Characteristics of Naturally Very Durable Hardwood

The natural durability of timber is classified in five broad categories based on their performance in ground contact. Timbers in the Naturally Very Durable category have a life expectancy, without preservative treatment, of more than 100 years in UK ground contact for section sizes of 200mm upwards. These timbers are usually very hard, extremely strong and have good fire and vandal resistance.

Appearance

No preservative treatment is necessary although a pigmented stain may be applied at any time. If left in the natural state, the long life expectancy is not impaired and, over a period of time, the timbers will weather gracefully to a beautiful silver grey colour. Alternatively, they can be stained to maintain a fresh look.
Used outdoors, the moisture content of timber will fluctuate. In dry weather, natural shrinkage
occurs and surface cracks or crazing may appear. With wet weather, the condition is reversed and, over time, visible fluctuations will diminish.
Resin or gum exudation may occasionally occur on the finished surface of timber, especially during periods of hot weather. The condition will generally diminish with the passage of time, or can easily be removed.
Very occasionally, pinhole staining can appear, particularly when timber is freshly planed. This is not a defect, does not affect the strength of the timber, and cannot be seen when timber is weathered.

 

Timber Purchasing & Processing Policy

Woodscape Ltd. is committed to protecting the environment through the implementation and maintenance of its Timber Purchasing and Processing policy.
The Timber Purchasing and Processing Policy contains the following aims:

To only purchase timber that has been harvested in compliance with the country of origin's laws and regulations. The company will not source any timber from: -  species prohibited under Appendix I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITIES). -  illegally harvested, or wood from genetically modified trees. -  uncertified, high conservation value, old growth forests. The company shall actively promote the use of timber, which comes from certified sources, to customers and suppliers. When purchasing timber from certified sources the company will only purchase from suppliers who are registered to a recognised scheme which is independently assessed by an accredited third party. The company shall maintain registration to The Forest Stewardship Council's (FSC) Chain of Custody (CoC) scheme and Forest Product Chain of Custody (FPCC) scheme, and ensure the requirements of both schemes are fully implemented within the company's management systems. The company will ensure information provided to interested parties relating to the source of timber, used in the manufacture of street furniture and timber structures, is accurate and not misleading. The company will ensure that all employees associated with Timber Purchasing and Processing Policy are given the appropriate education and training in the Chain of custody scheme requirements. Maintain timber off-cuts and wastage to a minimum during the cutting and manufacture of street furniture and timber structures. The Timber Purchasing and Processing Policy will be reviewed by the Directors of the company on an annual basis. The purchasing policy is available from Woodscape Limited's head office.