Ōamaru Stone. The details make the difference.
Good architecture is separated from great architecture by the love that’s put into the details. It might be uniquely textured or engraved bricks, the precise vertical flutes of a column, the rosettes at the corners of a fireplace surround, or a clever transition between two different building materials – they are all just a few examples of the creative possibilities available to you when you work with Ōamaru Stone.
You just need to look at the magnificent Victorian buildings in Ōamaru’s waterfront area or the latest architectural masterpieces throughout New Zealand featured on Archipro to see why Ōamaru Stone is a favourite building material for architects and building owners who want to use fine detailing to create something unique.
Stunning detailing made easy
The beauty of Ōamaru Stone as a creative medium is how easy it is to work with. For millennia, stonemasons have taken advantage of limestone’s unique ability to be carved, shaped, and sculpted into intricate shapes, textures, and patterns. You can still use traditional masonry tools to detail Ōamaru Stone, but now there’s an exciting new option that opens up virtually unlimited possibilities.
If you can imagine it, we can make it
Our 5-axis CNC stone fabrication machine is the largest of its kind in New Zealand and one of only two in Australasia. It uses a cutting head guided by a computer to carve Ōamaru Stone with exceptional precision into virtually any shape you can imagine.
That means you don’t necessarily have to design a house or commercial building around standard, off-the-shelf bricks, blocks, and finishing elements. Instead, you can ask us to create beautifully detailed stonework just for you.
Small details can be significant features
Window and door jambs, sills, soffits, corbels, wall bands and eave details can all be individually shaped. Columns, balustrades and railings can become significant architectural features in their own right. Inside, the same technology can be applied to fireplaces, feature walls, artworks and sculptural pieces. You’ll find plenty of inspiration for what’s possible in our galleries.
CNC technology also allows us to tackle extraordinarily complex restoration work. For Christchurch’s historic Trinity Congregational Church, our CNC machine was used to recreate the building’s circular gables as a series of precisely shaped sections that fit together seamlessly. We’ve also used CNC technology for restoration work at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and Christchurch Cathedral.
One of the best things about employing our CNC technology is that every block of Ōamaru Stone has the potential to deliver something unique. A design for Ōamaru Stone can begin with an architect’s CAD drawing, an existing architectural detail, a photograph, a sketch, or even an object that we can 3D scan.
When you combine the creative possibilities of CNC shaping with the natural variations in colour, tone, and texture in every block of Ōamaru Stone, the end result can be genuinely one of a kind.
If you’re inspired by the possibilities, give us a call today on 03 433 1134 or email sales@oamarustone.co.nz