Description
BIRCH 1614-1B
BIRCH Natural Waney Edge Slab Wood Timber Board 1614-1B Thickness 2.8cm Kiln Dried Planed & Thicknessed Seasoned Hardwood Wildwood
UK DELIVERY COST : £ 16
ESTIMATED DELIVERY TIME : 1 WEEK
COMBINED SHIPPING OPTIONS MAY BE AVAILABLE ON THIS PRODUCT – please contact us before ordering if purchasing more than 1 product and you would like to see if a reduced price is possible. It will not be applied automatically. If you place the order first we can still reimburse if applicable but it will be via a coupon discount off your next order.
or – CLICK & COLLECT from the Lanarkshire store (ML11 8LL) within 10 days – . Please bring a copy of your receipt/invoice.
NB we NO LONGER ACCEPT ARRANGING YOUR OWN COURIER instead of collecting personally as an option. See Section 3, below, for further info.
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CLICK FOR FURTHER INFO ON THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS OR SCROLL DOWN:
2.TREE PROVENANCE & SUSTAINABILITY
5. SEASONING & MOISTURE CONTENT INFORMATION
1. DIMENSIONS
BIRCH 1614-1B
Length (cm): 115
Width (cm) :
minimum…including waney edge: 15
maximum..including waney edge: 24
average*….including waney edge: 19
Thickness (cm): 2.8
Total Net Product Weight (KG): 4
dimension notes :
- * ‘average’ width is used mainly for our use in calculating the area or volume of the board for pricing purposes and is an approximate estimate.
- All sizes are to the nearest centimetre. They are generous so boards are usually supplied a few mm longer than stated, often 0.5cm longer, to allow for trimming of scuffed and dented ends of boards from handling in our shop.
- Where there is more than 1 board in the batch, ie a 2 board river set, the minimum value will be the narrowest of the 2 boards; the maximum the widest part of the 2 boards.
- If you would like further measurements supplied of the board(s) at any particular point, please just ask. Otherwise we expect you to scale off the picture using the metre rule in the main picture and the given measurements.
- Our Webshop is set in centimetres by popular request. We are happy to talk also in feet, inches, metres or millimetres.
Terminology – Length, x Width x Thickness :
- Length is the measurement along the grain, following the tree from ground level upwards and usually the largest measurement.
- Width is the measurement across the grain, usually the second largest measurement; however people often describe width as ‘depth’ which should only be applied to finished items of furniture such as cabinets and shelves when referring to the distance out into the room from the wall or back of the piece.
- Widths of live / waney edge boards are taken out to the extreme edge of the bark or wane portion, viewing the main picture of the board as a silhouette – think of it as 2 dimension only, ignoring the wane and whether the measurement is across the front or reverse face of the board. The measurement will thus be across whichever is the greater – usually the reverse face. If you want a separate measurement of the flat machined area only at a given point, or the dimension of a parallel cut board that can be cut out of a waney one, just ask and we will go and measure and reply quickly.
- Thickness is the smallest measurement, also across the grain, seen as the measurement across the edge or end of a board.
- In square sections, width and thickness are the same.
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2. TREE PROVENANCE & SUSTAINABILITY
BIRCH 1614-1B
BOARD(S) ALL FROM ONE TREE WHICH GREW AT: DUNNIKIER, KIRKCALDY, FIFE, UK
provenance & tree number notes :
Every one of our boards has a unique number, such as 1372A-6, with a record of its provenance and sequence within the tree. All from tree number 1372 in this example, which records the individual tree, where it grew and lived its life on a particular estate/woodland/garden in the UK which Lanarkshire Hardwoods / The Wood Place buys from. We display the locality and sometimes the actual location. Please contact us if you seek further details on the location / provenance of any particular tree / board.
Our Tree Numbering System :
‘1372A-6’ means it is the 6th board or slice cut from the first length of the tree originating nearest the stump/ground – ‘A’. The A length, the first length, is the best piece in any tree, often referred to as the ‘butt’ in timber trade technology, when it is of prime quality.
