Where to buy different wood

[Nev McWood]

Hi there,

I've decided to take up woodworking, but it seems I'm already being hindered by the lack of information on where to get different types of wood.

All I have in my area (and also all I've found on the net) are building merchants, who only seem to sell construction wood and hardly a range....I was wondering if any of you could point me in the right direction?.

I live in the midlands, Northamptonshire to be exact. If you know of any site or business in the area or surrounding I would be in your debt.

I'm new to the forum by the way, can't wait to see what you've sent in!.

Thanks
Nev

 

[Richard T]

Hi Nev -

http://www.mactimbers.co.uk/

 

[Nev McWood]

Thank you Richard.

Also what would be the best wood to build a workbench out of?

Thanks again.
Nev

 

[undergroundhunter]

Thank you Richard.

Also what would be the best wood to build a workbench out of?

Thanks again.
Nev

That depends on you budget. I would go with redwood, easy to work , cheap and widely available.

Matt

 

[Bigus]

I've just had my first dealing with http://www.exotichardwoodsukltd.com/. They have a great range of interesting and attractive hardwoods. Their payment system is slightly unusual in that you fill out the order form and they then email you back with a payment link (it's the cardsave secure payment system). Their shipping is also a flat rate charge of £10 up to 30kgs, so expensive if you are just buying a small piece of wood but next day delivery. I shall certainly be using them again.

 

[devonwoody]

Here is the list on ukworkshop of timber suppliers for the country, delivery charges vary from £15 upwards, and many of us have to get our supplies this way.

http://www.quest42.co.uk/woodwork/html/ws.html

 

[marcros]

Thank you Richard.

Also what would be the best wood to build a workbench out of?

Thanks again.
Nev

That depends on you budget. I would go with redwood, easy to work , cheap and widely available.

Matt

Anything will do for a bench. It is up to you whether you want something that will be purely functional, or pretty and functional. You can build a perfectly sound bench from construction timber and mdf if you want. Personally, I used ash, and a solid firedoor for a top, then topped that with some more ash for a thick top. The ash was a reasonably cheap hardwood, and worked out at little more than decent redwood in the end.

It is worth getting a copy of Chris Schwarz book "workbenches". It is not the only book out there, but is well worth the money on Amazon, and gives you some plans. My bench is his English style one with the aprons on the front and splayed legs.

 

[Wouldchuk]

Good Timbers is based just of the A5 between Weedon and Towcester I think, although I've not used them. I always find myself zooming past the turning!

I regularly use James Binning over at Deep in Wood here in Oxford and he gives a fantastic service - happy to supply the odd piece, right through to full packs, and will often do machining etc for you too if you need it.

 

[disco_monkey79]

I bought a bunkbed on a well-known auction site, and used the timber to build my bench. The top is an offcut from when we replaced our kitchen worktops. Total cost - £10.00

Not the prettiest bench ever, but it works for me.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I have used Good Timber. What I could see of the big boards were mostly oak. Very helpful, happy to lt me rummage, and help me load into the car. Not terribly cheap. Peculiarly (should have guessed something odd from the address "New Creation Farm") it seems to be a commercial arm of the Jesus' Army !

 

[AndyT]

It's easy to forget, but this site is not just a discussion forum! It has lists of timber and tool merchants too.

Try this link:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/local/listings/timber-merchants/east-midlands/

 

[Tetsuaiga]

Benches I come across tend to be made of beech. I'm thinking of making one soon too and might use large pine pieces for the legs as that'll be cheaper.

I've used SL Hardwood a few times but i'd really like to find somewhere more local to me. I had the same problem though its mostly construction pine.