New opportunities for Australian timber in sports flooring designs
The challenge
Sports flooring presents an opportunity currently underrepresented by the Australian timber industry with the majority of developments preferring to use imported materials. To date, Australian design standards and guidelines have often fallen short of separating floor performance into activity groupings leading to the undefined performance of Australian timber species and limiting use for specific applications.
The solution
The project goal is twofold: first, to prove that Australian timber species can be a viable option for sports flooring; and second, to show that using local hardwoods can help reduce costs for schools, councils, and sporting facilities while meeting—if not exceeding—existing international standards. A key output will be the development of an industry guideline summarising the findings of the project, allowing some Australian species to be specified in sports floor designs.
Outcomes
The information generated through this project will highlight opportunities for Australian timber producers to capitalise on a new product opportunity. The information generated through this project will provide new opportunities for Australian timber producers to access markets based on the proven performance of the species tested.
“We’d love to see Australian species used in stadiums across the country, and with the project running through to 2027, there’s time to work with the private sector to make that happen.” Randy Flierman – Australian Timber Flooring Association
Media and associated information
The Brisbane Olympics Should Have Australian-Made Timber Courts
Photo credit: Australasian Sports Floors
