Sandboxes, New Zealand

interior ceiling panels removed

negative detail

Guest house

Interior ceiling plywood

Interior ceiling exposed

Interior ceiling

As the popularity of plywood interior finishes continues to increase, so do the questions of how to get the perfect finish. With the traditional methods of panel mounting being visible and time consuming, Fastmount has stepped into the arena with its hidden fastening systems for removable panels, that facilitate a finish to be admired.

Originally designed for the demanding requirements of superyacht interiors – answering the question of how to fasten interior panels securely without seeing the fastening, whilst maintaining their removability.

Not only popular for its simple installation process, the Fastmount system gives a flawless finish, with no visible fastenings. This allows a designers vision to be completely uninterrupted by traditional fixings, such as nails into the face of plywood panels. The innovative core design of the Fastmount system allows any one panel to be removed and replaced to the exact position time after time, future-proofing the interior for easy and efficient refit.

The ‘Sandboxes’ house is located in Piha, on the West Coast of New Zealand’s North Island – a beach known for its wilderness and nature. A timber and plywood interior was designed, using panels both on the walls and the ceilings. “We wanted to achieve a soft, warm and natural interior, and oiled plywood allowed us to do that,” said Bodie Maxcey of Herbst of Herbst Maxcey Metropolitan Architects Ltd.

Plytech Gaboon plywood panels were used on the ceilings in two key areas of the house – the open plan living space in the elevated section, and the Bunk Room in the lower section of the property. Rejecting the option to screw and glue the panels in favor of a hidden solution, Fastmount was suggested as the best option to mount the plywood.

The shared living space features a high stud ceiling clad with oiled gaboon plywood panels, which run between the rafter beams to accentuate the length of the room. The panels are separated by a negative detail, precisely installed with Fastmount’s Very Low Profile range, popular for their easy installation and perfect alignment.

“You wouldn’t think that the lack of screw holes in the face of the ply would make that much of a difference to the overall look and feel, but it really takes it to another level.” – Keith Stevens, Sandboxes owner.

The simplicity of the Fastmount system really allows the panels to take centre stage in the design of the interior. Meanwhile, the removability of the panels means that, should the panels need to be taken down for reticulation of cables, they can easily be replaced to the exact position, with no damage caused to the finish.

“It was ultimately a great decision to use the system, and the project benefitted from using Fastmount.” – Bodie Maxcey, Herbst Maxcey Metropolitan Architects.

The bunkroom was given a cozy, hideaway feel by using full size gaboon plywood panels on the ceiling, which is complemented by finished timber walls. The precision of the negative detailing gave a sense of continuity from the main house.

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