Store closed for one day

We will be closed on Tuesday 26th August 2025 as a mark of respect and remembrance for the untimely passing of Mike Tewson, our founding Director. The 26th August will be the 1st anniversary of his passing.Mike was instrumental in shaping the company we are proud to be part of today. His leadership, vision, and care for the team continue to inspire us, and we feel it is only right to pause and reflect on his memory.

We would like to thank all our customers for their continuing support and look forward to many more years trading together.. Thankyou from everyone at Southern Timber.

We will re-open on Wednesday 27th August at 7.30am

* New style preasure treated batten is expected July/Agust

One of the pleasures in the building trade is watching the development, and introduction, of new products. They can be radically new such as the DuraPost garden fencing and metal post range. Or alternatively, the product can be simple, but visually exciting, such as planed exterior battens. 

Rise of the timber batten

Softwood timber battens are ideal for outdoor projects and sales have risen accordingly. The key raw material is our favourite slow-grown Scandinavian pine, chosen for its stability and durability. Our planed battens receive a pressure treatment to ensure a long-lasting performance.

Sawn battens can be used, but planed batten normally provides a cleaner and more contemporary appearance. Planed (aka Planed Square Edge PSE) batten is also easier to stain, or varnish, when the fence is completed.

Air Dried

Air drying is a drying process generally used on hardwoods. Usually, a hardwood log is cut into boards which are then stacked on top of each other, with pieces of wood separating the logs. This lets air flow between the boards, drying them naturally via a process that can take several years. This form of drying is useful because it reduces the moisture level in the boards by a substantial amount. Trees naturally have a great deal of moisture in them, and letting the moisture stay (unless you want it green) is often bad for the strength of the wood. This is the first stage in preparing hardwood for indoor use – for instance, making furniture.   

Application

 When you see this term used to refer to wood, it means: ‘What are you planning to use the wood for?’ Different varieties of wood work better in different scenarios, and anything from the size of the construction,