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KeyDeck Quartersawn Decking Complements Community Environmental Project

The Fairfield Project is an ecological and environmental education programme on 12 hectares owned by Fairfield College. Located in the heart of Hamilton city, and bordering the biodiverse Kukutāruhe Gully, the project includes clearing non-native species, planting native trees, running scientific and educational projects, and cultivating a community garden.

A significant milestone for the project is the recent opening of the WaterShed. Designed by the students of Fairfield College, with guidance from PAUA Architects, the pavilion is made from two shipping containers set in an L-shape, with a covered roof and a large deck constructed using KeyDeck from Keyland.

"The building has three key functions," says architect Antanas Procuta. "One container is used to store tools for the gulley restoration work and the other is for storing learning resources. The large roof serves to catch water to irrigate the gardens and protect the containers from water ingress and heat gain."

The covered deck creates a generous space for classroom sessions, somewhere to get briefed before and after going into the bush, and a place to relax and have lunch in the shade. The architects chose KeyDeck in Natural Amber for the flooring, fixed by invisible Camo Edge Deck Fasteners.

"This project is about sustainability," says Procuta. "We ruled out imported hardwoods, but knew pine decking options were limited — many are quite knotty, and they can move and twist. So, when we heard about the stable, quartersawn boards from Keyland, we had a look."

KeyDeck is made from boards of New Zealand pine from FSC-certified forests. Being quartersawn, they have a straight grain with no knots and excellent stability. Treatment is chrome- and arsenic-free, and the factory-applied oil and colour goes deep into the grain to protect the wood from warping during the critical first year of weathering.

"This Keyland material seems incredibly good," notes Procuta. "Being quartersawn means it won’t move like standard pine decking, and having no face knots gives it a finer appearance. It is now the standard decking product we specify in our practice."

The appearance is enhanced by the Camo hidden fixing system, in which screws go through the edges of the boards at 45°, making them invisible and preventing the possibility of raised nails or screws which occurs in face-fastening.

The decking is a sustainable, practical, cost effective and aesthetic solution for the community pavilion. With every log sourced from managed forests in Aotearoa New Zealand, its selection supports local industry.

For more information about the products used on this project, contact the Keyland team on 0800 113 171.

CREDITS:
Designer: Fairfield College, with guidance from PAUA Architects
Product: 90 x 21mm KeyDeck Natural Amber, Camo Edge Deck Fasteners
Writer: Folio

View more information on Keyland, including contact details.
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