Stock Up For Winter – It’s Time to Top Up Your Timber Stocks

As we head into 2024, now is a great time to take a quick inventory of your timber stocks, and see whether you need to top them up ahead of the colder winter months.

While demand for timber may not be quite as strong now as it was immediately after the pandemic, there are still plenty of timber opportunities for merchants to make the most of.

Construction sites across the country will be re-opening now after the Christmas break. As builders get back to work you are likely to see an increase in orders for structural softwoods, timber roof battens, joists and studwork, as well as the ancillary products and fixings needed to install them.

Plus, if the weather during recent winters is anything to go by, we are likely to see strong storms and high winds in the coming months, which can lead to a sudden spike in demand.

So make sure you also have replacement fence panels, posts, decking products and other timber products ready just in case.

Contact your timber supplier now to make sure you’re providing exactly what your customers need, and that you have replacement stocks on their way as these orders get fulfilled.

Check your treatment knowledge
Also check that all your staff – including any new team members – fully understand timber treatments and Use Classes.

Which timber stocks in your yard are treated to Use Class 2, Use Class 3, or Use Class 4? Do you know the difference, and which ones you should recommend for different types of projects? Is there signage on your store to point customers in the right direction?

It’s vital that the right treated timber is used for the right application, otherwise there can be real problems for you and your customers down the line.

Timber for fence posts, deck joists and deck sub-structures, parts of which will be used at or below ground level, must be Use Class 4 treated, while above-ground external timbers like cladding must be Use Class 3(u).

Learn more at www.timberdevelopment.uk