On the face of it, the idea of using a client's own timber harvested on or near the site has great merit. The use of locally sourced materials has an appealing integrity to it and can have fewer environmentally damaging consequences.
However...
There are factors relating to the material itself which, in many cases, can render on-site supply impractical when undertaking a structural timber frame commission.
Whilst we are sufficiently confident in our knowledge of the material to feel happy that we are able to select timbers of a suitable nature for the kind of construction we practice, there remains the issue of satisfying statutory bodies (such as Building Control) that they are of a compliant structural grade. This does not necessarily preclude local supply, but it may mean the timbers will have to be transported quite some distance for grading and certification before delivery to the workshop.
At Sessile Oak, we like to have the assurance that, should any timbers be milled incorrectly or contain what we would consider unacceptable defects, the sawmill (with whom we have developed a close working relationship over the years) can send replacement timbers in sufficiently good time as to prevent significant delay to a project and without the need for any further cost. We would hesitate to embark on a project without this kind of assurance.
It is also important to consider the issue of certification of sustainable supply (such as through the FSC). Client sourced timber may be more sustainable both environmentally and economically if an appropriate amount of new stock is planted to replace it within a system of woodland management. This, though, requires both the client's willingness and ability to carry out this sort of management in the long term.
As we see it, that willingness and ability lies at the heart of the long term practicality of local supply. In addition to bringing locally grown timber back into rotation, there is a need to re-adopt the kind of management philosophies and practices that created the quality of timber grown and used for centuries in this country but which, in many cases, now have to be sourced from the continent. It requires that we regain the willingness to commit to a long term regime of tending with an understanding of the material as it grows over time in its natural or, at least, semi-natural environment.
Whilst the solution may lie in the actions we take now, the results of those actions will only become evident in our children's and grandchildren's time - there are no large scale solutions from which we, in this generation, will benefit. Re-introducing the culture of continuously tending woodlands for the supply of long-term quality rather than short-term quantity requires us to re-examine our relationship with our natural resources and what we want from them.
Our timber is sourced from sustainably managed and certified woodlands, through reputable suppliers. This ensures the continued management and survival of oak and mixed broadleaved woodlands, together with their associated habitats and wildlife.
The Planning and Building Information Resource page contains a wide selection of useful links to media, on-line tools and sites detailing the many aspects of planning, building and managing your project.
Starting the project of your dreams may seem daunting at first. Don't worry, we are here with a detailed look at what is involved in the design and commission process.
