One of Canberra’s most iconic and favourite local businesses, Thor’s Hammer, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year—and there is plenty to celebrate. Over three decades, founder and director Thor Diesendorf has grown the business from a two-man operation into a talented team of 32, all sharing Thor’s passion for recycling timber destined for landfill into bespoke furniture and high-quality building materials, using the most innovative and sustainable ways possible.

Thor’s deep interest in sustainability was nurtured by both his father—a scientist and activist for renewable energy—and his grandfather, an engineer and passionate woodworker. Time spent in the beautiful forests of South East NSW during his university studies further strengthened Thor’s commitment to conserving our natural resources.

It was during his university breaks that Thor’s fledgling recycled timber business began to take shape—starting with doing odd jobs with a friend, sourcing recycled timber to repurpose. Things progressed shortly after that, when he met carpenter and joiner Paul Lynzaat, who taught him to make fine furniture and kitchens from recycled timbers.

“Paul also taught me to salvage timber from a house using a chainsaw and balancing on the joists, which was great fun for a 20-year-old,” says Thor.

From these humble beginnings, the business grew steadily with the old Brickworks at Yarralumla becoming its first home.

“The Brickworks provided the space we needed to store the timber,” says Thor. “We were able to take on larger buildings and structures. One of the big projects in the early days was the salvage from the demolition of government offices at Barton. They were built entirely of timber and included massive posts, huge beams, rafters, flooring, and more. It was wonderful to give these beautiful hardwood timbers a new lease on life.” 

Thor says it’s particularly gratifying to see reclaimed timber become part of a new project built to replace the original, now demolished building. 

“Timber we saved from the old Petrie Paper Mill near Brisbane was sent back and transformed into an amazing boardroom table for the University of Queensland that was built on the site of the mill.” 

When the Yarralumla Brickworks closed in 2019, Thor identified the old Tip Top Bakery in Mildura Street, Griffith as an ideal—albeit run down—new home for the business.

“Restoring and repurposing the circa 1954 building fitted perfectly with our sustainability ethos,” says Thor.

The building also provided space for a fabulous showroom, named the ‘Mixing Room Gallery’ after its original use as the dough mixing room. Here, you’ll find a range of beautifully crafted furniture alongside smaller items, including the newly launched ‘Thinking Small’ collection, featuring products made from offcuts and short lengths of recycled timber. Also on display is a selection of high-quality breadboards and serving boards made from benchtop offcuts.

Equally important to Thor as the exquisite timber products his company designs and crafts is its contribution to Canberra’s circular economy.

“The circular economy is all about cutting down on waste by reusing materials instead of making new ones,” says Thor, who’s been a key player in bringing this model to the construction and demolition industry in Canberra. Thor’s approach involves working closely with demolition and building companies, developers, architects, and government agencies.

“Our business model can be scaled up, used elsewhere, and really stand the test of time beyond just our own operations,” he says.

“By showing demolition companies they can actually profit from site waste, we’ve created a circular solution that keeps over 2,000 tonnes of waste timber out of landfill every year. It also gives the construction, joinery, and furniture industries a solid alternative to unsustainably harvested new timber, which is driving global deforestation.”

“There is a huge potential for more timber to be saved from demolition sites in the ACT and all over Australia. Thousands of tonnes of timber end up in landfill each year because potentially furniture grade hardwood arrives broken and damaged in mixed waste loads”. 

Sustainability innovations have been integrated into every aspect of the business, from developing custom workflows and machinery for timber recycling and furniture design to using electric forklifts and installing a 60kW solar PV system.

So, if you find yourself on Mildura Street in Griffith, be sure to stop by Thor’s Hammer (you can’t miss the logos painted on the large wheat silos left over from the bakery days!). Inside, you can view the workshop through big glass windows, explore the Mixing Room Gallery, and admire the rich and varied recycled hardwoods on display.

Every piece of recycled timber you’ll see at Thor’s Hammer tells a story—not just of its life before reaching the workshop, but of the 30 years of skill and dedication to timber recycling that have shaped the business. And with plenty more timber out there waiting to be rescued, Thor’s Hammer is just getting started.

Thor’s Hammer

10 Mildura St, Griffith

• E: [email protected]
• T: 6282 9900
• W: thors.com.au