Curtin House: A Showcase of Collaboration and Recycled Timber
This outstanding knockdown-rebuild project came to life through the collaborative efforts of Ben Walker Architects (BWA), Ewer Constructions, and Thor’s Hammer.
At Thor’s Hammer, we believe that great projects are built on strong partnerships. The recently completed Curtin House in South Canberra is a perfect example of this philosophy in action. From the very beginning, we were lucky to work closely with the architect Ben Walker, the owners and the builder Alan Ewer to ensure that our timber contributed to the overall vision for the home.
“This is one of the jobs we’re most proud of being involved in. There’s miles of recycled timber in this job — carefully chosen to be super high durability to cope with some of the exposed locations”
Curtin house - External cladding & decking
ARCHITECT - Ben Walker Architects
BUILDER - Ewer Constructions
TIMBER SPECIES Ironbark / dense reds (A mix of ironbark species, turpentine, forest red gum and other durability class 1 hardwoods)
SOURCED FROM QLD house demolitions and sawn from large bridge timbers
FINISH Clean dressed and left to gradually grey off.
More Than 10 Kilometres of Recycled Timber
This impressive residence used 10.4KM of recycled timber throughout the build, enough that we could lay end-to-end all the recycled timber used on this project, from Thor’s Hammer Workshop in Griffith to the house in Curtin (10.3KM away), with a little to spare.
“One of our main challenges was how do we procure and ensure we get the quantity of recycled timber that we needed for the project? We wanted to make sure that we used as much re-milled and recycled timber as we could, so that’s why we spoke to Thor’s Hammer.”
Early Planning and Rare Finds
Recycled timber isn’t something you can order off the shelf, especially when it comes to dense, high-durability species like ironbark. It makes up only around 10% of the recycled timber we salvage, so securing the quantity needed for this project required careful forward planning.
Alan Ewer from Ewer Constructions understood this challenge. He placed the order with us 12 months before the timber was needed on site, giving us the time we needed to source and re-mill the perfect pieces.
By working closely with Allan and his team, we were able to deliver timber in a staged approach, that aligned with the build schedule — making sure the timber arrived when it was needed, without delays.
Recycled Timber: More Than Just a Material
As with every project we take on, it’s not just about the timber — it’s about where it’s been and what it’s becoming. Ben Walker from BWA captured it perfectly, reflecting on the unique character reclaimed timber brings to a build: “The stories that are within that recycled timber, from its previous life, it's been used in a bridge or a factory in another part of Australia and all of a sudden it becomes part of a house in Canberra, it’s fantastic. We love the fact that those stories are reborn and started again.”
It’s this connection to the timber’s past — its texture, wear, and history — that gives each project a sense of place and character you simply can’t replicate with new materials. At Thor’s Hammer, we love being part of that process: giving old timber a new chapter while preserving the stories it carries.
Saving Timbers from the Old House
This project was a knockdown rebuild and when Ewer Constructions demolished the old house they salvaged timbers from the old house and sent them to Thor’s Hammer.
The new owners wanted to retain something from the old house and transform it into something for the new home. So, they asked Thor’s Hammer to design and build a king size bed, two tables and some bedside tables with the recycled timbers from the old house.
“It is a lot of work but it’s a nice thing to do. That you can represent the old home in the new home”
TIMBER SPECIES Canberra local ash
SOURCED FROM On-site demolition
FINISH Clean dressed with an Osmo matt finish.
Head to our tables page or beds page to learn more about our available recycled timber products - or click the button to enquire now.
Curtin House - External cladding & decking
Head to our tables page or beds page to learn more about our available recycled timber products - or click the button to enquire now.
Thinking About a Knockdown Rebuild? Let’s Talk Timber
If you’re planning a knockdown rebuild of your own, don’t let the timber of your old home go to waste. Salvage the timbers, and let us reclaim and re-mill them. We’ll help you turn them into beautiful new features — from a dining table to a bed frame, or even your new outdoor decking (if you are lucky enough to have durable species).
If you’re after high-durability, eco-friendly recycled timber for your new build, talk to us about what we have in stock or what we can source for you. If you are after large quantities of unusual species, or you want to reuse timbers from a knockdown, then early planning is key, just like it was for Curtin House.