The Tool Desk
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Start by asking your designer or structural engineer whether UK-grown C16 is acceptable for each member. C16 is the strength class to which most domestic softwoods are graded, and the 2025 Timber in Construction Roadmap says it is strong enough for most construction. Imported C24 is often specified because buyers are familiar with it, not because every project needs the higher class. Use C24 or TR26 when the span table, truss design or engineer requires it, then buy to a written specification from several local merchants or sawmills.
Keep importing as a controlled fallback rather than your first response to a shortage. Timber entering Great Britain may require professional-operator registration, a phytosanitary certificate, notice of landing and customs documentation, as well as evidence that the wood was legally and sustainably sourced.
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The UK construction market is structurally dependent on overseas supply. The Forestry Commission reported in 2026 that approximately 75–80% of the timber and wood products consumed in the UK in 2024 were imported. When a shipping route, producing country or merchant allocation tightens, a familiar imported grade can disappear even while suitable domestic material is available.
That substitution matters because the UK’s own forestry resource is mainly graded into C16. Defra’s Timber in Construction Roadmap (2025) states: “Increasing demand for homegrown softwoods in construction is limited by a lack of market demand for C16 timber, which is the strength class most domestic softwoods are graded to.” Treating every C24 call-off as non-negotiable can therefore create an artificial shortage.
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Demand is also expected to rise. Defra projects that UK demand for sawn timber could increase by 0.2 million to 1.3 million m³ if timber-frame housing grows from about 20% of new housing to 40–80% by 2050. Establishing a domestic C16 route now can reduce exposure to future import disruptions, but it must be done without weakening the structural design or documentation.
Choose the strength class before you call a merchant
Do not ask for “the nearest equivalent” to an unavailable imported board. First identify what the design actually requires. Timber Development UK describes C16 and C24 as the two main strength classes of structural softwood available to UK designers and buyers. The number is the characteristic bending strength in newtons per square millimetre (N/mm²).
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| Class | Characteristic bending strength | How to decide |
|---|---|---|
| C16 | 16 N/mm² | Common class for UK-grown softwoods; suitable where the engineer, span table and connection design accept it. |
| C24 | 24 N/mm² | Use where the design, span table or truss specification calls for the higher class. |
When C16 is a sound replacement
Ask the designer to check every affected member, not just the overall project. C16 may be adequate for many studs, joists, rafters and other members when the span, spacing, loads, support conditions and connections were designed for it. A change in grade can alter allowable spans, deflection, fixing requirements and the quantity of timber needed. The engineer’s written acceptance should identify the member schedule or drawing revision covered by the change.
When C24 or TR26 must stay in the specification
Retain C24 when a published span table, engineered calculation, truss design or client specification names it. TR26 is a separately specified structural class; do not treat the label as interchangeable with C16 simply because both are softwoods. If a supplier proposes TR26, obtain the design professional’s approval and the product’s marking and certification before changing the order.
Do not confuse grade with appearance
“Better looking,” clearer or more expensive timber is not automatically stronger. Structural strength is established by visual or machine grading to the relevant class and identified by the producer’s mark. Rough-sawn, reclaimed or locally felled boards without a valid structural grade are non-structural for procurement purposes until a competent grader supplies the required classification.
Turn the design into a specification a merchant can quote
A phone request for “some C24 4-by-2” leaves too many variables. Send the same written schedule to every potential supplier so that quotations are comparable and substitutions can be reviewed by the designer.
Include these fields for every line
- Product and species description: state structural softwood and whether UK-grown material is preferred; identify any engineered product or truss component separately.
- Finished section: give the required finished width and depth, not only a nominal imperial description.
- Length and quantity: list each required length and the number of pieces. Standard structural sizes can often be ordered in 0.3 m increments from 2.4 m to 4.8 m, according to Timber Development UK.
- Strength class: record C16, C24 or TR26 for each member, with the drawing or calculation reference.
- Moisture condition: state whether dry-graded timber is required. TDUK says standard structural sizes use a 20% moisture-content reference.
- Treatment and use class: identify the exposure and treatment required by the design, including any preservative treatment or service condition.
- Certification and legality: request the applicable grading evidence and any chain-of-custody or legal-sourcing records required by the client, funder or public contract.
- Delivery date and site: include unloading constraints, phased call-offs and whether replacement lengths may be needed.
- Processing: state whether ends must be cut, boards machined, or special sections supplied. Ask the supplier to confirm tolerances before manufacture.
Ask for the mark, not just a promise
Request a photograph or sample of the visible grade stamp before accepting a large order. The mark should identify the strength class, producer and condition. Compare it with the purchase order and packing list when the timber arrives. A merchant’s description such as “construction grade” is not a substitute for a readable structural mark.
Where to look when national stock is tight
Use several local channels at the same time. Availability changes by pack, length and treatment, so a supplier that has no standard 4.8 m stock may still obtain a different length or arrange a production run.
