We asked Tom where the the pips in Pippy Oak come from, we got him on video explaining they're part of the Oak tree's natural survival mechanism
wood knowledge Category
Character is not a defect.
Character is not a defect. It’s not something to exclude, engineer out, cut away or waste. Character is the essence of a thing, for us, it's the essence of wood. It's to be valued, understood, chosen, and celebrated.
Putting the ‘seasoned’ in Structural Timber
Confused by what ‘seasoned’ means in structural Oak? You're not alone. At EWT we use an aging formula to help apply a bit of logic to the otherwise ephemeral qualities of structural Oak beams. It goes like this...
‘Making The Grade’ – a FREE eBook on timber fundamentals
This is the timber industry's best kept secret. If you work with wood, specify wood, design with wood or think with wood you need it. Come on in and download a copy. Making The Grade is a slim but significant wood-book written back in 2005 by two heavyweights of timber and forestry, Ivor Davies and Guy Watt.
Wood Knowledge: The Sourcing & Sustainability of Elm
Elm, although rare, is still available for woodworking. In this video Tom explains the sourcing process for our Elm logs and timber
The Right Stuff: Air Dried Oak
Air dried (seasoned) timber is the right stuff for external joinery and furniture use. Kiln dried timber, unless re-acclimatised* is a risk if you make furniture or joinery products for use outside. Kilning is a process that reduces moisture to a level that makes timber appropriate and fit for use in interior spaces, centrally heated, air conditioned with low ambient moisture levels of 8-14%.
Who Are You Going To Vote For?
It’s time for all you timber buyers out there to put your pondering face on and pick a timber supplier (or suppliers) to vote for. Who did good? Who got you the timber you wanted, when you needed it? Who made your job easier and helped you be a better maker or builder? Who stocked amazing wood so you could make amazing wood stuff? Who would you miss if they were gone?
Wood Knowledge: Introduction to Elm Trees & Timber
Our native Elm is a rare tree and richly prized wood. Here's our MD Tom Compton, a forester with an explanation for why that is... Whilst Elm is rare it is still found in pockets across the UK. When the growing trees are no longer healthy and viable we are given the opportunity to take the felled trees and convert them into boules, dry them and produce the best possible Elm wood for use in furniture making.
Fade To Grey: Weathered Timber Cladding
Bright, rich mustardy (or is it butterscotch-y?) yellow, still soft enough to leave a thumbprint, almost. Does that ring any bells to you? If you're a green Oak user you’ll know what we’re talking about. Green oak. Fresh sawn. Straight off the bandsaw, sodden and smelling distinctly of vinegar. But the ageing process kicks in immediately. There is no right or wrong but be assured, the silver-grey natural weathering of Oak timber cladding is not defect and not a fault. It’s a glorious prize you receive for choosing this tough, strong, durable, low maintenance, sustainable, planet friendly, environment friendly building material and letting it be to do it’s thing.
Fresh Sawn, Part Seasoned & Semi Seasoned Oak Beams
Our beam yard improvements mean over 2000 Oak beams in 3 levels of seasoning are now available to pick from for timber framing & carpentry . We recognise the need for better product information on dryness so we're mid process of re-listing with 3 categories, Fresh sawn beam: for 6 months from sawn date Part seasoned beam: from 7 - 24 months from sawn date Semi seasoned beam: from 25 months from sawn date. In this way the age of the sawn structural section corresponds to a level of drying / seasoning. For engineering calculations our structural timber is technically 'wet graded' as, due to section size, it cannot reach the moisture content required for 'dry graded'.
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