FAQ

Slab is a single plank of wood, without any joints on the length or the width. They are more expensive than planked tops because they are rarer to source and more expensive to process due to the lengthy and expert kiln drying procedure.

A planked wooden top is constructed from multiple staves (planks) jointed only on the width, never on the length, of the top, each stave forming one continuous strip for the entire length of the worksurface. Planked tops are less expensive than a single large plank of wood (slab), but there is no compromise on the excellent quality of the natural wood top.

Full stave means the wood plank is running along the whole length of the top, without any joints (as opposed to the surface being made up of little blocks, also known as block-style).

Stave width refers to the width of each of the wood planks. Stave width otherwise means ‘plank width’.

Otherwise called waney edge, natural edge, raw edge or earthy edge. Live edge follows the natural outer edge of the wood plank with the bark removed

As the name implies, all the edges are finished with a straight edge to give it a traditional finish. Our square edges are eased by hand. By taking sharpness off the edge, we accomplish soft, pleasant to touch contour, whilst preserving crisp appearance. All edges opposite to the grain direction (usually short sides, being the depth of the top) are always square. Long edges can be either square, natural (live), or part live part squared contoured.

This is a combination of live and square edge to give the wooden piece a unique finish that works very well with both contemporary and traditional interiors.

We specialise in English and European hardwoods (deciduous trees with broad flat leaves) this is because as the name suggests, the wood of hardwood trees is harder, denser, tighter than the wood of other trees and as a result the hardwood tops are very durable. We do not use pine (coniferous species, small needle like leaves) for our projects as softwood is easy to dent and the grain is not as tight as in hard wood and in our experience they are not suitable for wooden worktops or flooring.

It takes more effort and is more costly to process the hardwood than softwood, this is because hard wood is tougher, more condensed, making their wood perfect for our high quality, beautiful wooden table tops and solid wood worktops. Our wild walnut table tops or oak desks are practical pieces of art.

Appearance and price. Our full stave worktops are made up of jointed planks with more narrow staves (compared to the planked table tops). This is the less expensive option.

Our planked table tops are made up of jointed planks with wider staves. The planks are book-matched (meaning they originate from the same tree). This is the more expensive option.

You may also opt for a slab. Slabs are single, very wide planks. Slabs are priced significantly higher than the table tops. It is also possible to buy DIY slabs – professionally vacuum kiln dried, levelled and planed material (with no further treatment).

Our high quality, handcrafted to order in our workshop, removable table legs and matching plates are calibrated individually to each wooden surface (important factors to consider are weight, width, length, thickness, construction of the table top). The supporting plates are embedded in timber so that your table will never ‘wobble’. It is a truly bespoke service that is tailored to the size & weight of your surface but also and equally importantly, allowing for the natural movement of timber as it expands and contracts as the temperature and/or humidity of the room changes.

This prevents cracks and splits in the wood. Paired with our precise vacuum kiln-drying method, this provides you with the furniture to last for generations.

Please note that, for obvious reasons, we cannot advise on legs and support from other sources.Using the legs not supplied by us invalidates warranty on the surface.

All our timber is vacuum kiln dried below 10% moisture content at the very core of the wood plank, as this is an essential process to ensure the wood is stable and suitable for internal use. Regrettably a large proportion of timber on the market is not processed in this way and clients are unaware of the potential dangers of purchasing incorrectly dried timber including warping, twisting, swelling, encouraging the infestation of woodworm. Also neighbouring surfaces regardless of composition (mdf, timber plywood etc.) could potentially be affected and damaged. Unfortunately these problems can take months to manifest themselves by which time it is too late.

We only offer a dedicated delivery service, rather than courier service, at the price quoted on the site (We have seen our beautiful wooden pieces badly damaged in courier shipment a few times.) If you prefer you can always collect your tops (van hire costs approximately £60 per day), our Collection Terms are as follows:

Clients wishing to call at our premises to collect their products will need to be aware of the following conditions:

1/ by prearranged appointment we can have the product ready for collection at the entrance to our workshop

2/ it is the customer’s responsibility to carry, package & secure the item(s) in their vehicle to prevent damage to the product. We would recommend for you to bring the equivalent of 2 or 3 man as the item(s) are heavy & awkward to handle.

