Buying guide · Solid timber
How to choose timber boards.
Start with the pieces you want to make. Then check the boards’ dimensions, moisture and shape: the right timber is the timber that will yield the parts you need.
Go to the checklist
Start with the finished parts.
Prepare a cutting list, even a simple one, showing the number, thickness, width and length of the parts. Mark the faces that will remain visible and any pieces that need matching for colour or grain.
Assess each board against that list. A knot outside the useful parts may not matter; the same knot in the middle of a cabinet door changes the choice. Assess curvature against the length you need, rather than only the full board.
Choose the species for the job.
A surface exposed to impact, a moulding and an exterior component need different properties. Compare hardness, weight, stability, machinability and finishing behaviour alongside appearance.
Compare several boards under the same light, especially on the face that will remain visible. The outer wood, called sapwood, and the inner heartwood may differ in colour. Pores and grain vary between species and between boards of the same species. For a consistent result, consider how the boards look together.
Ask how the timber was dried.
Wood exchanges moisture with its surroundings and can shrink or swell even after drying. To select it, you need to know where it will be used: a heated interior, a humid room and an outdoor setting have different conditions.
The words ‘seasoned’ and ‘dried’ alone are not enough. Ask how the timber was dried and stored. For sensitive work, check moisture at several points on several boards: a surface reading does not always describe the interior.
Interpret a moisture meter’s readings according to the instrument type, species, temperature and reading depth. There is no single moisture percentage for every job, or fixed time for timber to adjust to its place of use.
Measure the timber that will remain.
Rough thickness is not finished thickness. Planing and straightening remove material; end checks and irregular edges can reduce usable length and width.
Measure at several points and consider the least favourable area, rather than only the thickest or widest point. The allowance depends on the board, the machining and the parts required: a fixed extra thickness does not guarantee the result.
Look at knots, checks and edges.
Check both faces, the edges and both ends. Assess knots, sapwood and colour variation against the job. A firmly embedded knot differs from a loose knot or a cavity; look at the grain around it as well.
With checks, consider how far they extend, not just what is visible on the surface. Look for holes, wane, unusual staining and soft areas too. For load-bearing components, visual inspection does not replace the required grading, documents and technical checks.
Check whether the knot is firmly embedded or loose, and how the surrounding grain changes.
Assess its position against the part you need to cut.
Check their depth, length and extension from the ends.
The unedged area reduces the usable section after trimming.
Illustrative examples: they help identify features, but do not assign a grade or determine whether a board is suitable.
Check the shape of the board.
Look at the board from the end and along its faces and edges, using a flat support or long straightedge to help. The four forms of distortion below affect different directions and may occur together.
Assess them against the parts you need. Curvature may have little effect on short parts and a large effect on a long component; marked twist can consume considerable thickness during straightening. What matters is the dimension you can retain.
Curvature across the width: the centre and edges are not in the same plane.
The face curves along the length.
The curvature runs along the edge.
The board is twisted and its four corners are not in the same plane.
The images show the direction of distortion, not a severity scale. Inspect each individual board.
Look at the growth rings at the end.
Look at the end grain, the cross-section at the end of the board. Growth-ring orientation helps you understand the sawing and anticipate how the wood will behave. Movement across the board is generally greater in the tangential direction than the radial direction; the difference varies with species.
Sawing also affects the grain pattern. Choose for the appearance and stability required, rather than treating one orientation as always better. When matching boards, compare both faces and ends.
Rings lie at a shallow angle to the face, often giving arched or cathedral-like figure.
Rings are closer to perpendicular to the face; the grain often appears more regular.
An intermediate orientation. Trade terms and angle ranges may vary between suppliers.
Indicative diagrams, not to scale. They do not represent a standardised sawing plan: always inspect the growth rings at the end of the board.
Compare yield, then prepare for storage.
Before comparing offers, clarify the units and measurement method, especially for unedged or variable-width boards. Geometric volume is thickness multiplied by width and length, all in metres: it is not the volume of the finished parts.
Assess how much of the cutting list will fit into the boards, allowing for defects to exclude, grain direction and matching. The extra material needed varies with the job: a single percentage can be excessive or insufficient.
Prepare flat, aligned supports before the material arrives. Where ventilation is needed, align the stickers with the supports. Protect the stack from rain, direct sun and abrupt changes, avoiding support arrangements that allow the boards to bend.
Take this with you
Before confirming your purchase.
- I have defined the finished dimensions, quantities and visible faces.
- I have chosen the species for its use and finish.
- I know how the timber was dried and which moisture checks are needed.
- The usable thickness is sufficient after machining.
- I have checked both faces, edges and ends.
- I know where knots, checks and irregular edges fall.
- I have assessed curvature and twist against the parts required.
- I have clarified the commercial volume and yield needed.
- I can transport and store the timber correctly.
To compare species and the forms available, explore thetimber catalogue. To prepare the parts, see the machining services.