Lightweight Rustic Timber Rafters from Supawood

Rustic timber rafters complete theme for Food Xchange eatery

The design intent for the Food Xchange in Carringbah NSW required a chunky looking rustic timber beam product that did not pose the physical weight and installation cost concerns that solid timber would present. SUPAWOOD's Light weight SUPASLAT MAXI BEAM provided the answer.

This project involved the transformation of an old bank building into an up-market eatery based on a philosophy to provide quality fresh casual food and a relaxed creative dining experience. To convey the client's business ideals the designers, Lacoste & Stevenson, were asked to create a standalone contemporary design but preserve some of the original elements of the building.

A rustic farmyard theme with a modern twist was the result.

To create the illusion of rafters in an old barn, the final interior concept featured staggered suspended rustic timber beams, however the weight factor and a potentially time consuming and difficult installation with solid timbers made the designers look for an alternative suitable light weight timber beam.

MAXI BEAM successfully overcame these issues with its exceptional light weight, rustic wood grain finishes, and unlike solid timber, excellent stability over wide spans. The beams are easy to work with and quick to install reducing lead time.

In this fit-out 147 x 50mm size beams have been used in a durable and easy to clean SUPALAMI Rustic Oak laminate finish. The ceiling has been left open so services above are easy to reach for maintenance. The lighting has been creatively hung from the beams and the timber finish blends perfectly with the elements of the décor as a whole.

This project illustrates a clever use of MAXI BEAM and demonstrates the versatility of this product. Here it creates the illusion of open structural support beams without the difficulty and cost of using heavy solid timber.