Blog

Qualities that Make Victorian Ash Wood a Practical Choice for Staircases and Balustrades

24 October 2019

Aside from their respective aesthetic values, staircases and balustrades are also functional facets of a certain infrastructure. A staircase is used to bridge together vertical distances by dividing it into small elevated platforms known as steps. While a balustrade is used to prevent those that are utilizing the building from falling off of staircases, balconies and any areas that are higher than a meter off of the ground level.

That is why it is necessary to utilise a material that is both durable and appealing. Among the materials that can be used for staircases and balustrades is Victorian Ash Wood. Victorian Ash Wood came from the Alpine Ash and Mountain Ash trees, two tall hardwood alpine trees grown in Australia near Victoria and Tasmania. They are considered as two of the tallest hardwood trees in the world. Below are some of the qualities that make Victorian Ash Wood a practical choice for staircases and balustrades.

Variety of Colour

Victorian Ash Wood is usually a straight grain timbre with an even colour. Naturally, its colour ranges from pale pink to yellowish brown. However, a Victorian Ash Wood can change into a walnut colour when steamed with ammonia. Its consistent and even colour makes it a practical choice for staircases and balustrades, as well as interior applications such as flooring, panelling, mouldings, handrails, cupboards, bench tops high value joinery, furniture, and protected window joinery. Victorian ash can be grown as a plantation timber due to its quick growth and resistance to insect attack.

Ease of Use

The impressive working properties of Victorian Ash Wood had significantly increased its practical usage. A Victorian Ash Wood is easy to work with hand and machine tools. The timbre glues, turns, machines, and finishes well. There is also minimal shrinkage after drying making it an ideal material for staircases and balustrades.

Stable and Durable

Victorian Ash Wood is deemed to be very durable. Its moderate above-ground durability is due to its hard and heavy timbre with good strength properties. It is also ideal to be used for practical purposes because of its high resistance to abrasion and wear. Above ground, it has a life expectancy of seven to 15 years, while its in-ground life expectancy ranges from zero to five years. To further ensure the best quality of the Victorian Ash Wood boards, they are quarter sewn. This means that the logs are cut into four, thus, providing an excellent dimensional stability.

Flexible Nature

Besides staircases and balustrades, Victorian Ash Wood can also be used for general construction. In certain instances, it is used for F17 seasoned structural framing. It can also be utilised to manufacture plywood, boxes, crates and paper pulp.

If you are in the market for a high-quality staircase and balustrade, Planet Stairs is here to serve you. We manufacture and install affordable, quality timber staircases both internal and external, handrails, and balustrade for new homes, home renovations, and commercial properties.

Optimized by: Netwizard SEO