TIMBER MERCHANTS
TIMBER IMPORTERS
& SAWMILLERS
HIGH QUALITY TIMBER
If you are looking to source machined timber for a forthcoming agricultural, commercial or residential project, then get in touch with William Kirkwood & Sons in Castlewellan, Country Down, and we will be happy to help. We were established in 1903 and continue to operate as a family-run business dedicated to providing quality timber at competitive prices.
EXPERTS IN MACHINED TIMBER
We import high grade machined softwood timber from the forests of northern Finland. Machined timber is an incredibly versatile product and has a wide range of applications. It is used for a variety of building projects including wooden sheds, summerhouses, panels, exterior cladding and flooring. The lengths of timber are machined to create various “profiles” which offer different properties and will determine the look of the finished shed.
As experts in machined timber we hold large stocks of weatherboard, shiplap, tongue and groove, barrel board and TGV machined profiles in a range of lengths from 3.0m to 6.0m. Machined timber can be treated with Celcure C65 in our on-site treatment plant.
BARREL BOARD / LOGLAP
Barrel Board (sometimes known as log lap) has a smooth rounded exterior profile similar to that of a log, while the interior face of the board is flat and has a planed finish. It is ideal for achieving a beautiful log effect on buildings such as summer houses, garden rooms, car ports, garages, sheds, and workshops. It is a perfect choice if you want to give your building a more rustic look and feel. Barrel Board can be treated or untreated.
Profiles available are:
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144mm x 32mm finished - A heavy-duty cladding, ideal for large sectional buildings such as garden rooms or home offices. Finishing at 32mm thick, this cladding gives excellent thermal insulation protection. Part of our office buildings are constructed with 144mm x 32mm barrel board.
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112mm x 19mm finished - a cladding generally used for garden sheds/rooms and sectional buildings that require a decorative appearance.
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Tongue and Groove Barrel Board finishes at 94mm x 19mm - A suitable cladding for children’s playhouses and small tree houses.
Lengths available are 3.0m, 3.6m, 3.9m, 4.2m, 4.5m, 4.8m, 5.1m and 5.4m.
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144mm x 32mm Barrel Board
112mm x 19mm Barrel Board
94mm x 19mm Tongue and Groove Barrel Board
TONGUE AND GROOVE WEATHERBOARD
Tongue & Groove (T&G) is a popular choice of machined timber and suitable for a number of applications. To make T&G, a tongue is machined on one edge and a groove machined on the opposite edge, allowing the boards to fit tightly together, excluding air and light from passing between aligned boards. The interlocking timber adds to the strength of a building and the chamfered edge aids water run-off, helping to prevent water seeping into the joints. The boards create a strong, stable, surface which can be treated, stained, varnished or painted.
Finished sizes are:
112mm x 12mm
112mm x 14mm
112mm x 19mm
Weatherboard can be treated or untreated.
112mm x 12mm Tongue & Groove Weatherboard
Generally suitable for small garden sheds, summer houses and dog kennels.
112mm x 14mm Tongue & Groove Weatherboard
A great universal choice for a range of uses, including sheds, greenhouses, playhouses and summerhouses.
112mm x 19mm Tongue & Groove Weatherboard
Traditionally used for stables, heavy duty secure garden sheds, carports and home garages.
Tongue & Groove Flooring
When used indoors, Tongue and Groove is by far the most common choice of cladding. It is ideal for plain flooring or modern wall panelling. It is easier to clean and maintain as dirt cannot build up in recesses.
TGV Cladding
TGV is Tongue and Groove boards that have a chamfered edge on each side of the board. This creates a ‘V’ shaped recess where the boards connect which adds visual appeal to the cladding. Tongue and Groove with a v-joint is one of the most popular profiles of contemporary timber cladding because of its versatility. It can be installed vertically, horizontally or even diagonally to create a modern finish.
Finished sizes available are:
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112mm x 12mm
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112mm x 14mm
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112mm x 19mm
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Redwood sheeting profile finishes at 94mm x 12mm
The interlocking nature of the boards make them easy to fit and weatherproof. A notable downside is the difficulty of removing or replacing boards once in place.
