There are some situations where green Oak is not advisable and for those times we keep seasoned or air dried structural Oak.
These are standard(ish) sections available from stock in original drying dimensions. These stock sections can be cut to size to meet your exact* size requirements.
There are times when green Oak simply isn’t the right choice, and for those situations we offer a carefully maintained stock of seasoned and air-dried structural Oak beams.
These timbers are available in standard(ish) sections in their original drying dimensions and can be cut to size to meet your exact* requirements.
Air dried structural oak is used for many of the same purposes as fresh sawn timber, but with one key difference: this material has been seasoning outdoors since the moment it was first cut. Over this time, it has dried significantly, stabilised, and taken on the characterful features that only long-term seasoning can create.
As timber seasons, it naturally shifts and responds to the elements. This means our air-dried Oak beams may show weathering, slight movement out of the original dimension, opened knots, splits, grain checking and other features typical of natural seasoning.
Far from being imperfections, these characteristics often make seasoned structural timber the ideal choice for restoration and renovation work – perfect for replacing elements in historic frames, installing lintels in old brickwork, or matching the look and feel of an existing structure.
At this time, Oak is the only species we have seasoning as it is the only timber we’re likely to need for restoration. If you have alternative requirements, then perhaps we can help – please call us on 01730 816941 and speak to a member of the team.
What is the difference between seasoned and unseasoned timber?
Unseasoned timber, often referred to as green or fresh sawn timber, is cut directly from the log and still contains a high level of natural moisture. Seasoned Oak timber, on the other hand, has been allowed to dry out gradually over months or years. This slow drying process produces seasoned Oak beams that are far more stable, making them ideal for restoration, joinery and the like, where movement must be kept to a minimum.
Certification: Grown in Britain and PEFC
NB. It is worth noting that although air dried structural oak beams have stabilised over years of seasoning, cutting them to size can expose greener internal surfaces. This can create differential movement which may result in bowing, warping, splitting or cracking – perfectly natural reactions when a long-settled beam is reworked.
We can provide chain of custody certification for PEFC air dried structural oak. Read more about certification.
*+/- saw blade thickness
Cutting Lists
Cutting lists for solely seasoned beam Oak cut to size can be sourced from our supplier in France, or nominal sizes can be selected from stock in our yard.
For orders from France, the lead time can be 7-15 working days. For Oak from our yard, ex stock lead time is 1-3 days (without any machining).
You are very welcome to visit the woodyard to self-select and collect your Oak beams as needed.
