{"id":32988,"date":"2026-02-27T17:51:47","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T07:51:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=32988"},"modified":"2026-02-27T17:51:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T07:51:49","slug":"life-beyond-vic-ash-new-species-put-to-the-test-in-timber-windows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/life-beyond-vic-ash-new-species-put-to-the-test-in-timber-windows\/","title":{"rendered":"Life Beyond Vic Ash \u2014 New Species Put to the Test in Timber Windows"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When Victoria ceased native timber harvesting, it didn\u2019t just hit sawmills. It also impacted the value chains that depend on them \u2014 including the up to 200 Australian joinery companies that still manufacture timber windows and doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, Australian Sustainable Hardwoods (ASH) \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/australias-next-gen-of-aussie-oak-is-being-diverted-from-wood-chips\/\">the country\u2019s largest hardwood processor<\/a> \u2014 says a $600,000 AFWI-funded research project is helping the industry find its way forward, with new species, new engineered products and new performance data that could change how timber windows are specified in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Daniel Wright, ASH\u2019s National Business Development Manager, told <em>Wood Central <\/em>that window manufacturers are a big part of the company\u2019s supply chain \u2014 from commodity and painted windows through to high-end architectural manufacturers \u2014 mostly across south-eastern states, but with a growing presence in northern New South Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And Wright said the fallout from the decision to cease harvesting in Victorian forests has been immediate. \u201cThe window manufacturers of south-east Australia have been forced into a lot of change with the cessation of native timber in Victoria \u2014 just like we have,\u201d he said. \u201cBut they also have upcoming changes to the NCC, which will structurally change how many of them operate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Victoria&#39;s native timber exit sent shockwaves through Australia&#39;s window supply chain. Now, AFWI researchers are testing new species under storm conditions to help 200+ joineries find a way forward. For more:  <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/H9CHykRFUS\">https:\/\/t.co\/H9CHykRFUS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cdEoJCbgz5\">pic.twitter.com\/cdEoJCbgz5<\/a><\/p>&mdash; WoodCentralAu (@WoodCentralAU1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WoodCentralAU1\/status\/2027286543317262426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 27, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u201cOf course, what impacts our supply chain also impacts us.\u201d<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>That disruption created confusion. \u201cWe\u2019ve recently seen imported plantation timbers in the window market that don\u2019t meet the specs they are intended for,\u201d Wright said. \u201cThis was a direct result of Victoria\u2019s hardwood being suddenly ceased. The window makers were trying to do the right thing, but were forced to make quick decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As one of the major stakeholders in the AFWI\u2013AGWA Modernising Timber Windows project, led jointly by the Timber Development Association and the Australian Glass and Window Association, Australian Sustainable Hardwoods is providing timber species for testing their performance in modern systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;When we were asked to be involved, we saw this project as an opportunity to work together and help the window makers collectively find pathways forward that not only suit their specific needs, but also comply with upcoming changes to the NCC,&#8221; Wright said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The project is also a chance for ASH to advance one of its newer species \u2014 Plantation Oak \u2014 as the company rebuilds markets lost when Victorian ash was taken away. Made from <em>Shining Gum<\/em> logs grown in a plantation for pulp, Plantation Oak is upgraded by ASH into higher-end, longer-term applications. Wright said a small part of every log can be used for architectural applications, but the majority needs to be engineered to get the best out of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve had success with Plantation Oak in MASSLAM, but in order to use this fibre in other market segments, we need to help build the standards and examples that everyone can follow with confidence,\u201d he said. ASH is one of 10 timber suppliers involved in the project, alongside the <a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/pentarch-buys-superior-wood-in-major-pivot-to-softwood-mouldings\/\">Pentarch Group<\/a> and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"ASH MASSLAM Growth Capacity\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/877322122?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Wood Central understands that the testing will also establish if Plantation Oak can be used in windows and doors. Footage courtesy of Australian Sustainable Hardwoods.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Now, the testing programme is about to shift up a gear.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking to Wood Central today, Kylan Low \u2014 the Structural Engineer at the Timber Development Association leading the project \u2014 said next week\u2019s round will put four configurations through their paces: a double-hung window, an awning and casement window, an awning and double casement window, and a centre bifold door. Low said the configurations are designed to capture various hardware setups used across the industry and will be tested under combined air and water pressure for durations representing storm periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/aussie-engineers-test-the-limits-with-new-timber-window-systems\/\">In January, Low told Wood Central<\/a> that the industry had been craving this kind of data for a very long time: \u201cWindow data hasn\u2019t kept up with changes in codes, glazing, and timber supply.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The project has also given a platform to the next generation. Jesse Ross \u2014 a Graduate Engineer at AGWA who has been working alongside Low since the project\u2019s inception \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.agwa.com.au\/AGWA\/Media\/Articles\/AGWA_Technical_News_Timber_Project_2025.aspx\">recently shared his reflections on what has become his first major engineering projec<\/a>t. Ross said that, unlike uPVC and aluminium systems, there was no prime operator in the timber window sector, meaning the entire system had to be built from the ground up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Early testing revealed that some Australian hardwoods, such as Spotted Gum and Blackbutt, could outperform European staples. But given the project\u2019s focus on species substitution, the team chose to work with the lowest passing species it could find. Designs have settled on 55\/58 mm sash profiles with 24 mm glazing pockets, accommodating modern insulated glass units and manufacturable by small-scale workshops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ross said the industry engagement phase \u2014 travelling to state forums, meeting joiners, hardware suppliers and timber providers \u2014 was one of the most eye-opening parts of the experience. He found some joineries still working with outdated designs that didn\u2019t fully comply with AS 2047 or accommodate drained insulated glass units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI learned that innovation is not just about creating new ideas,\u201d Ross wrote, \u201cbut also about making them accessible to your audience.\u201d The documentation phase \u2014 technical manuals, substitution procedures, shop drawings \u2014 is now underway, aiming to give any Australian joinery everything it needs to start building with confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Modernising Timber Windows project is one of 30 research initiatives funded through AFWI \u2014 a $200-million-plus institute backed by $100 million in Commonwealth funding. It is generating new structural and performance data across a range of solid and engineered wood products, testing how timbers perform under <a href=\"https:\/\/www.standards-global.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pdfs\/preview\/2066697\">AS 2047<\/a>, Australia\u2019s mandatory standard for windows and external glazed doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>To learn more about the Australian Forest and Wood Innovations programme, <\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/afwi.au\"><em>visit AFWI\u2019s dedicated website.<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Victoria ceased native timber harvesting, it didn\u2019t just hit sawmills. It also impacted the value chains that depend on them \u2014 including the up to 200 Australian joinery companies that still manufacture timber windows and doors. Now, Australian Sustainable Hardwoods (ASH) \u2014 the country\u2019s largest hardwood processor \u2014 says a $600,000 AFWI-funded research project [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":32990,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"default","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"default","_google_business_share_type":"default","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[3,38,50,113,37,35,33,36,32,46,39,85,84,54,49,68,83,59,31,56,82],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[70],"class_list":{"0":"post-32988","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-architecture","8":"category-architecture-and-design","9":"category-australia","10":"category-australian-capital-territory","11":"category-building-and-construction","12":"category-case-studies","13":"category-editors-picks","14":"category-education","15":"category-global-news","16":"category-industry","17":"category-mass-timber","18":"category-new-south-wales","19":"category-northern-territory","20":"category-queensland","21":"category-residential","22":"category-sector","23":"category-south-australia","24":"category-tasmania","25":"category-top-stories","26":"category-victoria","27":"category-western-australia"},"authors":[{"term_id":70,"user_id":2,"is_guest":0,"slug":"jason","display_name":"Jason Ross","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/J-Ross-headshot.jpeg","url2x":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/J-Ross-headshot.jpeg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32988"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32988\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32991,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32988\/revisions\/32991"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32990"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32988"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=32988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}