At Sydney Beach Homes, we’re always on the lookout for building products that are both sustainable and have a limited impact on the environment, but they have to look great too – and stand up to the rigours of the environments in which we invariably build.

It has to be said that we love working with natural building products like slate and timber and it’s hard to ignore their natural beauty, but we do understand that with our clients’ busy lives, keeping on top of these things can be an issue. This is especially true of timber decking, requiring maintenance every 6 months, which is not always appealing.

With this in mind, we’ve found a couple of great new building products that we are delighted to recommend to our clients, which are extremely durable and have the looks to match. Both of these home-grown companies make products specifically for the challenging Australian conditions, often overlooked by overseas brands.

MONIER ELEMENTAL ROOF TILES

Monier has re-invented roofing with their Elemental range, which are manufactured from an advanced fibre reinforced composite, originally developed for the aerospace industry. Monier’s commitment to strength and beauty means Elemental’s ultra-modern appearance will enhance your property while truly protecting you from the elements.

It’s so good to see companies like this creating cutting edge products to inspire the creativity
 of Australia’s architects, designers, builders and families. Its unique aesthetic stimulates exploration with new architectural designs and creative rooflines.

This product is the latest innovation in lightweight composite roofing, with a modern take on classic slate and shingle. Despite its ultra-light weight – 5 times lighter than traditional tiles – it boasts unprecedented strength. The tiles have been designed to withstand ALL the elements the Australian environment may through at us, including harsh sunlight, salty coastal environments, heavy hail and wild storms. It will not rust or dent and will maintain it’s UV colour coating without peeling or flaking.

And they’re cheaper than natural slate.

The Elemental series features an ultra large 1500mm x 750mm panel and a unique 750mm square panel for a contemporary take on the classic look.

We’ve recently selected these tiles for a particular project to achieve the desired Hamptons look of natural slate, but they will work just as well on contemporary styled homes too.

We chose slate grey for this project, but they are also available in 5 other colours.

And these particular building products come with a 30 year performance guarantee – what’s not to love?

MODWOOD DECKING & SCREENING

There are a few composite wood-effect decking solutions on the market, but we have a good feeling about ModWood decking, which uses recycled milk bottles blended with waste wood fibre. Each linea metre of ModWood decking contains around thirty seven recycled bottles and almost two kilograms of reclaimed pine waste, sourced from a certified plantation of sustainably managed pine, in a process that leaves a minimal environmental footprint.

ModWood products will not warp, crack or splinter under normal conditions, and require no sanding, sealing or painting for long term protection. This is a building product that is manufactured Australia and created specifically to withstand Australia’s harsh conditions. They contain a high degree of UV stability and they are highly resistant to weather, moisture and termites.

Underfoot ModWood feels firm and strong, which is very important for elevated decks. A range of colours from a dark brown/black though warmer red tones, to silver grey is available and each colour features a dark intermittent pigment to compliment the grained finish for a more natural appearance.

One thing we love about the ModWood product is that it does undergo some weathering when exposed to the elements, softening over time to a silver grey colour in the manner of natural wood. Boards also have a similar surface temperature to timber, which feels natural to walk on. And as it does not splinter, ModWood is extremely child-friendly, making it ideal for use around pool or spa areas.

It also perfect for creating privacy with screened outdoor areas and contemporary garden features.

The ModWood Marina collection is a bigger, stronger board, designed for marinas, boardwalks, outdoor furniture and heavy duty decking areas. It’s particularly well suited to ecologically sensitive areas, as there are no nasty chemicals that could leach out. It is highly resistant to the ravages of salt air – and it stands up well to heavy foot traffic.

For those living in bushfire zones, there is also a range of Flame Shield options available that are suitable for bushfire prone areas, rated to BAL 40, and all Modwood products come with a 10 year limited warranty.

All in all, two fantastic Aussie products from a couple of refreshingly innovating companies, that the team at Sydney Beach Homes just can’t wait to put to good use for our busy clients looking for a manageable alternative to natural stone and timber.