In 1998, David Proberts and his Uncle Mike were inspecting hardwood decking that Mike had imported from New Guinea, stored at HF Palmer & Sons depot, Northgate. Dave recognised the people making MDF VJ sheeting on a Giben N32 beam saw in an adjacent workshop. After reacquainting himself, Dave agreed to start selling their product on a commission-only basis.

Shortly thereafter, an opportunity to buy this business resulted in David & Diane Proberts becoming the new owners and registering the name Colonial Wall Linings.

After a couple of years, the business was sold to Neil Miller.

A short time later, a continuous-feed, purpose-built “VJ” profiling machine was being auctioned by a liquidating company.

Dave approached Neil Miller with the proposal of buying the “VJ” machine at auction and re-entering the business as a 50/50 partnership. Neil agreed and we traded and grew the business until Neil retired in 2007.

In 2010, a full moulding production line was purchased & commissioned. Chris Gardiner (Australian Timber Mouldings) was the vendor and Chris was our first machinist. In 2012, Chris returned to Brisbane Saw Service. Emmett Byrne joined the business as our machinist, which now had three employees along with its working owners.

The business now manufactures and markets two niche products: MR MDF Wall/Ceiling Linings; and MR E0 MDF mouldings, targeting the renovating market.

Currently employing four full-time staff, the business now claims reasonable market share in its marketplace. We taking pride in offering excellent products, information and customer service.

Queenslander in Northgate

Circa mid 1800’s, an innovative building design emerged in and around Brisbane.

This design used local, readily available building materials. These materials consisted of local hardwoods (eucalypts) and softwoods (hoop pine).

The typical Queenslander was raised on timber stumps, creating air flow to keep the inside cool and raising the construction above flood prone land.

Hardwoods were used for stumps, bearers, joists, wall and roof framing, decking & handrails.
Hoop pine was predominantly used for internal flooring as well as wall & ceiling linings.

Roof cover was corrugated iron, doors were panelled with breezeways and windows were timber framed in either double hung or casement configuration.

Typical Queenslanders were symmetrical in design, with a central hallway with rooms opening off. The hallway had picture rails, belt rails and decorative cornices featured and of course, VJ walls (vertical joint). These walls were made from loose boards with the edges profiled in a tongue & groove (T&G) profile. To enhance the T&G, a ‘V’ was added for more decoration.

Queenslanders will always remain popular, using classic ageless appeal and features of the pre-war era, with designers, builders and renovators adding their own special touches.

At Colonial Wall Linings, we replicate the tongue & groove VJ Wall construction by supplying the VJ wall detail in a profiled 1200mm wide MR MDF panel. The two main profiles are “VJ” and “Traditional Beaded”. We supply skirting boards, architraves, belt rails, picture rails & cornices to replicate the look of a Queenslander.

For more info on the heritage of Queenslanders, the Brisbane City Council has more in depth info: click here.

Download our product catalog here. For more information or to place your order, call 07 3266 4324 or email us at info@colonialwalllinings.com.au
Our goal is to supply/manufacture high quality products and to provide prompt and efficient service to all of our customers.

Installation Guide – VJ Sheeting for Walls and Ceiling Linings

STORAGE

Sheets must be stored flat, kept clear of the floor and supported by bearers of uniform height and spaced at maximum 600mm centres.

INSTALLATION

WALLS

Sheets should be delivered 48 hours prior to installation. Never expose the sheets to water or excessive moisture. Sheets must not be installed until the job is watertight i.e. roof on, cladding on and doors and windows in. Sheets must be kept a minimum of 10mm clear of floors and ceilings. Sheets must be fixed to timber-framed walls with studs at 450mm maximum centres. Where a join does not coincide with a stud, extra horizontal noggings must be provided at 600mm maximum centres.

Adhesive must be used in conjunction with nails. Apply adhesive using a continuous 6mm bead down studs and along plates and noggings. As a rule, allow one 320g cartridge per sheet.

Sheets must be face-nailed using 40 x 2.0mm bullet-heads or 32/40 nail gun finishing pins. Face-nail sheets at 600mm centres down studs and 300mm centres along top and bottom plates and noggings. Allow for structural movement by leaving a 3mm gap in corners and cover with a suitable moulding.

When sheets are fixed over existing linings, fixings must penetrate the existing lining and be anchored into the structural frame.

Where sheets are fixed to masonry walls, metal furring channels or damp-coursed timber battens must be used to prevent moisture transfer and to create the required airflow.

CEILINGS

Sheets should be delivered to site 48 hours prior to installation. Never expose the sheets to water or excessive moisture.

Sheets must be fixed to metal/timber battens at 400mm maximum centres.

Sheets must be kept a minimum 10mm clear of walls, verandah plates and perimeter beams etc.

The backs of all sheets and all fresh cut ends/cut-outs must be sealed prior to installation.

A quality construction adhesive must be used in conjunction with mechanical fixings. Apply adhesive using a continuous 6mm bead snaked side-to-side on the face of the ceiling battens.

When using finishing gun pins, they must be shot at an angle in crosshatched pairs at 300mm centres along the batten lines.

Verandah ceiling sheets must be finished using a quality location-specific paint product immediately after installation.

PAINTING

When installing sheets in wet rooms, adjacent to wet rooms or adjacent to external walls, the backs, fresh cut ends or cut-outs must be sealed prior to installation. Sheet faces must be finished using a quality location-specific paint product immediately after installation. It is important to remove the dust from the “Vs” and “Beads” to ensure satisfactory finish in these areas.

For more detailed information, please contact our office on 07 3266 4324.