Go Where the Tradies Go!

In this blog post from Abbey Timbers we will look at the advantages of buying direct from the purveyors that supply Australia’s professional tradesmen.

Planning to DIY? Buy Direct from where the Tradies buy!

If you’re planning on doing it yourself, whether it is a little bit of landscape gardening, a home renovation, or building your dream home from scratch, there is one tip that will help you above all others before you begin your build; buy direct from where the tradies buy. A simple maxim but one that will ensure that you get the best value for money, not to mention the best quality raw materials to create something for your home that will stand the test of time.

Why buy from where the tradies buy?

So why is it so important to buy direct from where the tradies buy? The answer is simple and manifold. Here are the top five reasons why buying direct from where professional tradesmen buy is a great idea for you and your wallet.

1.    Tradies know what is good- The first point is also the most important; tradies know where to get quality products that they can trust and stand behind. Inferior quality products reflect badly on the manufacturer but they also reflect badly on the installer and no tradie wants to sacrifice his reputation over shoddy products. When you shop where the tradies shop you are giving all the products you buy a stamp of approval that is backed by the tradesmen that frequent said business.

2.    Tradies get quality supplies for less- It is a fact that for the quality of the goods you receive from suppliers that tradies frequent you will also get them for less. It doesn’t seem fair but when you buy from the places the tradies go you will get better quality supplies for less.

3.    Tradies get discounts, so can you- Play your cards right and not only will you be able to get quality supplies from the same place as professional tradesmen, you will also be able to take advantage of some of the generous discounts suppliers often provide to tradesmen. Bulk orders are usually met with some kind of discount.

4.    Tradies work with guarantees- Products purchased from suppliers frequented by tradies will guarantee their workmanship which means that you will likely have more reassurances from a tradie endorsed supplier.

5.    Tradies get extra service- Free delivery, extra advice, inside information, leveraging the tradie suppliers is a great way to get in the loop, get extras for nothing and get the best advice on the market. After all, the suppliers that supply the tradies are so in the know on their particular product that even the professionals seek them out for advice.

If you want the best products, supply and service for your do it yourself home renovation job then keep an eye out, talk to a tradie friend, do your research and find out where your local tradies go for all of their supplies.

Buying Australian Timber

When it comes to buying the best quality Australian timber all the tradies know that for the best you need to shop from the best; Abbey Timbers is proud to supply the professional tradesmen of Australia with the finest Australian timber on the market.

From landscapers and deck builders, to carpenters and furniture makers, Abbey Timbers provides the best quality service, advice, and of course, great Australian grown and manufactured timber to our valued and loyal customers.

Come in and see us about your Australian timber needs, whatever your requirements.


Author Bio

Abbey Timber has one of the most extensive ranges of quality Australian timber for decking in the country. Abbey timber is a division of Castlewood Products and is a family run business trading since 1976. Abbey Timber was founded by the late Alex George Favelle and his eldest son Robert. Robert’s son Andrew Favelle joined the business in 1994 after completing his apprenticeship as a carpenter/joiner when the company redirected its focal point on retailing timber rather than timber manufacture.

What Makes Australian Timber So Good?
Last time Abbey Timbers examined the differences and benefits of hardwood against softwood and examined the Janka Hardness Rating Test. In the second of our ongoing blog posts we at Abbey Timbers have decided to train our focus on the advantages of the locally sourced and treated timber that we stock and answer the question; what makes Australian timber so good?
Throughout this post we will examine some of the varieties of Australian timber we stock, looking at what types of projects they are suitable for and we will finish up by showing you why buying locally is a great sustainable way to promote growth in Australia.

What type of Australian Timber Does Abbey Timber Stock?
Abbey Timber is proud to provide our customers with a range of locally sourced timbers for just about any project they can think of. Whether you’re a do it yourself handyman, a carpenter by trade, or a general purpose builder, Abbey Timbers has the right Australian grown and manufactured products for you.
Let’s take a look at some of the different varietals of Australian hardwood available from Abbey Timbers.

Blackbutt - Blackbutt is a large hardwood found growing in abundance between the south coast of NSW to the far Northern QLD coastal areas of Maryborough.  Heartwood pale brown, sapwood distinctively paler and has a medium and even straight grain.
With a low shrinkage rate, durable external properties and plentiful supply Blackbutt has become a popular choice amongst builders and tradesman for uses in many applications internal and external.

Tallowwood- Tallowwood is a large hardwood found along the coast and coastal ranges between the Hunter River in New South Wales up to the Maryborough district of Queensland. The heartwood is a greyish-yellow colour with tinges of olive green and is a hard, fairly close-grained timber. The sapwood is distinctly paler.
The timber is free of gum vein, giving it a cleaner appearance and with a 4% shrinkage rate Tallowwood is a very stable hardwood.
Tallowwood is suitable for all sorts of end uses including decking, flooring, domestic structures, heavy commercial construction, sleepers, marine structures, poles, piles, and bridges.

Spotted Gum – a large hardwood found growing from the southern end of NSW /Victorian border to Maryborough QLD.  It has a very unique wavy grain producing an attractive fiddleback figure.  Colour varies from a pale tan/greyish tone to medium and sometimes dark chocolate brown colour.
QLD Spotted Gum has darker brown colours in most cases and as you move down the coast the colours change to the lighter tones of brown and a mixture of greyish tan colours.
Spotted Gum is also a hard and durable timber and is a favourite for builders as it is usually an easy timber to source.

