These are just a few things you’ll need to consider when choosing the wood to suit your particular job, and of course it doesn’t stop there. Price will be another important consideration and delivery options will often come into it too, but if you’re looking for a supplier that can meet your criteria you’ve come to the right place.

Here at Booker Timber we pride ourselves in offering all the timber, plywood sheets and cut to size MDF you could need to suit any and all applications, and with quality being our top priority you can be confident in getting the wood that will suit your every requirement. We offer a full machining service, are fully Chain of Custody certified and will always be available if you want to get advice from the experts, so make sure to get in touch and you’ll be one step closer to sourcing the right wood for your needs.

The plan explained

The Grown in Britain plan has been developed in response to a report conducted by the Independent Panel on Forestry last year, which found that 80% of the wood used in the UK is imported whilst the private sector harvests just 40% of all available resources. This just shows that we’re not taking full advantage of the opportunities available to us to create a thriving wood industry in the UK so it’s no wonder the supply chain seems to have stalled, and it’s something the government hopes to change. That’s where the new strategy comes in.

The initiative, set up by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), will implement a number of factors intended to regenerate and revitalise the supply chain. It’s already received backing by the Confederation for Forest Industries with ministers highlighting the economic and environmental benefits that can be gleaned from it—improving the supply chain and generating more wood from our forests could enable us to meet fuel and construction requirements by using material from our own shores, with a few additional benefits being:

• The wood fuel market alone has the potential to generate some £1billion for the economy
• Thousands of new jobs can be created—as many as 15,000 by 2020
• Wood is 24 times more efficient as a building material than steel and could save 0.9 tonnes of CO2 per cubic meter
• A vibrant woodland industry results in more green spaces which, in turn, could help reduce air pollution, carbon emissions and even healthcare costs

This move couldn’t have come at a better time. The UK has come under the spotlight in the last few months in light of the horsemeat scandal, with the supply chain in food production becoming increasingly blurred as suppliers from Europe get involved. This isn’t something we want in the forestry industry, and with there now being a clear (and consumer-led) desire for all manufacturing areas to focus on home-grown products it’s great to see the Grown in Britain campaign taking hold.

It makes sound economic, environmental and even social sense for the government to concentrate on this most important of areas, and here at Booker Timber we fully support the move and look forward to seeing the results of this regeneration. Of course, in the meantime you’re still going to want to get your wood from an approved source, so why not get in touch? We’re a leading timber merchant in the UK and are proud to be Chain of Custody certified, bringing you hardwood, softwood, chipboard and cut to size plywood of all kinds with clear emphasis on maintaining quality and environmental standards, so get in touch with the experts as you wait to see the results of this new initiative.

And the new rules on importation of sweet chestnut, oak, plane and ash trees from EU trees are now in force. They mean that plant health inspectors will be able to conduct very targeted inspections, and trace saplings if there are any concerns that a disease or pest may be present.

Equally, any business which imports tree plants, and the buyers who purchase them, will have confidence that any issues will be spotted at an early stage.

The controls bring EU imports into line with trees entering outside the EU, under which importers need to tell the relevant authorities:

Inspectors are then able to assess risk, and decide whether testing is required.

Clearly, the new controls mark a departure from the current situation – whereby single market rules mean the authorities are not aware of what trees are entering the UK from EU member states.

Own Paterson said: “We have learned from the recent situation with ash tree dieback the importance of acting quickly and finding out where infected trees may be. These new controls should make a real contribution in preventing diseases from establishing themselves in the first place.”

At the same time, a Plant Health Task Force report is anticipated before the summer. Chaired by Chief Scientific Adviser at Defra Ian Boyd. It has already produced an interim report, in which it recommends:

The new scheme also comes after an informal consultation with key groups such as the NFU and the Horticultural Trade Association.

Of course, if you are buying wood-based products, you can also do your part by choosing an ethical timber merchant which prioritises environmental concerns.

Booker Timber is one such merchant.

What Booker Timber Offers

At Booker Timber, our marketplace is the UK’s industrial sector, and the regional DIY and trade markets in the North West.

As well as offering an extensive selection of timber-based products, from chipboard to marine plywood, our nationwide specialist sheet material cutting, routering and machining service is second to none.

And we offer all customers a number of great benefits, including:

There’s more on our website.

As long as you know where to look, you should find it easy to source the products you’re after.

