ENGLISH WOOD

English hardwoods are outstanding in quality and character and produce superior results compared to imported timbers.

The timber I use comes from local, sustainable, trusted sources. Using British timber is environmentally sound as many of our forests are controlled by the Forestry Commission and much of the wood is felled under the regulations of the internationally recognised Forest Stewardship Council.

Several types of wood are shown below. Not all are suitable for every application and the skill is to select the best wood for each job.

English Oak Tough, strong and unbending, Oak embodies the very essence of Englishness and is used extensively in furniture making. It is straight grained and light tan to biscuit in colour. It’s also available with varying degrees of marking or ‘figure’ - knots, pips, rays and cats paws - which bring great character to furniture.

Elm Although more difficult to work and much less available than oak, Elm has a lovely warm colour with flecks of light and the occasional streak of green. This wood has huge character.

Ash A lightly coloured wood, Ash is nonetheless full of character with a strong grain pattern, light brown shades and the occasional hint of purple.

Sycamore is one of our finest hardwoods, with an even grained strikingly white colour which can look highly dramatic.

Cherry is a wonderfully warm pale pinkish-brown in colour, straight grained with a fairly fine even texture. It sometimes has a distinctive green streak running through the grain.

Yew For centuries Yew provided longbows for the English archers. It is golden orange-brown in colour, with purple, mauve and brown patches, tiny veins and little knots. It finishes beautifully, but needs careful selection. Fantastic.

Walnut A beautiful timber with very attractive grey-brown heartwood and irregular streaks of smoky brown. Walnut’s botanical name is Regia, meaning ‘fit for a king’.