Birch Ply - Supplier Devon / Southwest

[timbly]

Hi
I'm about to embark on a kitchen project and am planning on building my own carcasses from birch ply.
Can anyone recommend a good supplier who will deal in relatively small amounts? Storage is a problem so was planning on initially only buying 5-6 sheets 18mm and 3-4 sheets 9mm.
With these amounts is it best buying through the likes of Jewsons or even DIY chains or are there any specialist sheet suppliers who will deal in relatively small orders.
I'm in Devon near the Cornish border.
Many years ago I used to get all my sheet goods from Silvermans Near Newton Abbott but I don’t think they’re there any more. When I type in www.silverman.co.uk it comes up with ‘Timber Depot’ and they have a branch in Saltash which isn’t a million miles away..
Thanks in advance
Tim

 

[Shane]

You could try timbmet and devon hardwoods

http://www.timbmet.com/

http://devonhardwoods.ltd.uk/

 

[Dibs-h]

Hi
I'm about to embark on a kitchen project and am planning on building my own carcasses from birch ply.

Daft question perhaps Tim - why birch ply as opposed to MDF (veneered or otherwise)?

The reason I ask is that I'll end up making ours (perhaps) at some point in the not too distant future and good to know folk's thought processes so to speak.

Cheers

Dibs

 

[9fingers]

When I needed a quantity of ply plus other sheet materials and had similar storage constraints, I negotiated a good price with Jewsons by asking for the full amount and then having agreed a price, then called it off a few sheets at a time making sure that each delivery value was over their threshold for free delivery (£50 or £100 IIRC).

A bit cheeky but it worked like a charm.

Bob

 

[timbly]

Thanks for the replies..
Bob what was the quality like through jewson's?
Dibs - I finish the insides with 2 coats of Osmo hard wax and like the look of Birch ply. Birch ply sands well the panels take a nice painted finish and I simply prefer working with it than MDF. I'm sure MDF is considerably cheaper and works absolutely fine for carcassing, panels etc but personally I feel Birch ply gives a more high end 'woody' feel..
Thanks
Tim

 

[9fingers]

Tim,

I was needing 18mm ply for my internal workshop floor and wall cladding and had some compromise price/quality imported hardwood ply.
at around £20 a sheet.
For birch you will have to pay more naturally but I would go and look at their stock stack and look along the edges for voids and distorted plies to get a general impression on quality and don't be afraid to reject sheets they actually send you.
The monkeys loading the orders wont be selecting sheets with any care but it you build up a relationship with their sheet good sales guy, he will normally see you right. It is normally a case of letting him know at the start the quality you are looking for.
The rest of my order was OSB for roof decking, 6mm mdf for ceiling and polystyrene slab for insulation in floor and walls and there was no query with that lot; no dinged corners and always delivered well wrapped too.

hth

Bob

 

[Tony Spear]

Tim, I think you'll find that Timber Depot is Timbmet's name for their stocking and distribution outlets. Silverman's is now part of the Timbmet setup.