Wood Types and Uses

Accoya

Accoya wood comes from fast-growing pine trees (typically Pinus Radiata) sourced from New Zealand. They are harvested once they reach maturity at around the 30-year mark. The raw timber is then modified to create Accoya – the durable, highly rot-resistant wood you can use in your joinery projects after it has been machined to specification at our factory. Accoya has the same appearance as unmodified timber, which is usually pale and creamy in colour. It will bleach during weathering if left uncoated, creating a brighter appearance.

Properties

Because of its high durability, Accoya has many key properties and benefits. One of the main advantages of using Accoya is that it’s an eco-friendly choice due to it being non-toxic, sustainably sourced, having low CO2 emissions and being 100% recyclable. Additionally, it is ideal for coating, and all common paint systems can be used to finish the wood. Accoya does not shrink or swell, which adds to its durability and means it is one of the most low-maintenance timber choices as coatings will last longer.

Durability

Extremely durable.

Typical Uses

Accoya can be used for a wide variety of projects due to its durability. It is perfect for all exterior wood applications where low cost and low maintenance are a must. These include window frames, doors, façades, cladding, decking, garden furniture, balconies, boats and play equipment.

Scandinavian Redwood/Pine

Our Scandinavian Pine (also referred to as ‘redwood’ to differentiate it from ‘whitewood’ such as Spruce) is imported from Sweden, Finland and Russia and machined to size in our Factory. Its colour is a typical yellowy/brown appearance. The grades vary for different uses, ‘Vths’ grade generally being the base grade for windows and door frames etc., ‘Unsorted’ being a superior grade. Knots are common but their size and quality vary according to the part of the tree from which boards are converted.

Properties

Medium overall strength with low shock resistance dependent on size and number of knots, it works well with machine and hand tools and generally planes well; however, knots can be problematic. It should be noted that the timber is kilned prior to shipping but the moisture content is often about 15%, and therefore higher than most kiln-dried hardwood moisture contents. The diameter of such pines normally result in board widths of 100mm – 225mm. It is a resinous timber, Annual growth rings are clearly marked by contrasting light and dark zones. Can be stained, painted or polished to an attractive finish.

Durability

Non Durable, however, durable if pressure treated.

Typical Uses

Scandinavian Redwood is our default ‘standard’ softwood which we use to manufacture internal and external joinery products such as staircases, windows, doors and conservatories. It is widely used in the production of stair-parts such as newel posts, handrails and spindles etc. View examples of our work in this wood type in our staircase gallery.

Sapele

Our Sapele is sourced from the rainforests of West Africa and machine to specification at our factory. Sapele is a dark red-brown colour, characterised by a marked and regular stripe, particularly pronounced on quarter-sawn surfaces. It is fairly close textured, and the grain is interlocked. It is harder and heavier than African mahogany.

Properties

Sapele is much harder than African or American mahogany, and in resistance to indentation, bending strength, stiffness, and resistance to shock loads, is practically equal with English oak. It machines well but the interlocked grain can cause problems with chipping. It takes screws and mails well, glues satisfactorily, stains readily, and takes an excellent polish.

Durability

Moderately durable.

Typical Uses

Sapele is our default ‘Standard’ Hardwood which we use to manufacture high-quality external joinery products such as windows, doors and conservatories. View examples of our work in this wood type in our gallery.

European Oak

Our European Oak timber is sourced from various regions of Europe, mainly France & Italy. The heartwood varies from light tan to biscuit or deep brown, with distinct bands of earlywood and latewood. The grain is usually straight, but irregular or cross grain can occur. Rays and growth rings show an attractive figuring (“silver grain”) when quarter sawn.

Properties

A fairly hard, heavy and dense hardwood, with high crushing and bending strength, low stiffness and resistance to shock loads. Oak timber machines very well, and is good for sanding, staining and varnishing and will take high polish. European oak can be darkened by fuming with ammonia. Due to tannins present in the timber, oak wood will react with ferrous metals when wet, causing black staining. We advise the use of non-ferrous (brass or stainless steel) fixings and fittings where possible.

Durability

Extremely durable.

Typical Uses

We use European Oak timber mainly for the production of external joinery items, such as windows, doors, conservatories, etc. View examples of our work in this wood type in our doors gallery.

American White Oak

Our American White Oak is sourced from the Appalachian Mountains in North America and machined to specification at our factory. The heartwood can vary in colour from light tan or pale yellow-brown to dark or pale brown and can sometimes have a very slight pinkish tint. The wood usually has a straight, open grain and is medium to coarse in texture.

Properties

A hard and heavy wood with medium crushing and bending strength and low stiffness. The wood has exceptional resistance to wear. The wood machines, sands, stains and polishes well. The tannin content can react with ferrous metals to cause iron staining (Black Patches) if the wood becomes wet. We advise customers to select non-ferrous (brass or stainless steel) fixings and fittings where possible.

Durability

Durable but not quite as much as European Oak. The heartwood is resistant to decay.

Typical Uses

We mainly use American White Oak for internal joinery, in particular, staircases and associated balustrade components. View examples of our work in this wood type in our staircase gallery.

Iroko

Our Iroko is sourced from tropical Africa and machined to specification at our factory. The heartwood is a distinct yellow colour, but on exposure to light it quickly becomes golden-brown. The grain is usually interlocked and the texture is rather coarse but even, large, hard deposits of calcium carbonate called ‘stone’ deposits, are sometimes present in cavities, probably as a result of injury to the tree. They are often enclosed by the wood around them and not visible until the time of sawing, though the wood around them may be darker in colour, thus giving an indication of their presence.

Properties

Iroko, often referred to as ‘Poor man’s Oak’, is an attractive and very durable timber. It has excellent strength, comparing well with teak, though weaker in bending and in compression along the grain. Iroko machines, sands and stains well. An excellent finish can be obtained if the grain is filled. It takes nails and screws well, and can be glued satisfactorily.

Durability

Very durable.

Typical Uses

We mainly use Iroko for the manufacture of highly durable windows and doors. The timber is of great importance in both East and West Africa. It is valuable for ship and boat-building, light flooring, interior and exterior joinery, window frames, sills, stair treads, fire-proof door. View examples of our work in this wood type in our gallery.

Dark Red Meranti

Our Dark Red Meranti is sourced from Malaysia and machined to specification in our workshop. However, some dimensioned sizes are pre-machined before they are imported into the UK. Its colour is a red-brown darkening to a dark red; planed surfaces fairly lustrous, stripe figure on radial surfaces. Grey-coloured narrow streaks are often present on all longitudinal surfaces, caused by concentric layers of resin canals. The texture is rather course but even, and the grain is interlocked and wavy.710 kg/m3 when dried.

Properties

There is a wide variation in the strength of the various Merantis and red Seraya due to the differences in density and the number of species involved. The wood of the various species work well and in general are capable of a good smooth surface. The various species can be glued, nailed and screwed satisfactorily, and can be stained and polished quite well after suitable filling.

Durability

Moderately durable.

Typical Uses

We mainly use Dark Red Meranti for external applications such as doors, windows and conservatories, as it allows for use in more exposed situations, for example for cladding, particularly when treated with a preservative. It has been the default choice for a ‘standard’ hardwood for many years in the UK for a lot of joinery manufacturers. View examples of our work in this wood type in our windows gallery.