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Independent timber merchants
Call independent merchants in the project’s region and ask specifically for UK-grown C16, not merely “structural timber.” They can often check multiple depots, reserve a pack, arrange delivery or suggest a compliant alternative. Ask whether they can source C24 or TR26 if the design still requires it, and whether they retain producer and chain-of-custody records.
Builders’ merchants with timber desks
A builders’ merchant may have a separate timber desk with access to regional distribution stock. Give the complete schedule rather than a single line item. Confirm whether the quoted section is finished size, whether the pack is graded throughout, and whether the delivery includes the exact lengths in the schedule.
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A sawmill can be useful for UK-grown material, unusual lengths or special machining. It may sell rough-sawn boards that are not graded for structural use. Ask who performs the grading, which strength class is supplied, how the grade is marked, what moisture condition is delivered and what treatment or use class is covered. Without those answers, treat the boards as non-structural.
Specialist structural-timber suppliers
Specialists can be valuable when you need cut-to-length delivery, repeated call-offs, engineered components or documentation for a regulated project. Ask for a written lead time and for the supplier to identify any imported content in the proposed pack. A local delivery address does not by itself prove that timber is UK-grown or that its chain of custody is documented.
Compare supply routes on the issues that affect compliance
Price alone is a poor basis for substitution. Use the same questions for every route and have the designer review any change in class, section or moisture condition.
| Route | Grade and engineer acceptance | Sections, lengths and processing | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent merchant | Confirm C16 stock and obtain C24 or TR26 only where the design requires it. | Check pack lengths, 0.3 m ordering increments and delivery availability. | Grade stamp, producer identification, moisture condition, treatment/use class and chain-of-custody records. |
| Builders’ merchant timber desk | Match each line to the drawing or span-table requirement; do not accept an ungraded substitute. | Confirm finished dimensions, exact quantities and whether cutting is available. | Written specification on the quotation and the same markings on delivered packs. |
| Nearby sawmill | Require competent grading before any board is assigned to a load-bearing member. | Ask about special lengths, machining, drying and tolerances. | Strength classification, producer mark, moisture condition, treatment and legality or sustainability records. |
| Importer or specialist importer | Check that the imported class and product are accepted by the engineer and project specification. | Agree the shipment schedule and replacement process before dispatch. | Phytosanitary, customs, professional-operator, legal-sourcing and chain-of-custody documentation as applicable. |
A six-step buying workflow
- Confirm the design basis. Ask the designer or engineer whether C16 is acceptable for each member. Record any requirement for C24, TR26, a particular species, treatment or moisture condition. Obtain approval in writing before ordering a substitute.
- Create the material schedule. List finished section, individual lengths, quantities, grade, treatment, moisture condition, certification and required delivery date. Separate structural timber from temporary works, packing and non-load-bearing material.
- Request at least three quotations. Send the identical schedule to local merchants and sawmills. Require delivery, cutting or machining, unloading and any pack or minimum-order charges to be shown separately so the delivered cost can be compared.
- Check the proposed product before commitment. Inspect a sample or clear pack photographs. Verify the grade stamp, producer mark, moisture condition, treatment/use class and dimensions. Ask the supplier to identify any line that is imported or sourced from another producer.
- Approve substitutions through the design team. If a quote changes C24 to C16, alters a section, or offers TR26, stop the order for that line until the engineer confirms the change. Keep the approved revision with the purchase order.
- Receive and store correctly. On delivery, re-measure representative pieces, check for damage and compare marks with the schedule. Keep packs off the ground, covered from rain and sun but ventilated, and protected from standing water until installation.
Inspection at delivery: reject the wrong timber early
Make delivery inspection part of the site quality plan. A pack that looks dry and straight can still be the wrong class or treatment.
- Read the grade stamp on several pieces and confirm that it shows the specified class, producer identification and condition.
- Measure the finished section and lengths against the schedule; account for any permitted machining tolerance stated in the quotation.
- Check that the moisture condition matches the design assumption. Dry-graded structural sizes use a 20% moisture-content reference, so do not silently substitute a materially wetter product.
- Confirm treatment and use class on the delivery paperwork and on the product marking where provided.
- Separate damaged, split, distorted or unmarked pieces and photograph them before unloading the rest.
- Do not cut, notch or install a disputed member until the supplier and designer have resolved its identity and suitability.
Store timber on level bearers with air movement around the pack. Cover the top and sides against weather while leaving ventilation; wrapping wet timber tightly can trap moisture. Keep packs away from soil and do not allow forklifts or site traffic to damage the ends.
What to do when the exact section or length is unavailable
Ask for a length schedule, not a random substitute
Many standard structural dimensions can be ordered in 0.3 m increments between 2.4 m and 4.8 m. Reworking a cut list to those increments may release stock that is already in the merchant’s network. Have the designer confirm that the revised lengths preserve bearing, laps, joints and waste allowances.
