Castlecrag, Sydney - Custom Engineered Oak Staircase & Timber Flooring

This residential project in Castlecrag, Sydney presented a unique opportunity to work with custom light-toned, primer-grade European oak engineered flooring, specified to complement a home largely defined by stone, architectural concrete, and refined detailing. Timber flooring was intentionally restrained, installed only within the common areas of Level 1, allowing it to act as a feature flooring element rather than a background finish.

The true hero of the timber flooring and staircase cladding works was the staircase, which became a sculptural centrepiece connecting the home’s primary living spaces. The stair design comprised two distinct yet interconnected components:

• a curved “wedding cake” base staircase, and
  
• an open riser staircase, linked via a shared landing.
  

Wedding Cake Staircase – Engineered Oak Cladding

The base staircase was formed in concrete and required extensive refinement prior to the installation of the engineered oak timber cladding. Achieving the architect’s specified curve radii involved carefully fine-tuning the structure using bendable plywood, enabling the creation of a precise and consistent substrate.

In parallel, each riser height was meticulously adjusted to comply with relevant Australian building codes, adding another layer of technical complexity to the project.

For this section, we installed 220 mm wide, 20 mm thick engineered European oak boards in 2.5 m lengths for the treads, paired with 189 mm wide, 15 mm thick engineered boards in 2.9 m lengths for the risers. The reduced riser thickness was critical, allowing the timber to be bent to the required radius. To further enhance flexibility, the boards were relief-cut at consistent intervals on the rear face.

A defining architectural detail of this staircase was the inclusion of a continuous shadowline beneath each riser. To achieve a seamless timber finish within this detail, approximately 2 mm of oak veneer was carefully removed from selected engineered boards and laminated to the rear of the shadowline, ensuring material continuity and visual consistency throughout the staircase.

Open Riser Staircase with Integrated Lighting

The second stair element—an open riser box tread staircase—presented a different set of challenges. While box treads are not uncommon, this design incorporated precise mitre joints and timber returns to accommodate a concealed LED lighting system.

The LED strip sits atop a steel plate positioned at the rear of each tread, requiring millimetre-perfect detailing to maintain crisp shadow gaps while allowing effective light diffusion. This level of detailing demanded patience, precision, and close coordination with other trades involved in the build.

Project Outcome

The completed staircase and engineered oak timber flooring installation deliver a refined interplay of light, timber, and structure, elevating the architectural intent of the home. The project exemplifies Know-How Flooring’s expertise in custom timber flooring, engineered oak staircase cladding, and high-end residential construction in Sydney.

Architect: FJC Studio
Builder: HP Constructions
Location: Castlecrag, Sydney