TGV cladding adds value and protects your property from the elements. It has the added advantage in that it can be horizontal or vertical.
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Vertical cladding especially in a quality timber species can give a building an elegant and imposing appearance
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The long, flowing vertical grooves can elongate a building and add the impression of greater height, particularly when a narrower board is chosen
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It can provide a smart contrast and visual break on a building exterior and gives a sleek, Scandi-inspired look
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Vertical cladding follows the general direction of rainfall, making it optimal for drainage and avoiding water penetration
Horizontal is the more traditional orientation for cladding and TGV can give a stunning, modern frontage to any building especially when Western Red Cedar or Siberian Larch is used.
The different finished sizes can give you a range of options:
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112mm x 12mm -an attractive option for interior sheeting of ceilings or walls.
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112mm x 14mm - very popular for the cladding of large-scale agricultural buildings such as poultry houses.
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112mm x 19mm - ideal for the construction of wooden doors and gates.
SHIPLAP
Our shiplap profiles are available in the following finished sizes:
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112mm x 12mm
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112mm x 14mm
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112mm x 19mm
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144mm x 19mm
Shiplap is a traditional cladding that uses the technique of interlocking boards similar to that used on wooden ships. It has all the same uses as T&G Weatherboard profile cladding but is quicker and easier to construct and gives the building a rustic appearance.
Shiplap is a profile that partially overlaps the adjacent board, the overhanging lip prevents back-flow of water through the boards and the curved edge beneath speeds up runoff. It provides excellent weather protection and allows for dimensional movement. Shiplap has a clear advantage in areas with harsher weather environments than some of the contemporary alternatives.
A big advantage of a ‘lapped’ board (without a rebated joint) over a tongue and groove design is the ability to remove a single board if it becomes damaged or you need access behind it, rather than having to strip off multiple boards.
Douglas Fir Swedish Rabat Cladding
Douglas Fir is a softwood species noted for its durability and strength, which is why it is a popular choice for external cladding. It has a great natural resilience to fungal decay and infestation, which helps it to maintain its striking appearance for decades. Douglas Fir cladding is ideal for those who prefer a red-brown wood colour to help create a rich and natural aesthetic. It is also a particularly characterful timber and so is ideal for those who like to celebrate the natural beauty of wood, including its knots and grain. The density and durability of Douglas Fir means it can be left untreated but over time, it will fade to a striking silver-grey shade.
The Swedish Rabat profile produces a traditional looking cladding. This profile is originally planed from a thickness of 32 mm or 40 mm and then sawn diagonally to create the finely sawn visible side. The diagonal cut gives a feather edge profile The reverse side is rebated to give an overlap of 15mm.
GLUE LAMINATED TIMBER
Glued laminated timber (also abbreviated as glulam) is a structurally engineered wood product, manufactured by bonding layers of timber together using a durable, moisture-resistant structural adhesive.
It is a way of manufacturing timber elements that cannot be easily sourced in solid timber due to their large size or unusual shape.
William Kirkwood & Sons import Glulam beams manufactured in northern Europe. Kiln dried Nordic Spruce (Picea Abies) is used to produce the laminated timber.
Nordic spruce is well known for its properties all over the world. Long cold winters and short summers, characteristic to the region, bring about a slow growth rate of timber, providing it with longevity and durability.
Accurately planed laminates of spruce are glued together with a durable moisture resistant glue, under pressure and heat. The resulting product is strong and stable.
Laminates are finger joined to produce long lengths.
Glulam is used for a wide range of purposes from joinery through to large span structural beams.
In construction it is used to provide a framework for buildings in the same way that steel is used but because of glulam’s aesthetic, natural qualities, unlike steel, it is often left exposed as part of the interior decorative scheme.
Glulam can also be used for single beams for things like lintels (above doorways) or ridge beams in roof construction.
Please call us to discuss your building requirements.
GET IN TOUCH
CALL 028 4377 8276
We can deliver quality machined timber anywhere in Northern and Southern Ireland, just get in touch with William Kirkwood & Sons in Castlewellan on:
