Perth Museum - hardwood flooring for heritage building

Built in 1914, Perth Museum has recently reopened after undergoing a transformation by Dutch architects Mecanoo. The historic building has been restored and adapted for modern use, with careful spatial reworking to create an inviting and accessible cultural hub in the landmark building, formerly the City Hall.

The interior features large expanses of Junckers solid wood flooring. A common flooring choice for heritage buildings, solid wood offers both an authentic, natural material traditionally specified for a building of this calibre, and a hard-wearing surface with a design life of 60+ years. One of nature’s hardest timber species, oak has been used as flooring for several hundred years. Junckers’ floors are pre-finished with a factory- applied seal of ultra matt lacquer which gives them a durable surface that will withstand the high levels of foot traffic expected at the museum.

Mecanoo has transformed the former auditorium into the main exhibition space. It houses The Stone of Destiny which takes centre stage on the ground floor ensconced in a timber box. The raised gallery which runs all around the room on the level where there were previously balconies of seating houses artefacts and curiosities that are part of Scotland’s national history. Here, Junckers Oak Natural Pearl flooring forms a natural backdrop. With a subtle light-grey tone, Oak Natural Pearl has an understated luminescent quality which reflects natural light. The transparent finish complements the warm, honey-hued colouring of the oak and enhances the structural grain pattern.

In a smaller former auditorium, the architects extended a row of tall windows to the ground to significantly increase light levels and improve usage. With high ceilings and restored ornamental plasterwork, the space now houses a café which can easily be repurposed to host events. Junckers’ Oak Natural Pearl forms part of a light material palette that creates a warm and welcoming space.

Installed using Junckers’ clip system, the solid oak floor is easy to care for and maintain. As the floor is made up of smaller, individual elements, it can be repaired without the need to replace the entire area and it can even be lifted and reused should it ever be replaced.

The flooring was installed by Courtcraft.

The main contractor was BAM Construction.