B would be the second length if the tree was big enough or of sufficient quality, rarity or general interest to cut another section from further up the tree, usually above the first branch.
C, D etc etc getting smaller and usually more bendy and less stable as you go higher up the tree. The higher the letter, the further up the tree the timber is from and the more likely it will be that there are knots or wild grain with more tension, leading to less stable timber – ie boards are more likely to warp when exposed to moisture content changes or when cut into smaller sections, altering the tensions in the board.
Board Numbers:
As in ‘6’ in this example, ‘1372A-6’ , board numbers are usually consecutive cuts or slices of the log /tree /butt at the sawmill. Board number 5 and 7 could be considered as bookmatched consecutive boards to number 6. However this is not always the case, as we rotate many logs through 90 or 180 or 270 degrees on the sawmill in the course of the milling. Board numbers will continue after the rotation.
Some boards are further cut into smaller sections after planing and in such cases board no 6 might become 6A and 6B. Bookmatched pairs may be described as 5/6 or 5A/6A.
Background info:
Patrick Baxter of Lanarkshire Hardwoods / The Wood Place introduced this system shortly after taking in the first trees he bought in the early 1990s. We record every tree and we give it its unique number, one higher than the last. Thus at time of writing in 2020 we are now near our 1700th tree, a small number in commercial sawmilling terms. Big enough to have allowed great experience to build but small enough to remember the history and provenance behind every single one and treat each tree with the respect it deserves, to continue to provide use and enjoyment to many for generations.
sustainability notes :
Patrick visits every woodland to view, measure and record every individual tree before purchasing, checking for sustainability of the source.
He looks at the re-planting or natural regeneration aspects on the site and reasons for felling if the trees are not naturally wind blown.
He checks felling licences if applicable and sensitivity for the landscape during extraction.
We only use approved sustainable and reliable sources.
Organisations – Scottish Working Woods:
Patrick Baxter / The Wood Place / Lanarkshire Hardwoods are founding members of Scottish Working Woods. Scottish Working Woods (SWW) is an organisation with a licenced label scheme to encourage and support the use of all things made from Scottish woodland produce. Whilst based in Scotland SWW is more essentially interested in the idea of LOCAL & LOW MILES ETHICAL SUSTAINABLE
trading of wood and wood products between small businesses and the public. Importantly, we source most of our timber from within a 100 mile radius of the sawmill and the vast bulk within 50.
In conclusion, read more about it Scottish Working Woods here http://www.scottishworkingwoods.org.uk
3. DELIVERY INFORMATION
BIRCH 1614-1B
ESTIMATED DELIVERY TIME : 1 WEEK
from point of ordering.
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a) DELIVERY TIMES :
We will state the estimated delivery time window for UK mainland standard postcodes near the top of the product description for each product for all newly listed products.
Typically this will be:
1 week for simple to box and send goods. Thurs/Fri orders take the longest.
1-2 weeks for goods that are a bit more problematic to wrap/box or find a courier for.
2-4 weeks for the big, awkward tabletop slabs or fragile items that need very special couriers or which we deliver personally, and /or extra special packaging / crating etc.
What about tracking?
please contact us if you would like a more exact time window – but our shipping options are limited due to the size of most products’ packages being more than 1m long, and usually overweight. Unfortunately the modern attractive delivery info & windows are not available from the couriers on these sizes and weights. However, we will do our best to estimate as closely as possible the delivery day / window. Moreover, we may sometimes be able to forward courier tracking info after booking and collection has taken place.
b) COLLECTING YOUR OWN GOODS / COLLECT IN STORE
We welcome CLICK & COLLECT from the Lanarkshire store (ML11 8LL) within 10 days – select this option at checkout. NO CHARGE for buyer collections only. Please bring a copy of your receipt/invoice as proof of purchase when you collect – can be on your phone etc.