We at Abbey Timber are all about choice and variety so you will find we have one of Sydney’s largest ranges of timber floor species, especially decking timbers IN STOCK, here at our Sydney warehouse, ready for immediate delivery.
Some of the decking timbers include:  Blackbutt, Yellow Stringybark, Spotted Gum, Turpentine, Red Mahogany, Red Gum, Ironbark, Blue Gum, Tallowwood, Cypress, Treated Pine, Merbau. Balau, Northern Box, Pacific Redwood, Albezzia, Western Red Cedar and more…
These timbers are suitable for all outdoor and indoor applications where you require a natural finish or a larger span than what is available for softwood timbers.

Why is buying Australian Timber Such a Great Idea?
Here is a quick fire list of reasons why buying local timber from local sources is the best way for you to buy your timber.
•    Guaranteed Quality- By Buying locally sourced and manufactured timber you are guaranteeing a level of quality in your timber that cannot be provided elsewhere.
•    Support Local Business- Local manufacturers like Abbey Timbers maintain a rigorous standard to ensure that you get the best timber products in the world. By supporting us you are supporting the Australian economy and the future of the timber manufacture business in Australia.
•    Support Local Timber Farmers- Not only are you supporting local manufacturers, you are also supporting local farmers.
•    Support Sustainability- Not only are the trees in Australia farmed in such a way as to promote sustainability, by buying locally grown trees you are also removing demand from overseas markets that do not have regulations against deforestation and eliminating the need for transport of goods from overseas locations.

Author Bio
Abbey Timber has a huge range of decking timber species that is the envy of our competitors. Abbey Timber has been servicing customers with the best timber decking supplies since 1976. Our showroom is located in Milperra New South Wales so if you are in the area make sure you drop in and say hello to our team of timber decking supply experts or give us a call and find out how we can get you a beautiful new timber deck for less.

Softwood vs. Hardwood Flooring

Here at Abbey Timbers we pride ourselves on providing our customers with the most up to date information on all happenings within the timber decking and flooring business. On top of providing our customers with the very best timber supplies, Abbey Timbers is seeking new ways to provide our customers with information that will provide them with a more informed choice when it comes to their next hardwood supply project.

In this spirit Abbey Timbers has decided to start a blog that will keep our valued customers informed of the latest developments in the industry. To begin we will examine some of the most frequently asked questions we get from our customers starting with one of the most common questions; “What are the benefits and advantages of hardwood over softwood and vice versa.

When speaking of hardwood versus softwood we must first define what is hardwood and what is softwood.

Hardwood timber is usually defined as wood that comes from angiosperms or plants that produce seeds with a covering, such as the hard shell of a nut. Common hardwood varieties include ash, gum, and tallowwood.

Softwood timber is usually defined as any timber that comes from gymnosperms, plants that produce seeds with no covering. Examples of softwood producing plants include pine, cedar, cypress, and redwood.

Another way, and a much more effective way, to determine wood hardness is the Janka Hardness Rating Test.

The Janka Hardness Rating

When examining the differences between hardwood and softwood products for decking and flooring it is important to first examine exactly how the hardness of wood is determined. To determine the hardness of a particular wood the Janka Hardness Test is implemented by which a steel ball measuring 11.28mm is forced into the wood until it is embedded halfway into the wood, the force required to embed the ball equates to its hardness rating.

As an example of the Janka Hardness Rating Test in action take for instance the Hard and Soft Maple varieties (Soft Maple is actually many different species of Maple). For this example we compare the Hard Maple with a Red Maple. The results show that the Hard Maple required over 1400 pounds of force to embed the steel ball in the Hard Maple while the Red Maple only required 950 pounds of force.

This is just an example and a great way to inform our customers how the Janka Hardness Rating works. The species of wood that we stock differ in hardness just as the two examples, and depending on your project we can tailor a timber supply to your exacting specifications.

Hardwood vs Softwood

To answer the question of which is better for your particular project we will examine the different benefits of hardwood over softwood. Whether you are a do it yourself handyman or a builder by trade we at Abbey Timbers are sure you’ll get something out of this comparison.

The Benefits of Hardwood

·         Strength- Hardwood is strong along and across the grain and as its name implies it is a more heavy duty option to its soft alternative. The great thing about hardwood is that it will stand up to just about any punishment you can throw at it and last for years to boot.

·         Durability- Hardwood floors are almost bulletproof, while they carry a heftier price tag they are an investment in the future of your property.

·         Darkly Aesthetic- Most hardwoods are dark in colour and offer any home a rich and luxurious aesthetic option.

The Benefits of Softwood

·         Cost- Softwood has the advantage over hardwood in the price category. Softwood grows faster and is therefore more readily available, allowing it to be marketed at a cheaper price point. A big plus for those on a budget.

·         Light and easy- Softwoods tend to be lighter in shade than their hardwood cousins, if you want light and dreamy for your design aesthetic then chances are a softwood would complement your design aesthetic nicely.

·         Environmentally friendlier- Generally speaking softwood is environmentally friendlier than its harder counterpart due to its ready availability.

No matter the project, if you need quality timber and advice then give the team at Abbey Timbers a call today.

Author Bio.

Andrew has a extension amount of knowledge when it comes to carpentry as owner operator at Abbey Timber.