About Wood

What is wood? A simple question, but with rather more in-depth answer.

Wood is a hard fibrous tissue that is found in many trees. An organic material composed of ‘cellulose fibres’. These fibres are bound together by ‘Lignin’, nature’s plastic. Without this natural plastic the cellulose fibres would not stay together and the Lignin’ without the ‘cellulose fibre’ would be like a porous sponge.

‘Softwoods’ have a more basic cell structure than ‘hardwoods’ but both are what is known as ‘Hygroscopic’, which means that they absorb and release moisture, a process that can still happen even after the timber has been seasoned, especially if it has been left untreated, or unsealed.

Different woods have different cell structures and can therefore be worked in different ways.

Softwoods generally come from coniferous forests in the Northern Hemisphere, but most of the world’s tropical hardwoods are found in the Southern Hemisphere.

Wood has been used for many thousands of years, primarily as a fuel or for construction of things such as houses, weapons, tools and paper. It is a renewable resource, in a plantation situation. Our suppliers strive to source their timber from such plantations, protecting our environment and helping to ensure the survival of endangered species of trees.