We personally hand-pick the quality, character logs for all our projects. As timber grading specialists we identify the trees with unique features and natural, earthy characteristics such as beautiful grain, knots, voids, pippy scatterings and splits that are compatible with our love for rustic-modern perfection. We invite nature to your home and our surfaces will reflect that rustic excellence subtly enhanced with clear epoxy resin, so you can see them and enjoy them yet the surface is hygienic to use.

If you prefer very uniform appearance, without character our product is not a natural choice for you.

For 99% of our commissions the planks are selected by our experts on the customer’s behalf. Our instagram accounts will give you an insight into our past projects if you want to see examples and diversity of colour, grain detail and rustic features.

Our skilled carpenters will select the boards that are colour, grain & feature compatible. We instinctively know, which wood boards are going to work in harmony ensuring the best aspects of the wood are displayed. We then enhance the rustic knots and voids with our signature resin infill technique, so that no two surfaces will ever look the same. If you wanted to personally select the wood planks for your project, this service is available for single items over £5000. Items below this value will entail an extra charge of £360+vat paid up front. The selection process can take place either in our workshop or via mobile devices by prearranged appointment.

sanded to 120 grit and delivered (or collected) raw, ready for the finishing service, unless our professional finishing service was requested.

if you want to receive your surface ready to be used immediately, we recommend our in house finishing service. This includes surface fine sanding – preparing the tops for treatment with oil/lacquer to provide a hard-wearing finish. Treatment using Earthy® Timber’s recommended blend of high quality oils/lacquer ideal for surfaces requiring a hard-wearing and water resistant surfaces. The protective layer built with the oil/lacquer is water-, heat-, alcohol- and food acid-resistant. The surface is also finely sanded between the coats of treatment.

Alternatively you may choose to purchase an unfinished surface, which comes with basic sanding (120 grit) and therefore will require further processing.

Because your goods are crafted to order, it takes approximately 5 weeks depending on the complexity of your project and our workshop schedule.

The trees that we choose to work with are sustainably sourced and replenished with newly planted saplings.

+/- 2-3mm

Up to 100mm for standard projects, usually less than that.

To quote for bespoke shapes and requirements not included in our online shop please contact us via contact form to receive a bespoke quotation.

You can find general information about fitting on our website. We therefore recommend you to use a professional carpenter to survey, fit and provide adequate support to overhangs for your surfaces. Please note incorrect fitting invalidates warranty on our surfaces.

Yes we do. Please note the price of this service is calculated at least at a cost of product + cost of travel from our wood yard & workshop, located  at BN7 3DH)

1. Survey – our experienced craftsman will visit your property to take the measurements, discuss your requirements, all the details and options that will work with the layout of the furniture, fixtures in the room as well as support available at the time we survey your property. This will allow us to tailor the product and concealed supports to your needs. The cost of the survey is minimum £180+vat depending on the complexity of the project plus cost of travel. Please note we are unable to provide the fitting service without surveying your project first.
2. Quotation – after the visit we will prepare a detailed, no-obligation quotation that includes delivery and installation.
3. Payment – Once you accept the quote, we’ll require 50% deposit from you. Your furniture is crafted to order and this will take around 5-8 weeks depending on the complexity of the project and our schedule. The balance for your order will be due 5 weeks before scheduled installation.
4. When your furniture is ready, our craftsmen will deliver and install it for you at a mutually convenient date and time. Installation typically takes 1 – 2 days. We will remove all installation waste and leave the room clean and tidy for you to enjoy.

Otherwise called live edge wood, natural edge, raw edge or earthy edge. Waney edge follows the natural outer edge of the wood plank with the bark removed.