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.
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. 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!” The 2-hour tour (plus travel) includes: Places are limited for the 2024 dates below. To register please contact Sally Morrison on smorrison@streetfurniture.com, or book your ticket on Eventbrite. Thursday, 11 April 20248.45am – 11am Thursday, 25 July 20248.45am …
Cumberland City Council, the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and Street Furniture Australia in November co-hosted a factory tour and knowledge exchange for Councils about creating great public spaces and local manufacturing. Guest speakers presented enriching case studies and conversations about Country, climate, culture and community at the Street Furniture Australia factory, which is located within the Cumberland LGA in Western Sydney. 55 people attended the event. Head of Marketing and Innovation with Street Furniture Australia, June Lee Boxsell, said, “Activating Western Sydney was a fantastic opportunity to share ideas on bringing joy to our local communities while also celebrating the completion of Merrylands Civic Square — a remarkable human-centred development at the heart of Cumberland City Council. “With Street Furniture Australia positioned right at the doorstep of Western Sydney-based …
Broadcasting from a shipping container studio in South Fremantle in the city of Perth, Western Australia, independent not-for-profit community radio station Freocast shares music and storytelling by local voices. A passion project for Fremantle architect and long-serving community radio broadcaster Nick Juniper, the online station is supported by volunteers and local partners to broadcast a range of community-based shows and DJ mixes, and hosts events onsite. Juniper says the station creates a connective space: “Fremantle has a very strong, engaged and passionate community, and I created Freocast as a way of providing an opportunity for a wide variety of voices and opinions to have a chance to broadcast,” he told StreetChat. “We also felt strongly about creating a physical space where the community could come together, connect, listen to music …
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 …