Do I need to make an appointment?
We are very keen to encourage customers to collect their own goods that they have ordered online. You don’t need to make an appointment, just turn up during the listed store opening hours on the Home Page. If totally unsuitable, please make an appointment for another time. Contact us by email preferably, or via Patrick’s mobile number / whatsapp, which is at the bottom of your invoice / receipt, generated after you have placed an order. We are happy to accommodate collections out of hours.
How long will you store goods for?
We are happy to keep goods for up to approx 10 working days / a fortnight; if it is likely to be any longer, please make special arrangements with us. We may need to charge a small fee if you want us to store boards for a lot longer.
Can I send a courier?
WE WILL NOT ALWAYS ACCEPT ARRANGING YOUR OWN COURIER instead of collecting personally as an option – unless you are a regular customer and have our approval of the courier you use. In these instances we may be charging for packaging.
YOUR GOODS WILL NOT BE GUARANTEED IF TRAVELLING VIA YOUR COURIER: bear in mind our shipping cost includes our 100% money back or product replacement guarantee should anything go wrong with any delivery arranged by ourselves. If you arrange the transportation and the goods get damaged or lost in transit, we are not liable.
You can send a friend etc but the goods should be in safe hands of someone you know and trust and not at the mercy of professional couriers, especially if you have not made arrangements with us to properly package the goods. You are probably unaware of the type of packaging that we will need to provide, at some cost, to ensure the goods travel safely with your courier. We have decades of experience in shipping thousands of wood shipments, so are best placed to know what is required.
If the goods are to be delivered by courier it is best that we arrange that with trusted couriers and appropriate packaging. Our cost and timescale for doing so reflects the true cost of doing the job properly and on our terms. Any perceived savings would be at the expense of our quality and reliability of service.
If you are a trade customer and experienced in using couriers, and you talk to us in advance, we may be quite happy to receive your courier, as long as all the above concerns are dealt with so that we are happy the goods will travel safely and without major inconvenience to ourselves.
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c) SIGNING FOR GOODS ETC :
Do I need to sign for the goods?
Yes, in most cases.
What about time slot or no-signature options by the courier?
Most of our goods will be too big or heavy for this service.
Not going to be at home? please try one of the following:
- put an alternative delivery address in the delivery section at checkout.
- if your board is 115cm or less and 12kg or less let us know if you would be happy for it to go via hermes, which takes approx 3 or 4 days longer but doesnt require a signature. You can also give us a where to leave goods if out instruction. Usually we will otherwise send by tnt as it is much quicker and has a bit better tracking, but does require signature.
- boards longer than 115cm / overweght, you can instruct us to cut shorter so that they may go by 1 or 2 hermes parcels and therefore follow the above hermes route.
Dispatch notifications:
You will receive an email from us the day the goods are dispatched to say they are on their way. We send out most goods on TNT overnight next day so usually you will receive goods the day after the dispatch email. If it is a busy period or you are quite remote it is usually 2 days. Usually you will receive some additional info from the courier. TNT will text you on the morning of delivery. However, at very busy times that doesn’t guarantee delivery that day.
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d) OVERSIZE BOARDS – Large Boards of 295cm or longer, or 30KG and over
will usually have to be palletised or crated or otherwise carry special delivery arrangements, so expect approx a 2 to 4 week delivery time.
Unloading: Some couriers may want assistance with heavy boards, if they allow it. Most likely they will deliver to kerbside only on a pallet and not into your house etc. If we deliver personally we will also only bring the board as close as our delivery vehicle can get to your door. Boards of over 30kg will need to have a sufficient team of helpers ready to unload and carry the board to wherever you want it. When the unloading area is concreted tarmac or otherwise smooth slabbed and flat, we can bring a suitable trolley to move the board closer, if you let us know.
We will contact you asap after ordering for confirmation of these details. Feel free to enquire before ordering.
