Aria Seat (CMA1) with aluminium woodgrain battens in Spotted Gum, Textura Monument frame.
Aluminium woodgrain, also known as ‘Wood Without Worry,’ provides the warm look of timber – retained over time – with the minimal maintenance requirements of powder coated aluminium.
Where timber requires oiling every three months to keep it at its best, simply wipe down woodgrain aluminium with a clean, damp cloth every few months as required.
Wood Without Worry is UV and salt resistant for peace of mind.
Splash ‘n’ Play Water Park, designed by Cardno Landscape. Mall Sun Lounge (CMM-S) in Bush Cherry aluminium woodgrain battens Sable Core Ten end caps and Nigh Sky frames.
The Aria Seating System, in Wood Without Worry, encourages people to stop, linger and gather on a busy streetscape.
Belgrave Street, Kogarah by Georges River Council. Aria Seat (CMA1) and Simple Bin (LB4) in Spotted Gum aluminium woodgrain battens and Textura Monument frames.
Wood Without Worry has proven durability and vandal-resistance in high traffic conditions across Sydney’s train stations since 2015.
100+ stations for Sydney Trains and Transport for NSW. Mall DDA seat (CMM705) with Bush Cherry aluminium woodgrain battens with Palladium Silver end caps, and Palladium Silver frames.
“People keep touching it, they can’t believe it’s not timber.”
– Jennifer Spratling, Centre Manager Big Top, Kippa Ring and Upper Mt Gravatt
Aria Seat (CMA1) with aluminium woodgrain battens in Spotted Gum and Textura Monument frames.
Forum Seat (FS7) with aluminium woodgrain battens and Textura Dark Bronze frames. Left: Spotted Gum. Right: Wenge.
frequently asked questions
What is Wood Without Worry? Wood Without Worry refers to aluminium woodgrain battens that offer a premium timber look with minimal maintenance. Compared to timber, aluminium woodgrain is stronger, more durable, fade-resistant, and only requires the occasional soapy water wash down.
How is it made? Wood Without Worry uses a sublimation process, which embeds high-res imagery of a timber species into the powder coat, which is then baked onto the aluminium. Each batten is then coated with a super durable matte powder for further weathering, salt and humidity resistance.
What about graffiti and scratching? Wood Without Worry is an anti-graffiti coating, which means surface scratches can be polished out and marker pen can be removed with a suitable cleaner. Deeper scratches can be remedied using colour-matched touch up paint. Spare battens are also readily available direct from the factory.
Does Wood Without Worry get hot? No, on the contrary, Wood Without Worry battens, with the exception of Wenge, are cooler than the surrounding temperature in the summer months. It is the ideal batten choice for hot summers and locations where the urban island heat effect is a concern.
What products offer Wood Without Worry? Wood Without Worry is available for all Street Furniture Australia products that offer battens. These include seats, benches, tables, bins and planters.
To celebrate the unveiling of the Piatto Chair at our annual product launch party with AILA NSW in Sydney, Jazz at The Mint, clients were invited to enter this quirky contest. The competition called for teams to incorporate Piatto Chairs into an ‘Awkward Family Photo’ portrait, for a chance to win Piatto Chairs of their very own. Congratulations to the creative crew from Yerrabingin, who delivered the strongest awkward family vibes on the night. Highly commended goes to the entrants below, and the full photo gallery from the event is available for viewing. Please contact marketing@streetfurniture.com if you would like to request a high res file to print and frame for your best room.
Clients from Sydney, Adelaide, California and Texas joined Street Furniture Australia and AILA NSW to celebrate the unveiling of new products on March 14, 2024, with margaritas and live music. Jazz at The Mint is an annual product launch held at The Mint, an iconic site in the heart of the Sydney CBD. It is an elegant affair and a unique opportunity to connect with landscape architects and built environment professionals at a global scale. This year’s party featured the new Linea Planter System and upcoming Piatto Chair, a single-seater hybrid between cafe and robust public space furniture – available now for specifications. The gathering was opened by Uncle Allan Murray, representing the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council, with speeches from: Ben Stockwin, AILA CEO, acknowledged the 10 year relationship with …
The Street Furniture Australia factory, in Regents Park, Western Sydney, is both a manufacturing hub and R&D studio for our Australian-designed and made street furniture products. We run fun and informative group events for customers throughout the year, to share how products are designed, tested and built, and the latest products and projects. This tour is open to design specifiers such as landscape architects and architects, and place custodians including Councils, government agencies, developers and other place managers. Director of Tract Julie Lee said: “It was a great opportunity for our team to look behind the scenes and understand the innovation, research and climate positive outcomes Street Furniture Australia is focusing on. Thank you for having us!” Place Design Group Associate, Liam Isaksen, said: “The factory tour is a fun …
New experimental open-air smart hubs, created by Street Furniture Australia at our studio and factory in Western Sydney, have been officially launched by Georges River Council Mayor Kevin Greene on Thursday February 20, 2020. “ChillOUT Hubs aim to offer some relief in our densifying cities by providing opportunities to meet, work or rest, and spend more time outdoors,” says Street Furniture Australia Head of Innovation June Lee Boxsell. “Each hub packs a punch – integrating shade, seats and tables, charging stations, solar power, sensors, lighting, public WiFi, greenery, smart fountains and smart bins – a big feat combining tech, industrial design and placemaking,” she says. Three hubs are already installed in the Georges River Council region in south Sydney as part of a pilot study for the Australian Government’s Smart …
Configure Aria seats and benches with the new desktop Build Aria app – simply drag and drop the modules into place, change the colours and switch up the arms and legs. 1. Select your base Aria. Add 1, 2 or 3 seater sections, or connector panels. 2. Experiment with colours and materials for the frames and battens. Apply to the whole seat, or just one section – including the backrest. 3. Add arms. Change the legs between Post, Splay or a combination of both. 4. Take a photo of your masterpiece. Download the image, or email it to yourself. The email will include a code for ordering your Aria configuration. Build Aria is also available with augmented reality on iPhone and iPad, free to download on the App Store.
Timber? Aluminium? The answer may surprise you. Comfort sitting outdoors can depend on many factors: position, view, shelter, microclimate, social comfort and more – see our Gehl cheatsheet on how to place seats in the city. The temperature of the seat under you can also contribute. Metal, for example, is commonly thought to be hottest in summer and coldest in winter. Street Furniture Australia’s inhouse engineers ran a study, dubbed the Goldilocks Batten Project, to get to the truth. Access the full Goldilocks Report (730KB). They tested anodised, powdercoated and woodgrain aluminium, and oiled hardwood (Jarrah) battens. For comparison, they also looked at raw aluminium – a material we do not use in seats. The battens were placed in the sun, and the temperature recorded regularly. The engineers noted how …
