Our materials

We live in Wellingborough, where we are surrounded by the beautiful countryside of Northamptonshire. We love this area for its stunning scenery that can be found on any walk, be it along tree lined lanes, across open fields or down one of the canal-side towpaths.

This connection to the natural world drives our passion to minimise our environmental impact wherever possible. One way we make a difference is in the materials we use in our projects.

We select our materials from a variety of sources:

• Reclaimed wood – this is obtained from renovation projects and reclamation yards. This wood is either hardwood or softwood and is good quality. It is generally dry and has little chance of warping or moving (providing it been stored well). Reclaimed wood often has an interesting history which we pass on to the customer who purchases the piece.
• Surplus building materials – we get this material from building projects and sites. This is often construction timber and softwood. It typically comprises of offcuts but occasionally there are full lengths that are useful for us.
• Pallet wood – we carefully select the pallets we use. They must be heat treated and we need to know the history of the pallets i.e. what was stored on them and where they were used to ensure we aren’t using contaminated wood in our projects. This is for ours and our customers safety.

We carefully select the materials we use as there can good and bad quality from any source. There is a little more work involved in preparing these materials, but under the rough exterior there is just as much beauty as with new wood so it is well worth the extra effort. The addition of nail and screw holes often enhances the character of the pieces and fits well with many styles. If, however, a design calls for cleaner lines and unblemished surfaces, then we select the wood to suit.

Of course, our products are finished with a high-quality wax to protect and preserve for years to come.

Much of the wood we use would have otherwise ended up in the chipper, the burner or landfill, each of these outcomes come with their own carbon footprint; from transport, processing and release of CO2 through burning or decomposition. Our intervention in the waste stream means we reduce this impact by creating beautiful items for your home and garden as well as protecting our awesome world.