With a range of beautiful cladding and batten products combined with a unique concealed fixing system, Sculptform has become a regular feature in Australia's various design publications. In this episode of The Specification, Joe and Laurence welcome Jeremy (MD) and Andrew (BDM) from Sculptform to discuss their products and find out what designers need to know for a successful Sculptform project. 

Sculptform has been used in some amazing ways on award winning projects.  If you're interested to find out more and see some of these incredible structures make sure to visit https://www.sculptform.com/. 

Next week Laurence and Joe look forward to welcoming Bruce Gascoigne from Dulux for an eye opening dive into the world of paint. As Laurence and Joe discover there's more to paint than you might think – this one is not to be missed! 

The Specification is brought to you by Northwest Media, an Australian digital agency specialising in creation and delivery of custom web apps.

Find out more at www.nwmedia.au

For any questions or suggestions please contact Joe and Laurence at [email protected]

Building facades have arguably received more scrutiny and attention than any other building product or system in recent years, with revelations around combustibility and growing knowledge around how they – the skin of a building – can make or break the structure's operational performance. 

While there are a broad range of façade cladding products available on the market today (all of which will be explored on this podcast at some point), Joe and Laurence recently approached Adrian Rodiguez and Bernat Minana from Frontek to learn more about their speciality – extruded porcelain façade cladding. 

Extruded porcelain cladding represents an innovative use of a familiar product, and was a really interesting focus of this recording. If you're interested to find out more about either Frontek or their extruded porcelain cladding you can visit https://www.frontek.com.au/. 

Next week Laurence and Joe look forward to welcoming Jeremy and Andrew from Sculptform to learn more about their unique concealed connection system. This is bound to be yet another great episode so make sure to check your feed for valuable insights from one of the industry's leading brands.  

The Specification is brought to you by Northwest Media, an Australian digital agency specialising in creation and delivery of custom web apps.

Find out more at www.nwmedia.au

For any questions or suggestions please contact Joe and Laurence at [email protected]

How many times have you had to yell over your neighbouring table at a restaurant, or endure a neighbour's noisy event, TV, or musical instrument practice? The people who use and inhabit buildings rarely notice their acoustic performance until there is something wrong, so how can we make sure our spaces are designed for acoustic success?

In this episode of The Specification Joe and Laurence are joined by Rob Jones (Technical and Development Manager at Autex), who shares valuable insights into design and specification for superior room acoustics. 

If you're interested to find out more about Autex and their acoustic products you can visit https://www.autexglobal.com/au..  

Next week Laurence and Joe look forward to welcoming Adrian and Bernat from Frontek to learn more about porcelain facade cladding. This is bound to be yet another great episode so make sure to check your feed for valuable insights from one of the industry's leading brands. 

The Specification is brought to you by Northwest Media, an Australian digital agency specialising in creation and delivery of custom web apps.

Find out more at www.nwmedia.au

For any questions or suggestions please contact Joe and Laurence at [email protected]

Vinyl is one of those materials where if specified and installed correctly it can perform optimally for decades. However with several different types, different performance ratings, and practically its own vocabulary, it's not always easy to get this right. 

Don't panic though – this episode explains all. In this podcast Joe and Laurence are joined by Andrew Ferguson, National Technical Manager at Polyflor. With a background in industrial chemistry, Andrew simply explains the differences between vinyl products, and provides some essential tips for designers, builders, and installers who want their vinyl installed right the first time. 

If you're interested to find out more about vinyl make sure to visit https://www.polyflor.com.au or The Floor Covering Institute of Australia at https://www.fcia.org.au.  

Next week Laurence and Joe look forward to welcoming Rob Jones, Technical Manager at Autex. This is bound to be yet another great episode so make sure to check your feed for valuable insights from one of the industry's leading brands. 

The Specification is brought to you by Northwest Media, an Australian digital agency specialising in creation and delivery of custom web apps.

Find out more at www.nwmedia.au

For any questions or suggestions please contact Joe and Laurence at [email protected]

Modern civilisation has been built on concrete, and by extension cement. Cement is the glue that binds the concrete together, forming strong bonds which resist incredible loads. It's difficult (some may say impossible) to produce high performance concrete without cement, but with awareness of GHG emissions growing around the world, many are concerned about the significant amount of CO2 created during its production. 

With this in mind Joe and Laurence were excited to welcome onto the show Martin Lynch, Product Development Manager at Cement Australia. Martin introduced the guys to cement before getting into a great discussion about how we're making concrete more sustainable, and touching on what designers and specifiers need to do to make sure the concrete on their projects creates less impact on the environment. 

This is a great episode for anyone interested in one of the most common construction materials out there, and wanting to learn how we can reduce our environmental impact through specification. 

If you're interested to find out more about concrete, cement, or Cement Australia you can visit https://www.cementaustralia.com.au/ ,the industry body at https://www.ccaa.com.au/, or the Cement Industry Foundation at https://www.cement.org.au.  

Next week Laurence and Joe look forward to welcoming Andrew Ferguson, National Technical Manager at Polyflor. This is bound to be yet another great episode so make sure to check your feed for valuable insights from one of the industry's leading brands. 

The Specification is brought to you by Northwest Media, an Australian digital agency specialising in creation and delivery of custom web apps.