We may cut longer boards shorter for you to fit a lower category. In extreme length or weight instances this may allow for a reduction in the shipping charges, on request.
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e) Holidays / delays:
SEE THE LANARKSHIRE STORE PAGE FOR FORTHCOMING HOLIDAYS which may result in delays to dispatch and delivery times. (usually school holidays)
view MORE DELIVERY information here –
https://www.thewoodplace.com/services/delivery/
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4. CUTTING SERVICES
BIRCH 1614-1B
Free cuts:
We are happy to crosscut boards in half (halving the length, 2 equal lengths) free of charge prior to dispatch.
Other cutting services are chargeable:
see SERVICES page for full info, description of cutting terminology, costs and how to request your cuts: https://www.thewoodplace.com/services/cutting-to-size/
These are, briefly,
- crosscuts that are not exactly at the half-length point.
- rip cuts, for example to make river table half boards.
We do not offer resawing as standard. (resawing = cutting a 5cm thick board into 2 x 2.5ish cm thick boards)
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5. SEASONING & MOISTURE CONTENT INFORMATION
BIRCH 1614-1B
Target Moisture Content:
This is a ‘kiln dried’ product and the moisture content level should be between 6 to 10%. They average 8 to 9% most of the time though, which is very good for a typical central heated home.
Assurances:
We don’t check every board but we do check a board in every batch for consistency and we measure right into the core. Some small pockets within a board or the batch may vary, as a result. However on the whole you can be assured that consistent dryness throughout is the chief aim of our timber business. The business was created for this reason, to feed the best quality stable timber into our own Patrick Baxter Furniture. We have had a few product complaints over the decades but not one single complaint about timber not being dry enough. (please note here * ,below, if your timber appears to have warped).
Situations in which our wood might warp:
Further small shrinkage sometimes occurs on boards used as beams, mantels and shelves above hot woodburning stoves. Also in damp conditions, see below.
Customer Wood Storage Guidance:
*If you store or work on our wood in a cold, damp garage, shed or workshop our timber it will absorb moisture, expand and warp. Take note, it is conditioned for an interior central heated atmosphere.
If some warping or cupping is acceptable for rustic use, however, you can use our boards outside for signs and garden furniture etc. However they are intended for a central heated interior environment.
Wrapping in cling film or pallet wrap will reduce the effects of dampness if you need to store in a shed/garage etc. Use a dehumidifier in your workspace if it is necessary to minimise dampness. Even small domestic ones make a huge difference. You will need to keep the space at a minimum of 10 degrees C to get any decent moisture removal, however.
Background drying info:
We slowly air dry the wood for about 12 to 18 months for every 2.5cm / inch of board thickness, 24 months for oak.
We then use the kiln only to finish off the seasoning process over a slow 4 to 8 week cycle on average, sometimes longer. Although we sell our wood as ‘kiln-dried’ we prefer to think of it as slow air-dried, kiln-finished.
Timber at The Wood Place / Lanarkshire Hardwoods is slow dried and thoroughly seasoned.
Consequently our timber stays flat and stable in a wide range of environments.
Any movement due to moisture content changes, up or down, is minimal due to our traditional and extremely thorough seasoning process.
6. BOARD FINISH INFORMATION
BIRCH 1614-1B
Supplied in PLANED & THICKNESSED format
PLANED & THICKNESSED FINISH Boards:
Machining method:
We plane or mill flat firstly one face of each board. Next we then flip them over and mill again, calibrating to a uniform thickness within a max range of plus/minus 5mm, usually within the range plus/minus 1mm. You, the customer (or us, on request), should further finish sand boards to achieve a perfect finish. It is necessary to remove about 0.5 to 1mm of material to eliminate the machining marks in most cases. We recommend going up to 320 grit for good furniture, however.
We select one face, the one with the price label showing, as the best face and will have a better planed finish with less tears/ tearout usually.
