Engineered for lasting performance, our engineered timber panelling combines the strength and stability of advanced construction with the natural beauty of real timber. Built for New Zealand and Australian homes, every collection is designed to perform as beautifully as it looks — for the life of your walls and ceilings.
Prefinished for convenience and crafted to the highest standards, every board undergoes real-world testing and rigorous quality control, delivering durability and stability backed by long-term warranty.
The Engineered Timber Overlay Wall & Ceiling System comes as a complete system, with full documentation, design guidance and installation guides supporting every stage of a project. It's designed to work as a standalone wall and ceiling solution, or alongside our flooring system for wall-to-ceiling continuity.
Forté's Engineered Timber Overlay Wall & Ceiling System is designed for glue-down (and secret-pin) installation across a range of approved substrates, including GIB/plasterboard, timber framing/battens, plywood, and concrete, brick or blockwork. Each substrate type carries its own specific requirements around moisture content, level tolerances, and fixing method, all of which are addressed in full within the Design Guide.
Key specification points:
Approved substrates: GIB/plasterboard, timber framing/battens, plywood, and concrete/brick/blockwork
For internal use only, and walls must be load-rated to support the product's weight
Commercial spaces must meet Group 1-S fire rating
Wet area (E3) installations are limited to splash zones only (no continuous standing water or direct wet-floor showers) and must follow Forté's specified wet-area system, including waterproofing membrane, sealing, adhesives and edge detailing
Not recommended for areas with high moisture content or water splashes, such as kitchen splashbacks, bathrooms, toilets or laundries, unless installed per Forté's wet-area system
Full scope, limitations and technical detailing are set out in our Timber Overlay Wall & Ceiling System Design Guide.
Download our Timber Walls & Ceiling Panelling Design Guide
Shelves & Niches
Wall to Ceiling Continuity
Feature Walls & Headboards
Doors
A Range of Specifications
Across two collections, our European Oak wall & ceiling panelling offers extensive options in grade, dimensions, texture and finish to suit any space or style. Every board is prefinished with a durable finish and precision tongue & groove joint profiles for consistent, long-lasting performance.
Specifications | Forté Collections |
|---|---|
Species | European Oak |
Grade | Rustic |
Thickness | 15mm – 21mm |
Width | 50mm – 240mm |
Length | 400mm – 2200mm |
Wear Layer | 4mm – 6mm solid European Oak |
Construction | Multilayer Engineered |
Surface Finish Type | Prefinished |
Joint Profile | Tongue and Groove |
The Engineered Timber Overlay Wall & Ceiling System Design Guide is the reference point for specifying and detailing Forté's engineered timber collections with confidence. It covers the full system — from approved substrates and adhesive systems through to wet area detailing, transitions and trims, and climate control — giving specifiers the technical grounding needed to design a compliant, long-performing wall or ceiling from the substrate up.
Detailed system drawings and adhesive specifications accompany each substrate and condition, providing the construction detail required to translate the guide directly into working documentation.
The system addresses NZBC requirements across structure (B1), durability (B2), fire (C2, C3), internal moisture (E3), and hazardous building materials (F2). Every specification detail in the guide — from substrate build-ups to trims, transitions and skirting — is drawn from tested, documented practice, ensuring the system performs as intended across the full range of design conditions it's built for.
Download our Timber Overlay Flooring System Design Guide View on Eboss View on Programma View on Smartspec View on ProductspecCompliance & Testing
Forté's Timber Overlay Wall & Ceiling System addresses the relevant clauses of the New Zealand Building Code, giving specifiers a documented, reliable compliance pathway from concept through to Building Consent.
NZ Building Code Clause | Demonstrated by |
|---|---|
B1 STRUCTURE B1.3.1, B1.3.2, B1.3.3(a,j,q), B1.3.4 | Non-structural internal lining system, detailed to prevent detachment or hazardous failure and accommodate building movement without imposing loads on primary structural elements |
B2 DURABILITY B2.3.1(c1.1.1) | 25-year Structural Warranty and 7-year Finish Warranty; UV-lacquer coating protects the surface layer and core |
C2 PREVENTION OF FIRE OCCURRING C2.2 | Deemed to comply with Group 3 as per Table A1 of Appendix A in C/VM2, unless specified with an FR core |
C3 FIRE AFFECTING AREAS BEYOND FIRE SOURCE C3.4(a) | Fire performance properties meet applicable surface finish requirements as determined in accordance with C/AS2 |
E3 INTERNAL MOISTURE E3.3.4, E3.3.5, E3.3.6 | Durable, easily cleaned UV lacquer; not recommended for wet areas above 70% RH without Forté's specified wet-area system |
F2 HAZARDOUS BUILDING MATERIALS F2.3.1 | Super E0 Formaldehyde emission rating |
Technical Guides & Resources
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Forté is committed to reducing its impact on the environment across every stage of production, from responsible forest sourcing through to the long-term performance of the products themselves. This commitment is backed by third-party certification: Forté holds an FSC Promotional Licence and FSC Chain of Custody Certification (SGSHK-COC-510037), alongside PEFC Chain of Custody Certification (SGSCH-PEFC-COC-510014), ensuring products are sourced from forests managed to protect biodiversity, support local communities, and uphold fair labour practices.
Engineered timber itself carries genuine environmental advantages over solid timber. Because only the wear layer is solid hardwood, engineered panelling uses roughly a third of the timber resource required for solid timber of the same dimensions — alongside low VOC emissions, a long lifespan, and the ability to be recycled or repurposed at end of life.
Every detail, one point of contact. Speak to a Forté specification consultant and get the technical support, documentation, and product knowledge you need to specify our timber walls & ceiling panelling with confidence — all from one place.
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