The Beams that have Built the UK

Oak has been over the centuries one of the popular trees used to provide timber for building in the UK. Most of the castles in the UK and across Europe have used Oak beams for building. The Oak tree produces hard and durable wood that can be used for any building or carpentry work. A popular oak tree product is the solid Oak beams. These beams have been in use for many centuries and have remained popular up to now. Due to their natural structure and size, it is possible to get sizable oak beams that can be used whole or cut into pieces depending on use and need. Using these beams for building has many benefits.
– They are hard and durable.
– Are easy to polish and maintain.
– When allowed to cure well, they will not warp or crack with time.
– Are free of termite or inspect damage.
– Have a rustic natural look that requires minimal painting.
– Are readily available in the UK and affordable.
– Unlike other timber, Oak generally produces good length and width beams that are easy to use.
– can be used for a wide variety of building construction work.

Solid Oak Beams are defined by their different grades. These grades include:
– Green Structural Oak.
This is oak that has been felled in the last three to six months. It has a higher moisture content and is prone to shrink and move as the drying process takes place. The shrinking and moving is not guaranteed but it is important to take it into account. These beams are excellent for structural building.

– Air Dried Structural Oak.
Air dried structural beams are beams that have been dried over a period of time in the open air. Oak dries slowly, approximately 25- 45 mm per year even though this depends on the particular environment. Most of the companies selling these types of beams in the UK expose the beams for a period of between 3 – 5 years. These beams can be used for structural building and are used interchangeably with the green structural beams.

QP1 Grade Beams.
These beams have a minimum of 3 straight edges with a small amount of wane on one edge. They have fewer knots, minimal insect damage or other damaging characteristics. These types of beams can be used for any building and carpentry work. They are the more popular solid beams.

Oak beams can also be reclaimed beams from railway sleepers, rundown castles and buildings, mills and barns. These beams are normally for aesthetic use although the can be utilised for more hard work depending on their condition.

The use of oak beams is not limited to structural building only but they can and have been used for many other purposes. These include:
– Structural Building.
– Mantle ledge.
– On the fireplace.
– Building dining tables and heavy duty desks.
– On the chassis of cars and trucks.
– Designing furniture.
– Building raised bed kits.

Solid oak beams are a great way to build your home or furniture. In the UK, these beams are normally sold per meter with a meter retailing at less than ten pounds in many workshops.