Property conscious

There’s no denying the fact that UK consumers are house proud and figures produced by Everest Home Improvements drew attention to this issue. It revealed that more than eight in ten Brits polled wanted to change something about their abodes to make them better. In total, 82 per cent of respondents noted they’d like to enhance their abodes.

Meanwhile, 30 per cent stated they wanted to make the changes so that their properties would look nicer, while 16 per cent were focussing on making their houses or flats more energy efficient. Following this, 13 per cent of homeowners wanted to boost their standard of living and 11 per cent were eager to raise the value of their properties.

A gender divide

It seems as though when it comes to sourcing cut to size MDF and so on to enhance abodes, women may be leading the way. Whereas 85 per cent of female respondents said they wanted to make changes, only 76 per cent of the men questioned revealed a similar intention.

Location location location

Another factor that influenced the likelihood that people would want to improve homes was location. While 84 per cent of respondents from the Midlands and Wales wanted to invest in DIY projects like this, this figure fell to 80 per cent among respondents from the south of England. The proportion was even lower in Northern Ireland, where 75 per cent of people wanted to engage in changes.

Come to us Booker Timber

Here at Booker Timber we’re experts when it comes to MDF cutting and should have just what you need to help you get on with your DIY projects. We have a vast range of timber related products and you shouldn’t struggle to get just what you’re after at good value prices.

Accuracy is key

It’s frustrating if the wood you choose isn’t cut to the correct size. This can throw your project back and prevent you from achieving the best results. Thankfully, our wood is cut to an accuracy of within 0.1mm, meaning you can have total confidence in it.

To find out more about what we have to offer, just take a look around our website or get in touch with our friendly and helpful team. Meanwhile, if you’re keen to find out how much you would have to pay for your wood, you can fill in an online enquiry form.

Sourcing superb timber is well worth it

In order to make sure you benefit from the best results, it’s important you get the most suitable wood around. This can make DIY projects much easier and help you ensure your home is looking great.

From start to finish, the whole process is automated. The design and shape of the cut are fed into the computer, and the machine does the cutting without manual help.

While cnc machine may once have been prohibitively expensive, and used exclusively by heavy industry, today the lower prices mean the equipment and its benefits are much more widely accessible.  Once the machinery is in place, production is low cost and machines repeat tasks very accurately, with minimal human intervention.

For smaller orders particularly, though, it may not be cost-effective to do your own cutting, so it’s a good idea to get it done professionally.

At Booker Timber, we’re independent timber merchants supplying industrial customers across the UK, as well as the trade and DIY sectors in our region, the north west of England. Whether you need cut to size chipboard, or cut to size mdf, we can help. And we love a challenge!

As well as cutting timber related products, we can cut plasterboard and plastic. We have some of the best and most modern equipment to do it. Check out our website today – it’s packed with helpful information.

Of course, unless you have a big garden and intend to grow produce on a large scale, you will not cultivate all the fresh items you need. However, getting stuck into growing like this also has therapeutic benefits and many people think it is a good way to help reduce stress and to reconnect with more basic human endeavours.

When you are getting started in such activities, it is important to find out what’s what and to get all the equipment you need. If you cut corners at this stage, you may be disappointed with the results.

With this in mind, we may be able to help you. Here at Booker Timber we provide superb raised beds that could be perfect for your outdoor projects. These offerings are ideal for smaller, city gardens, rooftop spaces and so on.

As a timber merchant, we know all there is to know about items like this. Meanwhile, if you would prefer to make up the constructions yourself, you can get them in kit form. On the other hand, you can buy them readymade.

Our timber is of the finest Scandinavian quality and is properly treated against the elements. To find out more about these items, as well as our cut to size chipboard, MDF sheets and so on, simply take a look around our website.

However, there is another issue that may well influence your decision and that is the green credentials of your supplier of MDF sheets and other such offerings. Environmental concerns are becoming ever more important. And it is not only your own conscience that you have to deal with, but also those of your customers.

These days, individuals often vote with their money when it comes to issues of this nature. They tend to be more willing to purchase products from companies that can show they have a responsible attitude towards this matter.

The good news is, by coming to Booker Timber for your cut to size chipboard and other such products, you can rest assured you are doing your bit to promote sustainability.

We have achieved Chain of Custody certified status, which enables us to offer chain of custody for forested timber from well managed forests.

By buying products with Chain of Custody certified status, you can rest assured you are not contributing to global forest destruction. So, to find out more about what we have to offer, simply take a look around our website.