Whippletree has cultivated a reputation built on quality, sustainability, and a commitment to responsible forestry. From our humble beginnings in 1989 as a forestry contracting business, we have grown into one of the UK's foremost specialist suppliers of native oak hardwood. We carry an impressive stock of over 75,000 cubic feet of premium oak wood supplies.
The journey of Whippletree began with a deep appreciation for the land, instilled by the founder's traditional Cambridgeshire agricultural background. From the outset, Whippletree committed itself to harvesting and replanting, becoming a true leader in the "green revolution" by planting thousands of trees across the region, ensuring the longevity and health of our precious woodlands.
When sourcing oak timber, Whippletree engages with landowners or their agents to acquire either standing or felled trees. It always operates strictly within a Forestry Commission Management Plan or a Felling Licence, as felling growing trees in the UK without proper permission is illegal.
Traceability From Forest to Finished Product
Our unique and comprehensive traceability system sets Whippletree apart as an oak timber supplier in the UK. Each oak tree, upon purchase, undergoes a careful valuation and validation process. It is then tagged with a unique identifier number and recorded. We keep a record detailing precisely where, when, and what was bought. Our commitment to transparency allows us to provide a traceability certificate or book with your order (subject to value), offering peace of mind regarding the provenance of your oak wood.
Once we have purchased the raw wood, the oak logs are transported to the mill. They are carefully offloaded and graded before being converted into optimal wood sections. This careful processing ensures that every piece of oak timber is maximised for its potential, whether destined to become structural oak beams or fine oak floorboards.
After processing at the mill, all sections are measured, graded, and again numbered with their unique log identifier. They are then "put in stick" in Whippletree's custom-built drying sheds for natural seasoning. This traditional method typically requires one year of seasoning for every inch of thickness.
For specific building applications requiring lower moisture content, some sections are transferred to our state-of-the-art biomass-fired heat-vent kilns for further kiln-dried oak processing, ensuring stability and readiness for more demanding projects.
The Versatility of Whippletree Oak
The result of this careful raw oak processing leaves our customers with oak of exceptional quality, ready to meet the exacting needs of manufacturers and individual clients alike. Whippletree offers a comprehensive range of finished products, all machined in-house from our stock of superior English oak timber and European oak timber.
Are you embarking on a major construction project? Explore our impressive selection of oak beams for sale, ideal for creating stunning oak frames or strong structural oak lintels. For those working on heritage projects, we supply oak for restoration and historic building repairs, and the quality is second to none, helping to preserve the authentic character of historical structures.
Our extensive inventory and processing capabilities make us a leading timber merchant specialising in oak. We offer expert advice and a product to match any building project. We can guide you on choosing the correct type of oak timbers, discuss the advantages of using oak timber over other alternatives, and even provide insights into cutting oak timber sizes for special one-off projects. We also offer an expert Oak Consultancy support service.
Our dedication to ethical sourcing and responsible forestry ensures that you are buying exceptional timber supplies and contributing to the sustainability of our natural resources. Contact us today to discuss your needs. Our friendly team is here to answer your questions.
