The timber
Devon hardwood, felled and milled by us.
Everything on the yard is Devon hardwood, cut through-and-through and air dried, sold as single pieces because no two are the same. Much of it comes from fallen or storm-damaged trees, or ones that had to come down anyway, milled here rather than lost to the fire. What’s on the stack changes as trees come down, so if you don’t see the size you need, ask.
English oak
Quercus robur
Our mainstay. Slow-grown Devon oak, dense and durable, with the medullary rays and figure that only English oak gives you. Cut through-and-through and kept in boule order so you can match boards across a build or a table. Air dried in stick, ready for framing, flooring, worktops, mantels and joinery.
Wych elm
Ulmus glabra
Wild, interlocked grain that won’t split the way other timbers do, with a colour and warmth all its own. The maker’s choice for tabletops, benches and seats where the figure is the point. We mill it when we can get sound logs, so it comes in runs rather than always on the stack.
Ash
Fraxinus excelsior
Pale, tough and springy, with a clean straight grain that finishes beautifully. Good for furniture, shelving and turning blanks. Like the elm, it comes and goes with the season and what the woodland brings in.
Know your timber
A few words on how it’s cut.
Waney edge
The natural edge of the tree left on the board, bark removed, so you keep the live line of the trunk. Sometimes called live edge.
Through & through
The log sawn in parallel boards from one side to the other and kept in order, a boule, so the grain runs on from board to board.
Air dried
Stacked in stick and dried naturally, not forced in a kiln. Settles around 16 to 20% moisture, moves less over time and suits traditional work.