Oamaru Stone finds a home in the Far North
On the banks of the Waitangi River near Paihia, you’ll find one of the most striking examples of a house built with Oamaru Stone anywhere in New Zealand.
When Trevor Woolston was considering building on his expansive riverfront property, he only considered one exterior building material – Oamaru Stone.
“I’ve always loved the limestone buildings in Oamaru, which still look as magnificent today as when they were built well over 100 years ago. Oamaru Stone really stands the test of time.”
The first step was a 1400km trip from the far north to the deep south to see us at the Oamaru Stone quarry. We showed Trevor, his wife, and their builder the stone quarrying process, the different finishes that can be achieved, visited several local houses built in Oamaru Stone for design inspiration, and met with local stonemason Ian Gold. Ian is one of New Zealand’s finest craftsmen and certainly the most experienced in working with limestone buildings.
Once building started, it was clear that local bricklayers didn’t understand how to work with limestone, so it was time for another big trip – this time for Ian and his team, who flew up from Oamaru to Paihia for an intensive three-week non-stop working blitz. His special stonemasonry tools travelled by truck, packed alongside the Oamaru Stone blocks he would be working on.
“Ian and his boys worked without stopping for three weeks. It was amazing. And Ian also took the time to teach a local brickie the secrets of Oamaru Stone, so he can do any maintenance work needed.”
As you can see, the result is truly spectacular, and the attention to detail is exceptional. For example, the stone on the swimming pool fascia is the same size as the house for a seamless visual impression.
Despite being constructed from timeless materials, the finished house is also a look into the future, being entirely automated. Trevor can literally operate everything from lighting to doors from his phone. However, the installation of the automation systems did reveal one ‘good to have’ problem with Oamaru Stone – it’s so dense that it interrupts the wireless signal from inside the house to outside, necessitating booster stations on either side of the house.
Just 21 months after its completion, Trevor’s house is already showing the lasting quality of Oamaru Stone – a smart choice that’s standing up beautifully to the elements. And if the buildings that make Oamaru world-famous for their architecture are anything to go by, it will still be looking magnificent 100 years from now.
If you’re inspired by the possibilities of working with Oamaru Stone on your next project, give us a call today on 03 433 1134 or email sales@oamarustone.co.nz.