How to choose timber: boards, joists and battens by job

For formwork and temporary works use rough timber, for visible work and joinery use planed timber, for outdoor use timber pressure-treated in an autoclave. In the collection you will mainly find spruce and pine, in boards from 95 to 150 mm wide, battens from 2.5 x 5 to 10 x 10 cm and lengths up to 4 metres. Before ordering, check the actual size: planed timber is smaller than its name says.

Types

• Boards. Rough or part-planed for carpentry, such as the rough 10 cm boards and the part-planed 15 cm ones. Planed when the timber stays visible, such as the 11.5 cm planed board.
• Joists. Square or rectangular sections, rough or planed, for light structures, frames and supports.
• Battens. Small sections, from 2.5 x 5 cm or from 20 x 20 mm, for finishing, spacers and small frames.
• Spruce panels. Spruce panels in sizes such as 124 x 120, 249 x 60 and 249 x 120 cm, for joinery work.
• Tongue-and-groove boards. For cladding walls and ceilings, such as the pine tongue-and-groove boards 1 x 10 x 300 cm.
• Spruce for joinery. For joinery work, such as the joinery spruce.

How to choose by job

When you ask for a quote, always state four details: species, finish (rough, part-planed or planed), section or width and thickness, and length. With these details the quote is accurate and you will not have to change the order afterwards.

Features to look at

• Species. The specifications list spruce (Picea abies), a European resinous conifer, and pine. Spruce is the most widely used for carpentry and joinery.
• Finish. Rough, part-planed or planed. Rough is cheaper and fine where it will not be seen.
• Section and dimensions. Battens and joists range from 2.5 x 5 cm to 10 x 10 cm. The larger the section, the more load the piece bears.
• Thickness and width of boards. Thicknesses from 18 to 40 mm, widths from 95 to 150 mm.
• Length. From 1 to 4 metres depending on the product. Choose a length that is a multiple of what you need, to waste less.
• Actual size. For planed timber it is smaller than the commercial size: the specifications include actual sizes such as 3.7 x 4.7 cm. If the piece has to fit into a joint, look at this and not at the name.

Common mistakes

• Trusting the nominal size. Planed timber loses a few millimetres on each side.
• Using untreated timber outdoors. With rain and damp it warps and rots sooner.
• Storing it badly. Timber should be kept flat, raised off the ground and sheltered from the rain, otherwise it warps.
• Forgetting to re-treat the cuts. On treated timber, the cut ends must be treated with a protective product.
• Using rough timber where it shows. Then you need hours of sanding.
• Ordering random lengths. Off-size cuts waste material and increase offcuts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between rough and planed?

Rough timber has the surface as it comes off the saw; planed timber is smoothed and therefore more precise but thinner than the nominal size.

Is spruce good for outdoor use?

Yes, but pressure-treated in an autoclave or treated with a suitable protective; without treatment it lasts less.

Can I use joists for load-bearing structures?

For light structures, yes. For heavy loads, ask a technician to check, because the correct section is needed.

How do I store timber on site?

Flat, raised off the ground and sheltered from the rain. That way it does not warp or absorb damp.

Which board width should I choose for carpentry?

The specifications include boards from about 9.5 to 15 cm: the choice depends on the job, for example on the width of the formwork or the bearing surface you need.

You will find all the sizes in the Timber collection: for dimensions and quantities, request a quote or advice from the AMES technicians.