Regardless of whether you’re after wood for industrial, trade or personal needs it is vital to remember that selecting suitable timber is of the utmost importance. Indeed, it is fair to say that any building project or DIY task can be jeopardised completely if you rush into your purchasing decision and buy wood which turns out to be unsuitable.

Therefore you may like to bear the following aspects in mind:

‘Horses for Courses’

The first thing you need to consider when selecting a type of wood is what you will be using it for. Think about it: will your chosen timber be used for a construction build, a carpentry project, a prototype build or merely as an ingredient for a bit of DIY? Considering how it will be used will help you to determine the species of wood you’ll need, so make sure you ascertain which wood will live up to your expectations beforehand.

Know about ‘Drying’

Knowing a bit about ‘drying’ will enable you to make a more informed decision when selecting timber. The main thing you need to remember is that air dried wood is better for working by hand (although it is sometimes the case that it has a higher moisture content than kiln-dried timbers). Whilst this may not seem overly important in the grand scheme of things, knowing about the drying method of timber can make all the difference to the usability and ease of handling.

Make the Grade

As you will most probably know, woods come in a variety of different grades (the grade being indicative of the quality). In general, higher grades of timber have fewer knots and are a lot clearer, while lower grades feature more knots (although this can be a good thing if you are looking for wood that has character). The ‘horses for courses’ approach will once again be beneficial when it comes to choosing a suitable grade for your needs.

Eco-Friendly?

Like many other consumers these days, you may well be concerned about the environment and whether or not your choice of wood will contribute in any way to global deforestation. With this in mind you will want to ensure the timber you source comes complete with full environmental certification. Therefore you should only do business with a timber merchant that is fully Chain of Custody certified, as this will give you peace of mind that you’re getting your wood from truly renewable and responsible sources.

These are just a few of the aspects you need to consider when selecting wood to suit your particular job. Fortunately you can address all of these considerations (and many more besides) quite comprehensively when you come to us here at Booker Timber as we are able to provide customers in every field and industry with timber, plywood sheets and cut-to-size MDF to suit any and all needs.

To find out more and take advantage of our expert advice either browse our pages further or call 0333 123 1290.