North American Ash is sometimes known as American White Ash (there are other American Ashes but not exported commercially). It is particularly renowned for its strength in bending. The timber has an even grain and has white, or light, coloured sapwood and light brown to light gray heartwood. The most common use is interior joinery, although it is also used for other purposes including furniture. The standard stock is rough sawn square edged. We also have packs of parallel sawn (ripped) Ash which means all boards are of equal width, this is available in the lower-end of the thicknesses stocked. We are able to offer delivery and machining subject to availability and requirements, please call for more information.

American Black Cherry heartwood is a light pinkish brown when freshly cut, darkening to a medium reddish brown with time and upon exposure to light. Sapwood is a pale yellowish colour.

The grain is usually straight and easy to work - with the exception of figured pieces with curly grain patterns. Has a fine, even texture with moderate natural luster.

Common Uses: Cabinetry, fine furniture, flooring, interior millwork, veneer, turned objects, and small specialty wood items.

Birdseye Maple is a specific effect which can occur in American Hard Maple which gives an unusual pattern which is prized for bespoke furniture manufacture. The rarity of this stock means that the size of project that can be produced using this stock is limited, therefore its most common usage is in musical instruments and small items of furniture such a jewellery boxes.

While Hard Maple will have an occasional eye, boards that can be classed as Birds Eye Maple are rare.

American White Oak is a hugely popular hardwood for kitchens, furniture and interior joinery manufacture. It has a strong visible grain and is relatively defect free. Boards are sold Kiln Dried imported from Eastern United States and Canada. All our boards are square edged rough sawn, most are variable widths as with most rough sawn hardwoods however parallel sawn (ripped) is also stocked. Prices depend on thicknesses, lengths and widths required, as well as the grade of the hardwood and quantity required. Please call for a quotation for your requirements. We are able to offer delivery and machining subject to availability and requirements, please call for more information. You may also wish to consider European Oak.

Heartwood is streaked with yellows, reds, oranges, and pinks. Color and figure can be highly variegated.

Pores are open and medium-sized. Grain is usually straight, with a fine texture.

Common Uses: Veneer, fine furniture, inlay, marquetry, musical instruments (percussion), and small turned objects.

American Black Walnut, Juglans nigra, is a dark, heavy and strong hardwood. Despite its strength it is not difficult to work or split. It is often used in furniture, cabinet making, flooring, coffins, guns and for other woodworking uses. Available in Britain from American imports as early as 1610, it was not until the mid 19th century that the timber was prized for its appearance. The timber is known for knots.

The tree grows up to 40-50m and have trunks up to a diameter of 60″. Black walnuts, an edible fruit with health benefits, are produced by the tree. The tree most commonly grows in Mid and Eastern USA and Canada.

We stock Kiln Dried Square Edged boards from North American sources. As well as the FAS grade, we can offer a “Super Prime” grade. We are able to offer delivery andmachining subject to availability and requirements, please call for more information.

The wood of the European beech is used in the manufacture of numerous objects and implements. Its fine and short grain makes it an easy wood to work with, easy to soak, dye,varnish and glue. Steaming makes the wood even easier to machine. It has an excellent finish and is resistant to compression and splitting. Milling is sometimes difficult due to cracking and it is stiff when flexed. It is particularly well suited for minor carpentry, particularly furniture. From chairs to parquetry (flooring) and staircases, the European beech can do almost anything other than heavy structural support, so long as it is not left outdoors. Its hardness make it ideal for making wooden mallets and workbench tops. The wood rots easily if it is not protected by a tar based on a distillate of its own bark (as used in railway sleepers). Common beech is also considered one of the best firewoods for fireplaces.

We supply quality square edged European Oak boards.

European oak heartwood is light tan to biscuit colour. The timber is usually straight grained, but can be irregular or cross-grained depending on the growth conditions.

Oaks strength and durability lends the timber to a variety of uses including joinery, furniture and cabinet making, boat building, cooperage for wine and beer as well as flooring and vehicle body bearers.

Sapele heartwood is medium to dark reddish brown with well-defined ribbon striping on quartered surfaces. The grain is interlocked or wavy with a fine even texture.

Sapele will dry quickly, and is very likely to distort. Quartered material is less likely to do this. There is medium movement in service.

Sapele will work well with both machine and hand tools, although the interlocked grain may cause slight difficulty when machining. It nails, screws and glues well, care should be taken when staining, but once complete the wood will give a very good finish.

Sapele is commonly used in high quality furniture making, joinery, shop fitting, door and boat building.

Iroko timber is golden/orange – brown, lighter vessel lines can be seen on flat sawn surfaces. Some material may contain large, hard calcium-carbonate deposits in cavities, in the case the wood around them is often darker in colour. The grain is interlocked and sometimes irregular, so the texture is coarse but even.

Iroko timber works acceptably well with hand and machine tools. The timber nails, screws and glues well. When the grain is filled an exceptional finish can be attained.

The Iroko timber is very durable and is extremely resistant to preservative treatments, however the sapwood is permeable.

Iroko timber is used extensively for boat and ship building as well as interior and exterior joinery.