Treated Timber

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The word "timber" comes from the Old English word "timbre", which means "building"; as an essential construction material, timber offers us a classic example of 'it does what it says on the tin'. It is both strong and durable, yet easy to work with, making it a great choice for novice builders and professional contractors alike. Whether you’re looking for durable roof battens or general sawn timber, we've got you covered. 

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The Types of Treated Timber 

Timbers are large squared lengths of wood primarily purposed for building a house. There are all sorts of construction timbers out there on the market, each with its own unique set of properties. Here's a quick rundown of some of the most popular options:

  • Softwoods: These are typically lighter and less expensive than hardwoods, making them a popular choice for general construction purposes. However, they're not as durable as hardwoods, so they're not ideal for applications where long-term wear and tear is a concern. Softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees such as conifers.
  • Hardwoods: Hardwoods are more durable than softwoods and are often used for flooring, decking, and other high-traffic structure areas. They can be more expensive than softwoods, but their longer lifespan often makes them a more cost-effective option in the long run.
  • Engineered Woods: Engineered woods are created by combining different types of wood fibers to create a product that is stronger and more stable than solid wood. This makes them ideal for use in areas where moisture or temperature fluctuations could cause problems for solid wood products.


The Benefits Of Using Treated Timber 

With C24 graded timber, you won't need to pay mind to 'checking in' on the timber, as its pressure treatment renders it unaffected by both fungal and insect attack. Essentially meaning, it can fend for itself without you maintaining it. 

Here are just a handful of the benefits on offer with treated timber:  

  • It is treated to resist rot, decay and insect attacks
  • The most durable timber option which offers extra stability, making it ideal for outdoor use
  • Thanks to its treated nature, treated timber is also low-maintenance
  • You won't have to spend time and money regularly maintaining it


Where Is Timber Used? 

Timber is used in the construction of properties and built into the floors, walls and ceilings. A few examples include:

  • Floor joists: Floor joists are an important part of any home. They provide structural support for the floors and roof and play a key role in keeping your home safe and sturdy. They span horizontally across the foundations of a building, or between walls and structural beams.
  • Beams: If you were to look up at the roof from the shell of a building, you’d see one long beam running across the length of it, supported by individual joists. They are usually the thickest and most important structural aspect of a roof or levels within a building.
  • Rafters: Rafters run from a ridge (a horizontal junction between two roof slopes) to a wall, and are installed side by side to provide support to a roof.
  • Studs: Studs are vertical framing components that keep windows, doors, and insulation in place. They make up the majority of a wall's frame and hold it in position.


How Is Timber Sized On Materials Market? 

Here at Materials Market, we list timber sizes in a couple of different ways. Timber lengths are usually referred to in imperial terms (inches rather than millimetres) and are characterised by their width and height. 

The most popular way we refer to size is in inches like '7 x 2' but we also use metric, which measures in millimetres (mm). 

For 7 x 2 timber this would be 175mm x 50mm or 47mm x 175mm. We sell 47mm x 175mm on this website and this is used interchangeably with 7 x 2 to refer to the same size of product. The slight discrepancy of 3mm between 47mm and 50mm just means that the finish at the ends is a lot more even and easier to work with.

Whatever your project, our site is proud to present a wide range of standard sizes for easy fitting; offering timber products that will be of interest to both new and seasoned builders. 


Roof Battens

A roof batten – sometimes called a timber batten, tile batten, wooden batten, counter batten, roofing lat or cladding batten – is a length of timber which is used in the construction of roofs and other structures. They are a very common building material and are relatively cheap to buy. However, in terms of their strength, they aren’t graded as they don’t serve any structural purpose and are not load-bearing. 

Here at Materials Market, we are a leading supplier of roofing materials and sell a range of roof batten sizes pre-cut to specific lengths.

Frequently Asked Treated Timber Questions

What's The Difference Between Treated Timber And Non-Treated Timber?

Simply put, untreated timber is as it sounds; it is not treated with preservatives or chemicals. This makes it a more "natural" solution. Treated timber, on the other hand, is treated with chemicals and preservatives to make it last longer and protect it from rot, wear, and pests.

Our treated timber is pressure treated using tanalith e, producing tanalised timber. Dried Timber has been dried to specifically reduce moisture content.

Here at Materials Market, all our timber is treated with preservatives, kiln dried, and then planed all round to give it eased edges that make it easier to handle. 

What Does Pressure Treated Mean? 

Pressure-treating wood is a process which impregnates timber's cellular structure with preservative chemicals. This process typically incorporates copper and organic co-biocides, which help to repel both insects and moisture.

What Is Sawn Timber? 

Sawn timber is wood that has been cut to the required dimensions but hasn't yet been pressure treated and kiln dried. Pressure-treated timber, otherwise known as tanalised timber (due to the Tanalith E wood preservative that impregnates the wood) provides many benefits, such as resistance to the elements.

Am I Able To Cut Treated Timber To My Preferred Size?

Yes, it is possible to cut treated timber, provided that you have all the appropriate power tools, eye protection, and a respirator to hand before cracking on. Donning the correct PPE is essential as the cutting process releases tiny airborne particles of wood, possibly impregnated with the chemicals used in pressure-treating.

Treated wood also cuts a little more like wet wood so some extra care should be afforded to ensure the blade doesn’t slip while cutting. 



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