The Te Papa project involved 1,100m² of Tasmanian Oak tongue and groove wooden floorboards, a 29-rise raked staircase, 204m² of tongue and groove custom-made wall and ceiling panelling, bleachers, 16 floor boxes with brass trim, and a custom-made handrail, all coated with Resene ProSelect low VOC 2K waterborne polyurethane. As a testament to the sheer scale of the project, this quantity of Tasmanian Oak wooden flooring wasn’t available in New Zealand and needed to be specifically imported.

The contractor had used ProSelect on many contracts, both commercial and residential, with reliably great results, after first being introduced to it during the product’s design phase two years ago. Developed to enhance and protect hardwood timber floors in both residential and commercial applications, the tough 2K low VOC waterborne polyurethane range gives specifiers and contractors the freedom to select any finish they desire, from a full or semi-gloss, all the way through to a natural or ultra matt finish, with just the minimum of components.

Working in a fully operational museum had its challenges, and James Henry, with up to 10 skilled tradespeople on site at busy times, worked with Te Papa staff to assist with a seamless operation. The contract ran for two months, with much of the work scheduled at night to enable the museum and restaurant to operate as normal.

The construction of the stairs had a ‘design and build’ aspect with many of the details being debated collaboratively by the builder Hawkins, architect, Warren & Mahoney, and coatings applicator, James Henry, using experience gained from other projects before being agreed upon. The handrail had to be manufactured in three pieces and fitted together on site to achieve the complicated yet stunning design.

The ProSelect range includes an optional anti-slip additive to reduce the risk of falls that meets AS 4586-2013, an optional additive for extra protection against UV damage in sun prone areas, and a dedicated cleaning solution to help keep the finished floor looking good for longer. The new range has been designed and tested for ease of use and minimised wastage for professional flooring contractors. Mixed Resene ProSelect Bases are Australasian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA) approved.