Period timbers

[marcros]

I am not sure how best to ask this, but what timbers would be in-keeping/typical with the original features of UK houses?

So, for Edwardian, Victorian, prewar, post-war houses, what timbers would be used for skirtings, doors, etc.

 

[ColeyS1]

Slow grown pine

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[Fitzroy]

Everything I’ve cut into or taken apart in my property has been slow grown pine except the stair handrail which I think is mahogany.

Fitz.

 

[marcros]

As simple as that?!

 

[Trevanion]

As simple as that?!

Yep :lol:

 

[marcros]

In which case, what should I search for for slow growing pine? Southern yellow, redwood, whitewood or...

 

[Droogs]

scots pine or baltic soured pine or douglas fir would be my suggestions

 

[That would work]

'Redwood' is about the equivalent, but as said, douglas fir is good too. Look for timber which has the annual rings closer together therefore slower grown. Pitch pine was sometimes used but very difficult to find now unfortunately.

 

[Chris Knight]

I used to trawl those architectural reclamation places looking for old skirting. It was quarter-sawn oak and made excellent drawer sides.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

scots pine or baltic soured pine or douglas fir would be my suggestions

Sourced?

 

[Steve Maskery]

When I was a kid, our 1901 house had a pitch pine staircase, I remember.

 

[Distinterior]

Marcros,....I've sent you a message/email.

 

[Jacob]

"Unsorted" redwood. i.e. top quality but no longer graded as 1st, 2nd, 3rd. The next grade is 4th which may be OK, but not for fine details such a sash window glazing bars.
This is the most common but they used lots of other stuff.
"Redwood" is the common name for scots pine timber. All imported from northern Europe mainly Sweden, and north Russia

 

[Droogs]

@phil aye. but if that wood has had my norwegian holiday experiences it'll be soured too

 

[tony_s]

In edwardian houses, oak would oftentimes feature strongly as well

 

[ED65]

Go up the food chain and oak and other hardwoods would have taken the place of softwoods in many circumstances.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I suspect there was regional variation. I've never seen oak skirtings etc. that weren't new and I've never seen an oak window. The quality of timber (and craftsmanship) in a lot of Victorian and Edwardian woodwork I've come across was appalling - what did it matter? They weren't to know that hundreds of thousands of clowns were going to come along decades later, throw the doors in caustic tanks and strip the white gloss paint.
Incidentally, NZ (and undoubtedly others) use skirtings that are bought in two parts. A high grade piece is used for the part that carries the moulding and a lesser grade can be used for the base board.

 

[Jacob]

Go up the food chain and oak and other hardwoods would have taken the place of softwoods in many circumstances.

More a case of back down the timeline. As redwood and other softwoods became available they replaced hardwoods, being lighter, easier to machine or hand work, better for fine details, available in long straight lengths etc. A lot of top class work was done in pine.

 

[RogerS]

Anyone interested in the styles for doors, skirtings and architraves over the various architectural styles (Georgian, Edwardian etc) could spend an interesting time on this site

http://atkeyandco.com

 

[Jacob]

..... The quality of timber (and craftsmanship) in a lot of Victorian and Edwardian woodwork I've come across was appalling

Really? Not my experience I'd say exactly the opposite. Reached a peak of perfection pre WW1, downhill thereafter. True that stripping is usually a mistake - the material was selected for painting and may have puttied holes , huge knots etc. perfectly OK under paint

Incidentally, NZ (and undoubtedly others) use skirtings that are bought in two parts. A high grade piece is used for the part that carries the moulding and a lesser grade can be used for the base board.

Ditto here with elaborate Victorian/Georgian skirtings and architraves - two or three pieces built up, sometimes more, to form a complex moulding.