We value this reclaimed material to breathe new life into the world of interior design…
This mysterious name “ironwood” raises many questions. Actually ironwood does not really exist, its name reflects its high volume density, around 1g/cm3. Reason why it does not float, it sinks in water ! This wood comes from a tree called Eusideronxylon Zwageri which is part of the Lauraceae family. Slowly growing, it reaches gigantic sizes of more than 50 m in height for a diameter of more than 2 m. Due to its exceptional hardness and durability, it was used in Borneo for decking of bridges and loading docks in ports. As the government removes it in order to asphalt the surfaces, we manage to buy it in lots.
Note that only reclaimed ironwood is authorized for export, after having been processed in the country of origin and imported to Europe. For this, we have undergone several customs checks which have approved our import sector and the imported wood. However, I have seen large batches of new ironwood leaving Borneo, artificially aged by immersing it for months in alluvial rivers. The sand transported by the currents conveys the wood with patina. In addition to its illegal export, this wood is absolutely unsuitable for interior design and architecture because it “moves” in all directions, it curves, twists and shrinks. So be careful! Even in this area, there are “counterfeits”.
After sourcing and controlling…. the tedious work begins: we sort the best boards, scrape them with a wire brush to remove decades of sediment, wash them, plane them on the underside in order to obtain a constant thickness of 2 cm, we calibrate them in width, cut grooves to limit the deformation of the 4m long boards. Each step of this process is done by hand, long, expensive in addition to multiple stages of transport. But what a result! Splendid, sustainable and virtuous because faithful to our DNA for 25 years, we value this reclaimed material to bring it a second life in the world of interior architecture. In addition to its rot-proof nature, the length of the boards (4m) and the exceptional hardness of this wood, we appreciate it above all for its unique texture defined by the cut lines which give it an unusual relief. Just imagine the labor of the lumberjacks who in the 19th and 20th centuries sawed these boards of unique hardness !
For what uses? They are only limited by your imagination.
Outdoors, we have used it for pool and terrace decking, house cladding, etc.
Indoors, everything is possible: we have used it for flooring, making doors, shelves, cupboards, kitchen doors, bathroom furniture, shower cladding, headboards, custom tables, etc. … (the walls of the Celtic bath and the entire spa of the Ferme du Vent in Saint Meloir des Ondes (Relais Château of the Roellinger family) are made with our ironwood).
If, like me, you are fascinated by this wood, I invite you to submit your projects to me and ask me about the essential advice for implementation.
Thierry Grundman
You can order the ironwood blades directly on our website or send us your custom order via the contact form !
