FEATURES
T
here are hundreds of reasons to love hardwood floors.
The natural colours and beautiful grain on the wood
planks add a charming appeal and the uniqueness of
wood can’t be found in any other man-made or natural hard
surface flooring options. Wood floors also gain more
character as they age.
WORKING WITH NATURE
High-quality hardwood floors add a richness and lasting appeal
to any room, creating an elegant and inviting environment that
oozes class. Nick Gluckman, owner and founder of Oggie
Flooring says, “For generations people have chosen wood for its
aesthetic appeal and warmth. Technology has made it possible
for buildings to get the luxurious look of years gone by, through
using affordable engineered flooring – which is one of the
options on offer at Oggie.”
Gluckman adds that Oggie continually strives for excellence,
while offering customised planks with a focus on options (such
as widths, lengths, colour nuances; patterned panels; or hand
crafted texture finishes) and delivering excellent service.
Oggie’s outstanding craftsmanship and commitment to
uncompromising service has led to a loyal client base including
many of Africa’s leading architects, designers and property
developers. Oggie is the largest importer of FSC oak flooring
and Cladding in Africa, and has designer showrooms in
Paarden Eiland, Sandton and Umhlanga, and supplies timber
throughout Africa and the Indian islands.
DURABILITY WITH QUALITY ENGINEERED
HARDWOOD
Wood flooring adds character, with endless choices and a variety
of construction options. Regardless of the architectural style of a
client’s building, there is always a place for wood.
While solid hardwood flooring is expensive, the ranges of
engineered planks are more affordable and stable, while still
offering a solid top layer of hardwood, and so manage to
achieve an identical look. Because the engineered planks are
bonded to other layers, these hardwood varieties are
constructionally more stable.
“Because Oggie has the most technically-advanced Trivec Dutch
colour finishing plant in Africa, we can custom finish our client’s
unfinished ranges,” Gluckman says. Each plank is individually
finished, planed, brushed, smoked, coloured, and measured by
the most demanding standard there is – the human eye.
BROAD RANGE OF OAK FLOORING OR
CLADDING
With over 200 oak options, catering for every taste, customers are
assured of the perfect wooden surface. The wide range of planks
with different characteristics offers interior solutions that are sleek,
contemporary, modern, classic or aged.
Oggie offers extraordinary plank dimensions ranging in sizes
from 190-400mm width and 1 900 – 5 000mm lengths. In their
engineered floor range the floors have a 3mm to 6mm solid oak
wear layer above the tongue and groove and are made with
10-20mm thick wood, including multiply construction.
OUTDOOR TIMBER DECKING AND
CLADDING BY OGGIE
“Oggie has recently introduced an outdoor range of solid
thermo-treated Nordic ash and Nordic pine for cladding and
www.timberiq.co.za
decking applications. Our outdoor range of colours and lengths
is also very extensive,” says Gluckman.
Thermo treated wood is a versatile material for exterior and
interior applications in all climates. The thermal modification
process uses only heat and steam to change each plank fibre all
the way to the wood core.
This wood is heated to 150°C for 20 hours so that the natural
sugars and nutrients are broken down, and the wood’s moisture
content is reduced to 0%. The heat is then raised to 215°C and
held for 4 hours. This is where the cellular structure is altered, and
the colour process takes place. It darkens and toughens the
wood, achieving a low moisture content and dimensional stability.
During the cool down process, the temperature is reduced over 24
hours and moisture is reintroduced for end use. The entire 48 hour
process is carefully monitored digitally to ensure quality. After the
plank is profiled, it goes through a specialised quality control unit
called an Optimiser, where boards are scanned for grading and
defects. Any defects are automatically rejected.
Thermo treated planks are energy efficient, durable, low
maintenance, and decay resistant.
TLC
Well-maintained wood keeps its natural ambience and beautiful
appearance. “To this end, Oggie partners with WOCA, the world’s
leading wood care company,” says Gluckman. Decades of
accumulated technical expertise have enabled WOCA Denmark to
produce the best and strongest system of both finishing and
maintaining wood products – providing new life and energy.
WOCA is focused around nature, from the way its penetrating oils
are designed to protect and enhance the natural properties of
wood to the impact that the manufacturing process and products
could have on the environment.
PROJECT: CHEETAH PLAINS – SABI SAND
GAME RESERVE
Oggie works to create aesthetically outstanding interiors and has
built strong partnerships with some of Africa’s leading property
developers construction supervisors, architects, and designers,
because besides holding a reputation for reliable, and punctual
delivery, they are proud of their products, and never walk away
from a job.
One of the projects where Oggie was used is the beautiful
Cheetah Plains project – Sabi Sand Game Reserve, “Which used
Oggie on their ceilings and floors – and has been recognised and
received several awards for being a world-class luxury eco
hotel,” says Gluckman.
FREEING GAME LODGE ARCHITECTURE
FROM THE CLICHÉ
Cheetah Plains is a new Game Lodge designed by ARRCC
Architecture and Interiors studio. Located in the Sabi Sand Wildlife
Sanctuary bordering the Kruger National Park, the clients chose to
pursue a different offering for the market; by avoiding the typical
typology of creating a central communal space surrounded by
bedroom suites, the accommodation is split into three separate,
private components referred to as the ‘Plains Houses’.
The Plains Houses are made up of clusters of free-standing
buildings carefully arranged to accommodate existing natural
features such as trees, typography and views – thereby
minimising intrusion into the landscape.
// APRIL / MAY 2020
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