UK price of European oak

cliffp

cliffp

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I just bought around 30 metres of 26mm thick, square edged, sawn, prime grade European oak (board widths between 150 and 235mm) and was a bit shocked at the price - £2,341 per cubic metre plus 20% vat of course. Although it is supposed to be prime grade, most of the boards were bowed, cupped or twisted and many had knots.

Is this as overpriced as I am thinking it is? (I'm quite new to buying timber so I am going more by gut feeling than anything else). The supplier is Covers by the way.

Can anyone suggest a good timber merchant near Chichester?
 
Hi
By my calculation you have been taken to the cleaners [crying]
I am paying the approx. £847.44 per cubic meter for ex 1" English oak, this is 1 square edge though , so to be fair add a third.
If its bent bowed cupped and twisted , its not a good grade . Have you checked the moisture content, if its prime grade it should be 11>15% if its any more send it back . In fact I would just send it back.

sorry cant help with a supplier down there
 
Send it back. Any top grade timber should come to you straight and true.
Paying that sort of price is crazy.
Dave
 
Thanks for the replies guys.  I actually selected the boards myself so didn't end up with any badly bent ones. I think that more than two thirds of the boards in the rack were unacceptably bent or had bad knots. I will give them a ring tomorrow and if they don't reduce the price will cancel the order (they haven't delivered yet). I will also get a moisture meter for future purchasing occasions.
 
A moisture meter is a must , get the best you can afford. If you can, get one with the option of a hammer probe. This will let you take a reading in the centre of the section of a board. Surface readings can vary drastically from core readings . You are paying for consistently dry timber through out the section not just on the outside. Moisture content and timber stability are of paramount importance in producing good work
[smile]
 
W L Wests between Petworth and Midhurst.  Not cheap, although possibly cheaper than you paid but top quality. My limited experience of Covers is that the quality of their timber is awful.
 
I've also ordered  from Scawton sawmill. They are a lot cheaper than Wests but there's more wastage - depends what you want it for.
 
Last time I bought some square edged prime european oak from Arnold Laver I paid £1,599.95+vat delivered. 
 
Thanks again for all the replies. I bought the wood to make furniture (a chest of drawers). I was going to use the solid oak for the top, bottom, sides and drawer fronts.

I have been researching moisture meters and was thinking of getting an Extech MO290. Any other recommendations are welcome!
 
Hi Cliff
You could try E.O.Burtons. All the timber i buy for the company comes from here and i have never had an issue with quality or service
Regards
Phil
 
Thanks Phil - I'll check out E O Burtons.

I phoned Covers this morning and they offered to knock £100 off the bill (the original bill was for £292 inc vat for the 0.104 m3 of oak plus another £78 for sheet goods). I decided to cancel the order anyway because I wasn't that happy with the quality and the whole episode left a bad taste in my mouth.

I really appreciate the help you guys have given me.
 
Cliff

I have used Venables Oak before, got a pallet load of waney edge walnut, they have a calculator which gives you a reasonable guide as to what you should be paying
http://www.venbros.co.uk/sawn-to-size-oak/

for Prime grade kiln dried oak on their site (250mm wide, 26mm thick and 3m) for x10 comes to about £405 ex vat
 
Cliff

Have you not tried English Woodlands Timber GU29 0HS they are between Midhurst & Goodwood on the A286 very close to Chichester
Very helpful people, a pleasure to deal with  Good luck with your project

Peter
 
Thanks Matt and Peter. I've checked out both of these companies and they seem much better than Covers.
 
Hi Cliff

Protimeter Timbermaster Plus  with heavy duty hammer probe  The price may make your eyes water  [eek] But a small investment if you use a lot of Hardwoods. You can see the timber price falling in the sales guys eyes when you get one out. [smile]
 
Another vote for venable bros, they are my local oak supplier & good chaps to deal with. You can email them your cutting list & get a quote usually within an hour. Their timber is also stored properly & moisture content has never been above 14%.
 
I bought my oak from  WL West. Moisture content varied between 7% and 14%. They were initially going to charge around £2200 plus vat per cubic metre but I told them I had been quoted £1600 so I got it for that (they weren't very happy about it).
 
cliffp said:
(they weren't very happy about it).
Click to expand...

What made you think that?

The people who have tried to rip me off the most are the ones that make out they are doing you a favour
 
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