Find out more at www.nwmedia.au

For any questions or suggestions please contact Joe and Laurence at [email protected]

Over time, fibre cement has become a staple of Australia's construction industry. Employed wherever a project requires water protection, fire separation, acoustic attenuation, or simply high durability, fibre cement products are used in almost every project in one way or another.  

In this episode of The Specification Joe and Laurence are joined by Mark Turemko from James Hardie, who introduces the guys to fibre cement products with a focus on external cladding. Mark shares really useful tips on designing with cement sheet products, ranging from the colours you can paint them through to the preferred fixing methods and types for durability and top performance. 

This is a great episode for those looking to get the most out of their fibre cement products, whether you're designing with or installing them on site. 

If you're interested to find out more about fibre cement products or James Hardie just visit www.jameshardie.com.au or call 13 11 03. 

Next week Laurence and Joe look forward to welcoming Martin Lynch, Product Development Manager at Cement Australia. This is bound to be yet another great episode so make sure to check your feed for valuable insights from one of the industry's leading brands. 

The Specification is brought to you by Northwest Media, an Australian digital agency specialising in creation and delivery of custom web apps.

Find out more at www.nwmedia.au

For any questions or suggestions please contact Joe and Laurence at [email protected]

Where do you start if you want to learn more about textiles, and specifying them in designs? Arguably one of the design and construction industry's largest and most dynamic sectors, textile design and production is a globalised business with designers and manufacturers collaborating across borders to produce unique and often breathtaking fabrics. 

With this in mind Joe and Laurence approached Kvadrat Maharam, and were thrilled to when Nicole Johnson (Brand Manager) agreed to join them on the show. Nicole is clearly an authority in this field, having built her career working with textiles in one way or another. She expertly introduces the guys to the industry and Kvadrat Maharam, highlights some key sustainability initiatives underway around the sector, and gives some valuable tips for designers wanting to make the most of their textile selections.  

If you're interested to find out more about textiles or Kvadrat Maharam just visit www.kvadratmaharam.com.au. 

Next week Laurence and Joe look forward to welcoming Mark Turemko, Accounts Manager at James Hardie. This is bound to be yet another great episode so make sure to check your feed for valuable insights into textiles from one of the industry's leading brands. 

The Specification is brought to you by Northwest Media, an Australian digital agency specialising in creation and delivery of custom web apps.

Find out more at www.nwmedia.au

For any questions or suggestions please contact Joe and Laurence at [email protected]

Laminated surfaces are practically everywhere in the indoor built environment. Their smooth, durable surfaces can come in a wide range of profiles and colours, offering almost unlimited flexibility, but what does a designer need to know if they are to make the most of these finishes?  This week Joe and Laurence welcome Neil Sookee, Product Design Manager at Laminex, a household name in the world of laminates and other surfaces. Neil gives the guys an eye-opening run though of how Laminex laminates are made, offers some brilliant tips for designers and specifiers working with the product (ever wondered if you can get custom wood grain finishes?), and highlights a few recent projects which have pushed the boundaries for laminates in design. Needless to say, after this episode you will never look at a laminate benchtop, bookcase, or desk in the same way. 

If you're interested to find out more about Laminex laminates you can contact the friendly Laminex team at 132 136, or check out the Laminex website at www.laminex.com.au.

Next week is another big one. Laurence and Joe are very excited to welcome Nicole Johnson, Brand Manager at Kvadrat Maharam. This is bound to be yet another great episode so make sure to check your feed for valuable insights into textiles from one of the industry's leading brands. 

The Specification is brought to you by Northwest Media, an Australian digital agency specialising in creation and delivery of custom web apps.

Find out more at www.nwmedia.au

For any questions or suggestions please contact Joe and Laurence at [email protected]

This week Joe and Laurence welcome Chaz Whiteley from Portugal Cork Co., a Sydney based importer of cork and cork products. Chaz explains how cork is produced, where it can be most effectively used (did you know it can be an external cladding?), and gives some valuable tips for consideration when specifying or designing with the product.

If you're interested to find out more about cork you can contact Chaz at [email protected] or check out Portugal Cork Co. at www.portugalcork.com.au.

Next week we're excited to bring you the insights and advice from Neil Sookee, Product Design Manager at Laminex. Check back in your feed then for valuable tips which  are bound to make a difference on your next project. 

The Specification is brought to you by Northwest Media, an Australian digital agency specialising in creation and delivery of custom web apps.

Find out more at www.nwmedia.au

For any questions or suggestions please contact Joe and Laurence at [email protected]

This week Joe and Laurence welcome Adam Jones from XLam, Australia's first commercial scale supplier of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and Glue Laminated Timber (GLT or Glulam). Adam introduces the guys to mass timber before getting into more detailed discussion about supply, fire testing, and how best to design with these innovative and sustainable products. 

If you're interested to find out more about mass timber products you can contact Adam at [email protected] or check out XLam at www.xlam.com.au. 

Next week we're excited to bring you the insights and advice from Chaz Whitely, Chief Operating Officer at Portugal Cork. Check back in your feed then for more valuable tips which  are bound to make a difference on your next project. 

The Specification is brought to you by Northwest Media, an Australian digital agency specialising in creation and delivery of custom web apps.

Find out more at www.nwmedia.au

For any questions or suggestions please contact Joe and Laurence at [email protected]