FAQ
Why British Timber?
Durability of Timber?
What is the difference in the types of wood we supply?
Is it necessary to treat your timber with chemicals for preservation?
What fixings should I use?
Can we offer a profiling service.
Can we plane Larch and Cedar.
Which wood shall I use for my flooring?
Do you supply finishing products
Can we deliver.
Q. Why British Timber?
A. It has a low carbon footprint and does not compromise on the quality of the timber. We aim to keep the carbon footprint of the products we produce to a minimum.
Q. Durability Of Timber
Durability
When selecting your timber type for your project it is worth taking in to consideration BS EN 350 timber durability class.
Durability is the ability of a species to resist decay either naturally or through preservatives. The Class is based on the ability of the heartwood (inner part of the tree) to resist fungal decay. The sapwood (the living outermost portion of the tree)is considered not durable and should not be used for external projects without preservative.
BS EN 350 has 5 classes of durability they are:-
Class 1 to 3 can be left as untreated timber, a natural ageing process will accrue e.g. Cedar will turn a grey colour. Class 4 and 5 will need to be treated with preservatives.
For further information see www.greenspec.co.uk/building-design/cladding-durability-quality
Q.What is the difference in the types of wood we supply
British Western Red Cedar - Home Grown (UK)
Is among the most popular softwoods used today it's natural resistance to decay and moisture absorption means it can typically be installed without treatment. Rated BS EN 350 class 3 moderately durability (see below) and is subject to little movement when installed.
Larch - Home Grown (UK)
Home grown Larch is a viable cladding alternative, as well as the first choice for many. It's a harder timber making it more resistant to impact damage and is more suited than Cedar for structural applications, such as support columns, door frames, window frames.
Douglas Fir - Home Grown (UK)
Is another good softwood being rated BS EN 350 4 slightly durable (see below) it therefore requires a protective coating when installed externally.
Q. Is it necessary to treat your timber with chemicals for preservation?
A. No. You do not need to treat Cedar or larch, with a chemical preservative. There are natural oils in the wood that aid in giving them a longer life. Cedar & Larch will turn a silvery colour after a period of time if left untreated. Should you wish to maintain the natural colour of the timber a treatment will be needed, we recommend a Osmo for Cedar, Larch and Douglas Fir please see our Osmo page
by clicking here.
Q. What fixings should I use?
A. Because of the natural oils in Cedar & Larch stainless steel fixings must be used. If not used a black line will ruin the face ( black lines) because of the reaction with non stainless steel screws/nails. We can supply fixings.
Q. Can we offer a profiling service.
A. Apart from the standard square edge boards we produce profiled cladding such as tongue and grove. Please ask for the products you require.
Q. Can we plane Larch and Cedar.
A. Yes we offer a planing service with a maximum sizes of 220mm x 120mm (8.5" x 4.5").
Q. Which wood shall I use for my flooring?
A. larch flooring is a great option as it is very durable and also affordable. The main points for using larch as flooring is- it is very resistant to water and it is the hardest of the soft woods, that is why larch is the timber of choice for boatbuilding’s and many other outdoor buildings. Larch comes in many different finishes and exotic shades but if you require a natural larch floor the best way is to purchase an unfinished floor and simple apply a clear oil or lacquer.
Q. Do you supply finishing products?
A. Yes we produce tilting fillets and corner finishing for door and windows. Please ask for details.
Q. Can we deliver?
A. Yes we offer a delivery service to all areas of the UK. We can also offer international deliveries by request. Please see our
Delivery Page
