Over Estimating

[Shultzy]

I need to know how much to over estimate the wood I need for my Oak shaker style kitchen cupboard doors. The frames are all 85mm x 18-20mm which means I can get two out of a 200mm x 25mm sawn board. I've laid them out in sketchup, allowing 13mm between each component, and this amounts to about 49m. How much percentage should I allow for wastage?

49m x 200mm x 25mm = .25m³
152ft x 8" x 1" = 8.45ft³

What sort of prices should I expect for this much European Oak?

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Always estimate 50% wastage also if you need 25mm finished you not get that from 25mm sawn. European normally is available in 27mm swan not 25mm (although I have seen it at this size) but you will need 32mm or what ever the next size up from 27mm is.

 

[Shultzy]

Sorry Hudson, I should be 83 x 18-20mm fame pieces .

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

In that case your looking at around £600 after wastage working on a per c/m price of £1600 from very loose memory.

 

[Shultzy]

Thanks. 50% seems a lot of wastage even from sawn boards, is the timber usually fraught with problems?

 

[RogerP]

I recently revamped our kitchen in European oak (18 doors plus 6 drawer fronts - various sizes) for a total timber cost a bit less than £450. After some research I ended up buying "expensive" top grade PAR in a variety of sizes to leave me with the least "offcuts". In the end I was left with very little and have since used even that up making a few small items.

I'm stuck with buying "on-line" and over the phone - there's not a decent timber yard within 50 miles of me. So I was extremely pleased with the quality of the timber and speed of delivery from British Hardwoods - also their superb packaging is something to behold It may seem expensive but there need be no waste and of course a great deal of time is saved in preparation

 

[9fingers]

there's not a decent timber yard within 50 miles of me.

Roger, I'm sure that when I was at Westonbirt festival of the tree a couple of years back, that they said they sold timber there.

This might be a source to good English tree wood for you?

Bob

 

[RogerP]

Thanks Bob, I must investigate.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Good point about timberyards and sawmills stocking locally-grown hardwoods. They may be about, but boy are they hard to track down. I've even had blank looks asking some (supposedly better) builder's merchants if they stock unsorted redwood.

It seems that to source good timber, you do have to travel - which for those of us without vans, can make delivery expensive, or not available. Worth buying in bulk and hiring a van, sometimes.

 

[Shultzy]

Thanks for the info Roger. I'm also making the units in European oak (22 doors plus 31 drawer fronts - various sizes).
What thickness did you ask for and did you plane it further? Can I ask, did you make the carcasses in oak veneer? If so, did you get a good colour match?
If I want a light oak finish do I have to have AWO?
I too have to buy "on-line", and over the phone, so I'm a bit concerned about the quality when it arrives.

 

[RogerP]

I'd suggest you go on their website and see what they stock and you'll most likely be able to sort what you need from that. If not phone them - you'll find them very helpful.

I didn't use anything but solid wood - no sheet stuff at all and minimal further planning except for the 6mm door panels which I had to make up by resawing and putting through the P/T. You might have a problem getting AWO - but European is not too dark.

 

[Shultzy]

Thanks Roger. Just had a look and 8.5m3 of 25mm is £335 sawn and 100m of 19mm par is £670 so twice the price. I think the par has a 15% discount for 100m which would be £570 but the delivery of about £100 to be added. They seem to have two sites http://www.britishhardwoods.co.uk/ and http://www.britishhardwoodsonline.com so I'll ring next week and see what they say.
Does the par only need sanding?

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Yes 50%, It's all down to what the yard has in. You can sometimes have say 20% waste when you ring, next time 35% waste etc. So as a rule budget for 50% waste.

I forgot to look at the price per c/m but I'm going back in office shortly so will look.

 

[RogerP]

Does the par only need sanding?

Yes and the carriage won't be £100 - ring them

The trick is to buy in the finished thickness you need and in lengths which will cut down to the sizes you need with no, or at least, very little waste.

 

[Shultzy]

Roger, I'll lay out the pieces again and see what lengths I need. How much did you allow for wastage on each piece?

 

[RogerP]

Roger, I'll lay out the pieces again and see what lengths I need. How much did you allow for wastage on each piece?

Just what the saw cuts and finishing would consume - the boards they supplied had no waste at all, no twist, no shakes, no splits and almost no knots. Grain and colour was consistent throughout the batch I bought. But I would still suggest, after you've made your list, phone them and tell them what you want and what it's for.