Buying timber

Sandtree

I need to knock up a couple of tables etc that need to be more functional than aesthetically pleasing but if these go well may consider seeing what else I can build. The Mrs has wanted to do some woodworking so has bought several power tools but I am a bit at a loss where to buy wood from...

Live in central London without a car so ideally need delivery at a sensible price for a small load. Many of the online places I've seen are all cut to order and so you get some odd pricing where longer lengths are the same price as shorter to a point and then they jump... I'd rather just buy standard lengths but they don't advertise what they are. I don't have a jointer/surface planer so would need the planks to be pre-planed and straight... which obviously rules out B&Q etc.

Anyone have any suggestions? Initially it'll just be for whatever is functional and well priced but maybe look at more interesting hardwoods if the functional tables work out well. 

rob7475

Have you looked at what timber merchants are in your area? You're better off looking for somewhere local as they'll probably deliver small amounts free of charge or for very little cost.
Maybe go along to their yard and check the wood out to make sure it's good stuff. For joinery work, you want to be looking for redwood rather than whitewood as it tends to take fixings better.

FreeBear

rob7475 said: You're better off looking for somewhere local as they'll probably deliver small amounts free of charge or for very little cost.

A local timber merchant is always a good idea, but.... I have a selection of independent merchants around here plus a couple of sawmills. They all charge a £20 delivery fee regardless of quantity ordered. Kinda sucks when one only wants £30 of timber.

strawb_shortcake

We have a local wood reclamation yard, we've picked up 3.9m scaffold boards for £17 each. They cut them into 3 equal pieces to make them more manageable. They are going to need some work. But they also had a good selection of hard woods too.

Sandtree

rob7475 said:

Have you looked at what timber merchants are in your area? You're better off looking for somewhere local as they'll probably deliver small amounts free of charge or for very little cost.
Maybe go along to their yard and check the wood out to make sure it's good stuff. For joinery work, you want to be looking for redwood rather than whitewood as it tends to take fixings better.

We live near London Bridge so the number of very local places are unsurprisingly limited. A while back I hired a van as the Mrs wanted some fairly thick birch plywood and we did drive to a merchant but I can't for the life of me remember where it was plus hiring a van is probably more expensive than the delivery (we needed the van for other purposes that time).

I was hoping there may be one or two other Londoners who can either recommend local places (SE or E London) or have found good online places that arent selling banana wood.