Our story — Meet Loree
I grew up in northern Sydney, and from as far back as I can remember, I was tinkering with things. My dad had an old shed out the back filled with tools and bits of timber, and I spent most weekends out there. Later, I studied engineering at uni and spent a decade working in product design. It’s a field where millimetres and tolerances matter. That mindset — getting things just right — stuck with me, long after I left the engineering world.
In 2017, I moved to Berry, NSW, partly for the space and partly to slow life down a bit. By then, I’d noticed I had a habit of fixing little frustrations in my everyday life. I’d build a jig to keep the cuts straighter on my saw or design a mount for the kitchen to stop the kids’ school bags from tipping everything over. People started asking where I’d bought these things. When I said I’d made them, they said I should start selling them.
That idea rolled around in my head for a while. The breakthrough came when I was trying to fix a recurring problem with my own home setup and couldn’t find a product that met my standards. So I built a prototype in the garage. It wasn’t perfect at first — I think I went through ten iterations before it even looked right — but it worked. A friend suggested I bring it along to the markets in Kiama, so I did. I sold 18 that weekend, and Norton Goods was born.
These days, I work out of a workshop just down the road from Berry, where I’ve spent the last five years refining and expanding the range. I still make a lot of my own jigs and tools, and I still lose track of time when I’m solving tricky design problems. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s good work.
— Keep it simple, and make it work. — Loree, Loree Chantal Ambrose
Journal
Why Our Oak Boards Don't Warp
One of my earliest headaches was keeping timber flat — turns out humidity plus poor prep equals bad news.
When I started making cutting boards, I couldn’t work out why some of them would slightly bow after a month or two. It drove me mad. I thought it was my glue-up technique or the finish I was using, but the problem was more elemental: moisture content. Berry gets plenty of rain, and the local hardwood supplier I was using then had air-dried stock, which is “dry” only by old farm shed standards.
The solution was to switch to kiln-dried timber. Timbers like oak and blackwood need to be dried to around 8-10% moisture content for products like cutting boards. These boards now come from a mill near Tumut that uses a dehumidifying kiln. It’s more precise than the old heat-and-vent setups, and it shows. Their numbers are always bang on.
I also bought a moisture meter — looks like a TV remote and has sharp pins you stick in the wood. It cost me $265, but it’s saved me thousands in wasted boards. That, along with acclimating the timber to the workshop for a week, ensures the boards stay true.
People might not think about any of this when they use one of our Signature cutting boards, but to me, it’s the foundation. A warp-free board is tougher, lasts longer, and protects your knives better. It’s those boring details that no ad will ever explain properly.
I still have one of the bowed boards from that early batch. It’s in a drawer under the counter here, a reminder to never assume a detail doesn’t matter. Every time I see it, I get a little more annoyed — and a little more motivated.
Winter Care for Wooden Items: A Quick Guide
Winter in Berry is damp and chilly, which can be a challenge for timber basics like boards or trivets.
If you live somewhere like Berry, you’ll know that winter brings both the rain and the chill. For wood, this combination means taking a bit of extra care to keep your items looking and working their best. Timber reacts to changes in humidity; it swells in the damp and shrinks as it dries. The shifting can lead to cracks or warping if it’s too extreme.
The simplest thing you can do is make sure your cutting boards and other timber pieces don’t stay wet for long. Wipe them off after you wash them — no leaving them to soak or air dry overnight. I also recommend spending five minutes with a rag and some oil once a month. I use a mineral oil blend, but any food-safe option works. Just make sure it says “food grade” on the label.
If you’ve got a fireplace or a heater running all winter, keep timber items away from direct heat. I’ve seen more boards ruined by sitting too close to a wood stove than anything else. They dry unevenly, and the stress causes cracking — it’s like roasting a marshmallow on one side until it burns. Give them a bit of distance and they’ll be happy.
Lastly, don’t panic if you see some slight movement in the wood. It’s normal for timber to adjust with the seasons. A properly built board should account for small shifts, and anything dramatic isn't supposed to happen if it's been cared for. Consider it part of living with real materials. No plastic drama, just the quirks of nature.
I like winter despite all this. The slower pace suits me, and there’s something nice about going through this little maintenance ritual. It grounds you, in a way. Well, that, and a good excuse for a hot coffee while you work.
Three Jigs I Couldn’t Work Without
A good jig can mean the difference between a smooth day and throwing an offcut at the wall.
I love a good jig. Building one feels like solving a puzzle, and using it is like having an extra pair of hands that’s always steady. Over the years, I’ve made my fair share, but there are three I use almost daily. For anyone who works with timber, these might save you the same headaches they’ve saved me.
The first is my router flattening sled. It’s just two rails, a base, and a sled for the router, but it lets me level cutting board blanks perfectly without a planer. I can shave fractions of a millimetre at a time, which is critical for getting boards dead flat. Nothing worse than a rock-and-roll wobble on your kitchen counter.