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Consider cut-to-length or machining
A supplier may be able to cut or machine a suitable graded section even when a finished length is not on the shelf. Obtain written confirmation of the remaining finished dimensions, grade mark traceability and treatment after machining. If machining removes the original mark, agree how the component will be re-identified and documented.
Never downgrade by appearance
A wider C16 member is not automatically an approved replacement for a narrower C24 member, and adding pieces on site does not reproduce an engineered truss or joist design. Any change in section, spacing or connection pattern requires design review.
Importing into Great Britain as a controlled fallback
The following requirements apply to regulated wood entering Great Britain; they are not a blanket description of every movement within the UK. Confirm the exact commodity, origin and route with the importer, broker and current government guidance before dispatch.
Prepare the operator and plant-health paperwork
- Professional-operator registration: the responsible business may need to be registered before importing regulated wood.
- Phytosanitary certificate: obtain the certificate required for the consignment and ensure its details match the shipment.
- Notice of landing: submit the required notice for the arrival of regulated material.
- Customs documentation: arrange the import declaration and supporting commodity, origin and transport information.
Appoint an experienced importer or customs broker where your business does not routinely handle plant-health and customs entries. Obtain and check the documents before the supplier dispatches the load; correcting a missing certificate after arrival can delay release and create storage costs.
Prove legal and sustainable sourcing
Defra procurement guidance requires independently verifiable evidence that timber is legally and sustainably sourced. Ask the exporter and importer for the records needed by the project, client or public contract, and retain them with the purchase file. A chain-of-custody claim should identify the certified supply chain and the products covered, not merely state that a company has a policy.
Understand FLEGT controls where they apply
FLEGT-licensed material requires the relevant licence and supply-chain controls. Confirm that the licence covers the actual product, origin and quantity and that the documents can be matched to the consignment. Do not describe timber as FLEGT-compliant solely because it comes from a country that participates in the scheme.
Common failure modes and the practical fix
“The merchant said it was structural”
Request the visible grade stamp and producer identification. If the timber is unmarked or the class cannot be verified, quarantine it and ask the supplier for grading evidence. Do not install it as a load-bearing member.
“We ordered C24 because that is what the last job used”
Send the current schedule to the engineer and test C16 member by member. Familiarity is not a design requirement; the 2025 roadmap specifically identifies demand for C16 as a constraint on domestic softwood use.
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“The replacement arrived in the right nominal size but will not fit”
Check finished dimensions, moisture condition and machining. Nominal descriptions can conceal a different finished section. Record the measurement and obtain a corrected pack or a design-approved detail before cutting it.
“A local sawmill has the species, but no grading paperwork”
Use the material only for non-structural work until a competent grader provides the specified class and marking. Species or local origin alone does not establish bending strength.
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Ask the broker to identify the missing or inconsistent phytosanitary, notice-of-landing or customs information. Resolve the document mismatch before arranging onward delivery, then review the pre-dispatch checklist so the next consignment is complete.
“The lowest quote excludes the records the client needs”
Re-price on a delivered, documented basis. Include certification, chain-of-custody evidence, treatment, cutting, unloading and replacement lengths in the comparison. A lower material line can become the most expensive option if the project cannot demonstrate legal sourcing or engineer acceptance.
Documentation to keep with the project file
For each structural timber delivery, retain the approved schedule and drawing revision, quotation, purchase order, delivery note, grade-mark photographs, moisture and treatment information, certificates, chain-of-custody records and any engineer’s substitution approval. For imported timber, add the professional-operator registration reference, phytosanitary certificate, notice of landing, customs entry and any FLEGT licence or equivalent legal-sourcing evidence.
This file lets the site team identify replacement lengths, lets the engineer trace a changed member and gives the client evidence that the material met the specified grade and sourcing obligations. It also prevents a later pack from being mistaken for an earlier, differently graded delivery.
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A decision rule for the next order
- If the engineer accepts C16: prioritize UK-grown C16 and ask local merchants and sawmills for graded, marked packs with the required moisture condition and treatment.
- If the design requires C24 or TR26: source that class through specialist merchants, distribution networks or a compliant importer; do not downgrade without a signed design change.
- If no supplier can document the class: treat the material as non-structural and continue searching rather than relying on appearance or verbal assurance.
- If import is unavoidable: appoint a broker early, complete plant-health and customs paperwork before dispatch, and secure independently verifiable legality and sustainability evidence.
The practical answer to an imported-lumber shortage is therefore not to wait for a familiar pack to reappear. Establish what the structure needs, test C16 first, buy to a precise schedule, verify every mark and document, and import only when the required grade or section cannot be sourced domestically under the project’s compliance rules.
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