5 Star Timbers - blog Archives
December 11, 2015
This deck was built by Jamie Herbert using all timbers supplied from 5 Star Timbers at Ewing Road, Woodridge.
Bearers & joists & noggins of 145 x 50 rough sawn hardwood, 90 x 90 Kwila posts & 140 x 45 handrail (flush back finished, checked in 10mm and glued only - no nails!!!). All from the top shelf range but the thing that stands this deck out from most others is the decking boards we used.
5 Star Timbers had 900 lineal metres of "Cover Grade" or "2nd Grade" 90 x 19 Australian Hardwood decking boards. They had been in the yard for quite some time and nobody wanted to use them so they approached me and asked if I had a project coming up that I would be prepared to use them on.
I knew that with a little more effort and careful sorting of the boards I would be able to produce a top class deck for my client & if a picture is worth a thousand words, these photos are testament of what can be achieved with just a little more work & patience.
Feedback from my client was:
"Man, that is the best deck I have ever seen, I love it".
It did come up pretty good, especially after 4 coats of Feast & Watson Natural Water Based Oil & definitely in the top couple of decks I have done in the last 25years.
Cheers Justin, Peter, Steve, Barry, Ed & the rest of the crew at 5 Star Timbers, always a pleasure to do business with you guys and thank you for all your help over the last 12 months.
- Jamie
But that's not all, Jamie has since completed another deck using the "2nd Grade" Australian Hardwood decking boards, & may we say it come up a treat & received honourable mentions from the judges of our recent "Show us your Deck" competition.
Jamie Herbert Deck featuring natural tree trunks for posts & "2nd Grade" decking boards.
December 11, 2015
5 Star Timbers in conjunction with FeastWatson are Ex-Cited to announce the winner of our "Show Us Your Deck" competition.
But first we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the individuals & companies who took the time to enter & share their creations with us.
The standards & variety of decks we've seen have been outstanding & very inspiring. We will be sharing them on our in house AV display, website & social media, so keep your eyes peeled.
We would also like to thank FeastWatson for their contribution to our competition, as well as the judges from FeastWatson & Timber Queensland.
So, without further ado, we are pleased to announce that the prize for "BEST DECK" & a $250 5 Star Timber Voucher goes to...........................
Andy Guirreri of Ex-Site Constructions
With over 15 years of building experience, the team at Ex-Site Constructions specialises in new homes, home renovations, extensions, kitchen & bathroom renovations, decks & patios.
As you can see, their "BEST DECK" winning entry displays their quality workmanship & attention to detail.
Produced using 90 x 19 Merbau decking fixed with S/S dome head nails. Andy’s deck was oiled with a Intergrain Jarrah finish.
The decking has been laid on 75 x 50 Hardwood joists (fixed to concrete) with the flyover ceiling being constructed using 140mm Kwila posts, 240mm Kwila beams & finished off with Ausdeck insulated roof panels
Above, the ceiling is cladded in 80 x 12 Tongue & Groove V joint Blackbutt.
You can view more of Ex-Site's work via their website: www.exsiteconstructions.com.au
Or check out their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/exsiteconstructions
CONGRATULATIONS ANDY.
December 8, 2015
There’s a lot that can be said about a business being launched in the middle of a global financial crisis, and surviving to tell the tale.
Located in the South Brisbane suburb of Woodridge, with another store nearby in Stapylton, 5 Star Timbers was established on the back of a long family tradition of working in the timber industry.
Earlier this year TimberTrader News spoke with Justin Lanyon, managing director of 5 Star Timbers, about how the business got started – and what the future holds.
BACK TO THE START
Justin Lanyon entered the industry in 1989, originally employed at a mill called Pinewood Products, run by a man named Colin Sealy.
“Colin was the main man running the business at the time, and gave me my first opportunity in the timber industry,” Justin says.
Mill work is a great way for many to start in the industry. For Justin, working at a sawmill resulted in a strong interest in timber, which then developed into a passion.
TROUBLING TIMES
During the late 1990s to early 2000s, Queensland was undergoing a significant period of change, which Justin witnessed first-hand.
“Big interest rates, lots of businesses falling over – it was a very interesting time, including the decline of the pine industry by CSR,” Justin says.
After seven years with Fineline Timbers, this period of change prompted him to set out on his own.
Aftersix weeks of setting up, Justin and the team at 5 Star Timbers commenced trading from the Queensland’s suburb of Staplyton, where the site still stands today.
However, It was a rough start for the Lanyon family. The recession in the construction sector was hitting Queensland and Australia at the time, which meant a tense period.
As the global financial crisis hit, Queensland timber suppliers started to struggle. Justin remembers it being a trying time for everyone.
So how did 5 Star Timbers go through this period and come out on top? As Justin explains, it was achieved by ensuring no opportunity was wasted. After so many decades working in the timber industry, the Lanyon family was not prepared to give up easily.
“There was then, and is now, nothing that we aren’t willing to do for our customers, so we made sure during that time we went that extra step,” he says.
Following that turbulent period, 5 Star Timbers emerged stronger than ever, acquiring major manufacturing machinery including a gas solar kiln, moulder, bandsaw, optimised docker, end matcher, and a protective oiler.
KEEPING IT MODERN
Today, Justin and his team are focused on adapting to the changing business environment, including utilising the digital age to their advantage.
“We’ve just revamped our website, and we have Brooke Bourke, a media and marketing executive, working for us as well. She has done a great job and it has changed the way that we do business.”
Brooke’s work with 5 Star Timbers includes a section on the website that houses news and advice, as well as answers to technical questions that customers often need help with.
FUTURE PLANS
While he is the first to admit that future goals are constantly changing, Justin remains true to himself when it comes to business prospects.
“We’re opportunistic as a business, so when things pop up in front of us, we’ve got to look at them for their worth – and then make the decisions.
In future, Justin and his team are eager to focus on improving their two branches, rather than expanding.
“We have a general plan going forward for the next five years, and that plan realistically encompasses building on the two branches that we’ve already got.”
Source: Timber Trader News
Monday 12th October 2015
