Wood used in the QE2 interiors

[alfredop]

Was wood used for decoration on the qe2, I know most liners post WW2 didn't rely on wood for decoration, i never did care for the ss united states or france's interiors, the few pics ive seen of QE2 original interiors are most pleasant then united states and frances

[June Ingram]

Hi Alfredo -

QE2's interiors were dignified while being very pleasant and welcoming.  She is unique in her design and unique in how people have been and are still drawn to her.

June 

[Adam Hodson]

Hi Alfredo -

QE2's interiors were dignified while being very pleasant and welcoming.  She is unique in her design and unique in how people have been and are still drawn to her.

June 

Agreed! The use of wood in the one, two and three deck corridors was always very nice I thought.

[alfredop]

yah the few pics of qe2 original interiors were nice,i found them more creative and pleasant then the france's, though I didn't really care for qe2's dinning room options, I like the france's 1st class dinning room better,  I know qe2 was a 2 class system, in her later years was it an all class system even during transatlantic crossings?

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I would like to revive this thread, as the original question that gave rise to it is very interesting.

Where was wood visibly used on QE2? Thinking of the cabins and the furniture, but there was much wood used in the public rooms too. Did this change in the course of the years? Did SOLAS make some changes necessary? Did the wood have to have some sort of fireproofing?

We can link from here to other topics, e.g. the Bannenberg Rooms :

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,1616.0.html

[Thomas Hypher]

I would like to revive this thread, as the original question that gave rise to it is very interesting.

Where was wood visibly used on QE2? Thinking of the cabins and the furniture, but there was much wood used in the public rooms too. Did this change in the course of the years? Did SOLAS make some changes necessary? Did the wood have to have some sort of fireproofing?

We can link from here to other topics, e.g. the Bannenberg Rooms :

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,1616.0.html

Wood veneer was used throughout and SOLAS over the years may have required minor changes but (certainly in the cabin areas) a lot of this veneer is in front of asbestos. It is worth noting that SOLAS 2010 requires passenger ships these days to be made of 85% non (easily at least) combustible materials (from memory) and this would have been an issue for QE2. It should also be remembered that QE2 was grandfathered for a long time in terms of regulations (SOLAS being some) but SOLAS 2010 required her to be brought up to at least some regulations in a major way as it would no longer grandfather passenger ships of her era (1960s builds). SOLAS 2010 was very influenced by the major balcony based fire on Star Princess in 2006.

Michael might be able to shed much more light on the original question and matters of SOLAS and other regulations regarding the Wood onboard (mostly veneer).

Thomas

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

SOLAS 2010 is not so relevant in this context, as she left Cunard in 2008 and all changes as regards wood used on board would have been made ealier, i.e. during the years of her Cunard service.

Did the fact that the wood panelling kept the asbestos behind it safe, make any difference to what she was allowed under earlier SOLAS regulations?

[Thomas Hypher]

SOLAS 2010 is not so relevant in this context, as she left Cunard in 2008 and all changes as regards wood used on board would have been made ealier, i.e. during the years of her Cunard service.

Did the fact that the wood panelling kept the asbestos behind it safe, make any difference to what she was allowed under earlier SOLAS regulations?

It is relevant as such if they ever considered making her compliant with SOLAS 2010. I suspect not under earlier SOLAS regulations or other regulations apart from the crew member or team who monitored the (albeit not normally disturbed) asbestos in the later years. The percentage of combustible materials allowed onboard must have been much higher with SOLAS before SOLAS 2010 judging by the many classic Ocean Liners and Cruise Ships retired in light of it.