The second is a doweling jig for joining edge grain boards. It’s a simple steel guide, but it guarantees perfectly aligned holes for dowels, keeping joints true during glue-up. I bought it for $95 from a woodworking supplier in Sydney, and it’s paid for itself in saved time within a month. Gluing up without it feels like trying to thread a needle blindfolded.
Third is a sanding frame I knocked together from scrap MDF and aluminium. It keeps my orbital sander level over large surfaces, so I don’t end up with dips or uneven patches. You’d think sanding would be foolproof, but trust me, it’s not. One slip and you’ve got an hour of fixing to do. The jig solves all that.
I could go on, but those are the big three. They’re not fancy or complicated, but they make everything smoother. Every time I use one, I’m quietly thankful for the hours of frustration it’s saved me — and maybe a few items of questionable language.
Using Wattle Seed Oil from Camden Valley
After plenty of testing, we’ve switched to wattle seed oil from a small farm near Camden for finishing our boards.
I’ve spent the last year testing oils for finishing timber. It’s a bigger job than you’d think. Oils affect not just how timber looks, but also how it feels, ages, and how well it resists water. After a lot of trial (and some error), I’ve landed on wattle seed oil from a small producer in Camden Valley.
Wattle seed oil isn’t a common choice for timber finishing, but it works beautifully. Once cured, it hardens just enough to provide a durable, water-resistant surface without feeling plasticky. I’ve been testing it on a few spare offcuts of oak and Tasmanian blackwood for six months now, leaving them out in the workshop to see how they hold up to dust, moisture, and wear. No issues so far.
The farm that produces it grows only native wattles, and they cold-press everything on-site. Their yield is small — they only press about 200 litres a year — but the quality is excellent. It was a chance discovery, really. I met someone at a farmer’s market in Kiama who told me about the farm, and it just clicked.
The scent is subtle but pleasant, with a kind of warm, nutty character. It doesn’t overpower or interfere with the timber’s natural look, which is something I’m very particular about. I want our boards to feel honest, not dressed up. This oil ticks that box perfectly.
I’ll keep monitoring how it performs long-term, but so far, it’s ticking every box. If it keeps proving itself, I’ll be sticking with it. Sometimes, you find something new and can’t go back to the old ways. This feels like one of those times.
Customer reviews
Jess L. — Fitzroy, VIC — 2024-03-15 — 5/5
Exceeded expectations
I ordered the Signature Item and it arrived faster than I expected. The quality really impressed me, and it fits so well in my home.
Mike T. — Manly, NSW — 2024-05-04 — 4/5
Almost perfect
I got the Second Item, and it’s fantastic overall. My only gripe is the packaging had a small dent, but the product itself was fine.
Laura W. — Newtown, NSW — 2025-01-08 — 5/5
Beautiful and practical
The Signature Item is both practical and elegant. It’s exactly what I needed for my space and came well-packaged.
Sam B. — South Melbourne, VIC — 2024-09-21 — 4/5
Lovely but a bit pricey
The Second Item is well-made and looks great, but I feel it’s slightly expensive for what it is. Delivery was quick though.
Emily C. — Hobart, TAS — 2024-06-17 — 5/5
Highly recommend
I bought the Signature Item as a gift and the recipient loved it! Delivery was seamless and the product itself was perfect.
Ryan J. — New Farm, QLD — 2024-12-03 — 5/5
Great service
Ordered the Second Item and it arrived ahead of time. The team was quick to answer my questions too. Very happy with the purchase!
Kylie P. — Norwood, SA — 2025-02-11 — 4/5
Good value
The Second Item is great value for money and is holding up really well. Shipping packaging could be a little more robust.
Anna M. — Bondi, NSW — 2024-08-09 — 5/5
Perfect addition
The Signature Item is a perfect addition to my home. It feels sturdy and looks exactly like the photos. Will definitely shop here again.
Shipping
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Shipping is free on orders over $120. For orders below this threshold, a flat shipping rate will apply at checkout. All prices include GST. We package our items securely to ensure they arrive in excellent condition, but if anything arrives damaged, please contact us immediately.
If your package is lost or damaged during transit, we’ll work with the carrier to resolve the issue. Please contact us within 48 hours of receiving any damaged goods, and include photos if possible. Rest assured, customer satisfaction is our priority.
Returns
We accept returns within 30 days of purchase, in line with Australian Consumer Law. To be eligible, the item must be unused, in its original condition, and returned in its original packaging. Please include proof of purchase with your return.
Items excluded from returns include custom orders and gift cards. If the item is faulty or not as described, we’ll replace or refund it, as required by law. For change-of-mind returns, the customer is responsible for return shipping costs.
Refunds are processed within 5-7 business days of us receiving your return. Refunds will be issued to your original payment method. If you’ve paid via a gift card, a store credit will be issued instead. For any questions, contact us at hello@nortongoods.com.au.