At Bi-Fold Doors UK, we use high-quality hardwood timbers in order to provide a premium product. Our hardwood timber frames are treated to ensure long life and resistance against weathering, as well as resistance against UV light and high levels of traffic and pollution.

The timber bi-fold door frames supplied by Bi-Fold Doors UK are sustainable and manufactured using premium quality wood that is sourced by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).

Although it is great to know that Bi-Fold Doors UK use premium hardwood timber, you may want to know a bit more about the differences between natural timber and man-made wooden boards, particularly if you are a bit of a wood worker and DIY advocate.

We have taken a look at Mike Lawrence’s “The DIY Guide to Doors, Windows and Joinery” (Published by The Crowood Press, 2003), with the aim to provide a bit more information on the advantages of natural timber.

The Difference between Natural Timber and Man Made Boards

Natural timber is basically the wood cut from the tree into planks of different sizes and cross-sections, while man-made boards are reconstructed sheet materials made from wood products like chippings and fibres.

More Information on Natural Timber and Why We Use It at Bi-Fold Doors UK

Trees are generally divided into two types: softwoods and hardwoods.

Softwoods derive from coniferous, or cone-bearing, trees like pine, spruce, larch and fir trees. Softwoods are generally the raw material used for house-building and used often by the amateur woodworker.

Hardwoods, on the other hand, come from broad-leaved and deciduous trees (which are, ultimately, trees that shed their leaves each year). European varieties of hardwoods include ash, beech, elm and oak, while tropical species include afrormosia, iroko, mahogany, merante and sapele.

Although, at Bi-Fold Doors UK we offer a range of hardwood timbers, including sapele, oak and idigbo, we thought we’d provide information on some others too, so that you gain a better understanding of timber and its uses.

The main reason that we do not use softwood timber at Bi-Fold Doors UK is that softwood is generally not durable enough to be used outside unless it is protected by paint, varnish or preservatives.

Hardwoods, on the other hand, vary in strength, durability and workability. The hardwoods selected by Bi-Fold Doors UK are strong, durable and easy to work with. They are still treated in order to be weather-proof and more durable, but ultimately produce a premium bi-folding door.

Hardwoods are also deeper in colour and have a more pronounced grain pattern, which makes for a bi-folding door with an attractive and high-quality appearance.

For more information on Natural Timbers, call Bi-Fold Doors UK on 0843 886 8378.