Timber merchants are business specialists who engage in the growing, processing, and sale of a variety of woods and timber. They are becoming even more important in the UK as construction projects increase across the UK. Right now there is almost a perfect storm with sawmills, constructions projects, plywood mills in hot demand, with a greater need to process wood trees into timber.

All the trees and then transport the logs to sawmills. The sawmill cuts the logs into different width boards for houses, fences or buildings. Other classes of wood like plywood are used in construction projects for walls or roofs or exterior cladding. Construction projects are naturally reliant on timber merchants. This means that this industry is set to grow at a steady rate over the next five years with emerging markets in India especially where they have many housing schemes underway. It’s predicted that demand will increase across all sectors of the market so it could be good news for all involved – not just suppliers but buyers too who can expect to pay lower prices than if supply was constrained.

Which countries are exporting the most wood?

China regularly exports large quantities of sawn wood, while Russia exports more pulp than any other country. They both export to Europe where the demand for timber is biggest. The reasons behind the changes in the industry are varied but could be down to changing tastes in design or new technology making it easier to work with different materials that were once harder to come by. There are also environmental considerations, for instance using recycled materials like compressed cardboard instead of cutting trees saves money and reduces carbon emissions so there’s an argument to suggest that there’s actually less cutting down happening than meets the eye.

One thing is for sure, with all these factors changing how we use wood, there is never going to be a simple answer to the question of where the majority of timber comes from. All that can really be said is that it will come from wherever people are willing to pay for it – continuing innovation and marketing will ensure this scenario continues into the future.

Whether you’re looking to build a summerhouse, create high quality, durable fencing or provide the structure for a series of new build homes, timber is essential and it’s important to seek the best quality wood available. That’s where a timber merchant can help. It’s best to seek an established, family-run supplier with years of experience providing local people with everything they need to create their perfect building or fencing environment. From taking a strong stance on green energy sources to ensuring all raw materials are sourced from environmentally friendly suppliers, you should never lose sight of our responsibility to those who share this beautiful planet with us.