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Hardwoods

Regular stock of Hardwood species include American White Oak, Sapele, Ash, European Oak and Beech

We carry a large stock of different species of Hardwood and Softwood which we can supply to you as rough planks for you to machine yourself or we can cut, plane and profile the timber to your specific needs using our onsite machining facilities however large or small your project may be.

List of species usually held in stock:- US Oak, European Oak, Sapele, Ash, Beech, Maple, Cherry, American Black Walnut, Cedar, Douglas Fir, Yellow Pine, Iroko, Tulipwood, Pitch Pine. We will endeavour to obtain other timber species on request. 

We carry an extensive stock of rough sawn kiln dried Hardwoods, which are available to buy as they are or for you to machine yourself; sawn to size ready for you to dress or fully dressed to your finished size. We also offer a profiling and rebating service.

Typical Hardwood species in stock are

  • American White Oak
  • American White Ash
  • European Oak
  • American Black Walnut
  • Sapele
  • Steamed Beech
  • Poplar/Tulipwood
  • Iroko
  • Maple
  • Cherry

Other species are available on request

Also carried in stock are specialist softwoods such as Western Red Cedar, Douglas Fir, and Pitch Pine.

Our stock hardwoods are kept in various lengths, usually 6 feet to 14 feet , widths from 6 inch and wider, but they do change with every new pack we get in.  It is usually best if you give us your cutting list and we can work out the planks that are most suitable for your project with the least waste.

Typical rough sawn thicknesses stocked are 1”, 1.25”, 1.5”, 2”, 2.5” and 3”.

Our staff will are able to confirm current stocks on request.

Details of the main characteristics of some of the hardwoods and their uses are as follows.

Species Appearance Typical end uses Working properties
American White Oak 
Quercus Alba
N. America
Pale Yellow brown to mid brown
with a pinkish tint.
Straight grain.
High class joinery, furniture,
cabinet work, interior joinery,
flooring, shop fitting, construction.
Machines well with both hand and machine tools. 
Pre-drilling advised with nailing and screwing. 
Gluing properties variable.
Stains and polishes well.
Reacts well with iron so we advise stainless steel and brass fixings.
American White Ash
Fraxinus Americana
USA & Canada
Creamy white sapwood to light brown heartwood High class joinery, interior joinery, trim, tool handles, shop fitting, furniture, architectrual interiors. Machines well with good stability meaning little movement in performance. 
Glues well.
Stains and polishes well.
Pre-boring required when nailing and screwing.
European Oak
Quercus robur, Q. Petraea
Europe
Yellowish brown. Usually straight grain but irregular and cross grain materials can occur dependant on growth     Various grades available for different end uses.
Exterior and interior joinery, flooring, furniture, beams and trusses, cills and threshes.
Moderate to severe blunting of tools.
Finishes well.
Pre-drilling advisable for screwing and nailing.
Reacts with iron so we advise stainless steel and brass fixings.
American Black Walnut
Juglans Nigra
N America
Heartwood rich brown to purpleish black, grey sapwood High quality furniture, cabinet making, interior joinery, turning, architectural interiors, flooring. Works okay with both hand and machine tools, moderate blunting.
Holds nails and screws well.
Glues satisfactorily.
Polishes to a high finish.
Sapele
Entandrophragma cylindricum
West Africa
Medium reddish brown with marked ribbon stripe figure on quarter sawn boards Joinery, furniture, flooring, cabinet making, solid doors, decorative veneers. Works well with hand and machine tools but interlocked grain is often troublesome in planing and moulding.
Glues, nails and screws well.
Excellent finish.
Steamed Beech
Fagus sylvatica
Europe        
Pinkish-red   Furniture, interior joinery, laminated furniture, wood turning. Working properties varies with growth characteristics.
Pre-boring necessary when nailing and screwing.
Glues and stains well with an excellent finish
Poplar/Tulip wood
Linodendron tulipifera
N America           
Pale yellowish brown to olive brown with olive green streaks Interior joinery, furniture, cabinet making, pattern making, carving. Easy to work with both hand and machine tools.
Nailed, screwed and glues well.
Stained polished or painted.
Iroko
Chlorophora excels
West Africa
Golden orange to brown Exterior and interior joinery. Bench tops, constructional work, ship and boat building, cladding.  Medium to difficult to work, dulling effect on cutting edge. Nails and screws well. Glues satisfactorily. When grain is filled finishes well.
Maple
Acer saccharum
North America
Creamy white. Tight smooth grain     Furniture, interior joinery, turning, flooring. Satisfactory to work with hand and machine tools, moderate dulling effect on cutters.
Pre-boring necessary when nailing and screwing.
Stains and polishes to an excellent finish.
Glue properties variable.
Cherry
Prunus serotina
USA
Heart rich red to reddish brown, light brown sapwood. Fine straight grain    Cabinet making, furniture, interior joinery, musical instruments, turning and carving Easy to machine.
Nails and glues well.
Stains and takes polish well.
Western red Cedar
Thuja plicata
USA & Canada      
Reddish brown. Ages silver grey if left untreated     Cladding, exterior joinery, greenhouse manufacture. Easily worked with hand and machine tools.
Relatively brittle which can cause splinting.
Good finish obtained if cutters kept sharp.
Soft characteristics.
Reacts with iron so we advise stainless steel fixings. 
Douglas Fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii
N America, Europe          
Yellow brown- red brown. Straight grain and decorative appearance  External joinery, construction use, internal joinery. Easily worked with both hand and machine tools.
Good staining and painting properties.
Pitch pine
Pinus palustris
USA
Orange to reddish brown. Resinous Heavy construction, joinery. Moderate resistance to cutting edge with hand and machine tools.
However resin can be troublesome clogging cutters.
Holds nails and screws well.
Finishes and paints satisfactorily.