cost.

Also known as Eucalyptus Grandis and Rose Gum, Red Grandis grows between 40-70 metres high in just 20-30 years, making it a highly sustainable species, compared to Oak’s 50-75 years. It is durable (Class 2-3) and has a natural resistance to fungi meaning this wood species can be used for both internal wood ceilings and slatted walls, but also for fully exposed timber cladding and external cladded ceiling applications. Red Grandis’ low density makes it perfect for panel systems and maximising panel sizes.

Naturally a light red to pink, this straight grained hardwood is easy to treat and stain, allowing you to create a cost effective panel system identical to Oak. All Red Grandis is 100% FSC Certified, scoring you maximum BREEAM points with a complete chain of custody.

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