Un-planed patches and what to look out for:
Additionally, some localised sunken patches of un-planed/milled areas may be present. We may have left them if removing these would have reduced the overall board thickness too much. This could have de-stabilised or spoilt the look of the board. These will normally be on the reverse side if at all.
We will picture some non-planed areas in the product pictures. However, the image of one such area does not mean it is the only single area, merely that the board has one or more like this. They should be easy to see as being a different colour.
COARSE SANDED FINISH BOARDS:
Method:
Firstly we carry out the standard Planed & Thicknessed Finish service. Secondly we coarse sand the label (best) face to 40 grit to remove all or most planing/machining/ milling marks. These marks may still show in the photograph of the reverse face.
What to look out for:
The boards may pick up scuff marks etc from normal handling around the shop. We don’t guarantee a perfect finish but the coarse sanded boards do save the customer a lot of time in preparation.
Recommended further processing:
Coarse Sanded Finish boards need further sanding by the customer (or us, on request) to achieve a perfect finish. We recommend going up to 320 grit for good furniture. In the workshop our technique is usually to go steadily through the grits 80, 120, 180, 240 & 320. Sometimes proceeding through 400, 600, 800, 1200 & beyond for occasional projects.
Appearance:
Coarse sanding has the effect of subduing the appearance of grain features present in a board such as ripple and flame, compared with a planed finish. A fine finish really makes the boards come alive, so do expect your board to come up miles better than the dry sanded pictures of the wood on the website.
Colour :
We picture and supply the boards as standard unpolished. However all timbers will darken on application of most polish types. Grain & figure will also be enhanced, furthermore. Polished sample pictures are available on the wood types pages, accessible from the footer of the homepage.
We will add sample pictures of a similar POLISHED board in the batch to the list of product pictures, when available.
7. WOOD TYPE INFORMATION
BIRCH 1614-1B
Birch is a medium density very stable hardwood which will not move / expand / contract much when exposed to differences in moisture content changes. Many trees frequently show highly figured flame and ripple and a degree of colour in the heart.
Birch is difficult to plane so will tear easily. Our planed boards will frequently show some quite big tears on at least the reverse side of the board. Very sharp blades required! Or lots of sanding, but it sands easily.
Birch polishes beautifully to a golden colour. The local birch which we tend to access grown in the north of Britain is slow grown, fine grained and thus relatively hard. It thus makes a useful general furniture timber whether it be tabletops or cabinetry.
SPALTED BIRCH : Like Beech, Birch spalts easily as it rots quickly on the woodland floor. Here is a little info on Spalting lifted from our ‘Spalted Beech’ wood types page, all of which applies to Birch and may be on some of our birch boards:
Effects. There are many different types of effects created – from a loss of pigmentation producing a patchy or marbled effect of different shades of cream & brown, through soft white rot pockets to the most desirable & striking black, brown or red lines.
What is Spalting? Many timbers can spalt but Beech is one of the most common. Spalting is a term used to describe the process by which certain fungi grow on dead or fallen trees and after colonizing the wood via travelling up the wood cells from the ends or from broken off branches, leave a most attractive pattern. The process takes 2 to 3 years to reach the ideal stage to cut & season the timber.
The black lines are zone lines created by different species of fungi erecting barriers around their territory! There are primary colonizers who come first and establish territories and then have to defend them against secondary colonizers who are only able to colonize the wood because the primary colonizers have changed the ph of the wood & its structure. A microscopic army! If left unchecked eventually the whole tree is eaten & consumed, part of nature’s process of dealing with dead & fallen trees.
Working the timber. Where hard & soft zones are adjacent to each other on a board it is essential to take care with sanding as any soft areas will tend to be sanded away most easily, leaving hollows. The soft areas are the most white bits on the boards, but some good spalted boards will not contain any soft areas while others will be almost entirely soft.
Safety. Once kiln dried the fungi spores are inactive but some can cause some throat irritation when the wood is sanded – but we are assuming you will be using proper dust extraction or protection whatever the timber!
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