Plywood / Timber supply in Essex

[ketansan]

Hi All,

I'm new to the forum and soon to be setting up my first 'proper' workshop in 5-6 weeks (hobby not trade) in Rayleigh, Essex. One thing i'm having some difficulty with is the huge variety of timber / panel suppliers out there and the insane variation in prices, especially for hardwoods.

Amongst the things i'm after are:

cheap supplier of MDF (assume quality is pretty much the same anywhere?) in various thicknesses
good quality birch plywood - mainly around 19mm but also some thinner boards
good quality oak-faced plywood (both sides) for a wall of bookshelves
a general supplier of solid wood. Both for softwood carcass construction/ workbench etc. and hardwoods such as Oak, american poplar, maple, ash etc. for small furniture projects.

Can anyone point me towards good (and cheap!) suppliers for ply and MDF panels / timber?

I don't mind minimum orders of 400-500 quid if the overall prices are right.

Really grateful for any guidance. Mostly i would be ordering stock to be delivered rather than picking up, but if its close, i assume shipping would be cheaper/ easier and also i can go and have a look myself before ordering.

Thanks,
Ketan

 

[fuster]

I use Meyer Timber for all sheet materials - prices better for 500 orders but they are happy to supply fewer at a higher price:

http://www.meyertimber.com/default.aspx?pid=550.

You can always try negotiating on price with them, and calling round some of the other suppliers like Lathams and Timbmet to compare prices.
Quality is not the same for MDF anywhere - the stuff they sell in B&Q etc is rubbish. I think it's called Medium Density Fluffboard. It depends what you're doing with it but if you're going to paint it and if you're going to want to sand the edges, I'd use MR MDF (the green core stuff) as it's far easier to work with. Medite is a good brand.
As for solid timber I don't really know round your area, but there's Blumsoms in Barking who have good stock of everything more or less and good quality. You can also go there and look through before ordering. Don't know how good their prices are though as I haven't used them for a while.
If you want oak, Henry Venables are great, but are up north so you won't be able to go have a look unless you want a long drive!

 

[doorframe]

Hi Ketan.

This place is worth checking out for sheet materials. You never know what they've got till you pop in, but they're almost on your doorstep, so no harm in looking. Don't know the exact address, but it's in Fulmar Way, in Wickford. Turn in by the green B and it's the unit with the red x.

I always give them a try first. I used to use Wharfe Shipping in Stanford Le Hope, and Peartree (in Peartree Lane, Bulphan), but the prices were going up and the quality going down. Can't help you with hardwoods, sorry.

Roy

 

[ketansan]

cheers guys, i will check these places out. The wickford place is great - as you say, its just down the road. Will post here if i find any good places.

For oak, i was recommended UK-Timber by someone on another forum. Its in Northamptonshire but that's not too far away from where my parents live so worth a try.

Having seen the prices of quality hardwood faced ply, i'm wondering if jointing hardwood boards may not work out at a comparable price. The only issue would be that solid wood wouldn't be so stable.

 

[DTR]

For softwood I use Horndon Timber. They sell hardwood too but I'm not in a position to say how reasonable their prices are. For sheet materials you could try Grays Wood. They sell a lot of offcuts cheap too.

 

[ketansan]

Thanks Dave, both are pretty close. Will check em out

 

[kmcleod]

Could also try Gards

J Gard & Sons LTD
The Timber Mill
The Tye
East Hanningfield
Chelmsford
Essex
CM3 8BY

www.gards.co.uk

reasonable sheet stocks and some hardwoods - always found em helpful

 

[imageel]

You could try Brooks Bros in Maldon - huge range of hardwoods or Thoroghgood at Ardleigh near Colchester, smaller range but huge stocks of wood
Ed

 

[ketansan]

Thanks guys, I wish I signed up to the forum a lot sooner! Lot of wasted time blindly googling for stuff. Will check em both out.

 

[EssexChris]

You could try Leigh Timber on the London Road, The MDF they stock is Medite and normally have MR available. As well as a good range of softwood, they have ply and Marine Ply. Another local company with good service is Daws Heath Timber, OK for softwood, Decking and WPB ply. As others have said for a good selection of hard woods you will have to travel out a little distance, we don't have a local hardwood supplier.

Chris.