Choosing Which Timber To Use For Exterior Joinery

Timber is a popular material used in the joinery process of creating exterior wooden doors, windows and conservatories and comes in many different types and forms – it can be used internally as well of course but here we’re going to discuss the pros and cons of different types of timber in relation to external doors, windows and installations such as conservatories.

When choosing timber it is important that you take a variety of factors into consideration, so once you know what type of fitting you want your joiner to create you will need to consider the following factors:

  • Aesthetics
  • Durability or technical/ structural planning
  • Financial

Below we have provided a brief introduction to each different type of popular timber so that you are able to talk with your joiner and make an informed decision.

Pine Softwood:

Cost: £

  • Very cheap, less durable, needs paint but can last 20 years or more if maintained.
  • Whitish yellow colour with naturally occurring knots.

Idigbo Hardwood:

Cost: £££

  • Budget hardwood, choose for greater durability with a painted finish.
  • Pale green appearance.

 

Sapele Hardwood:   

Cost: ££££

  • Great all round hardwood for joinery.
  • Takes paint well or can be clear finished.
  • Good durability and machinability.
  • Looks like Mahogany.

Iroko Hardwood:

Cost: £££££

  • Very durable. Naturally dense and oily. Beautiful and varied colours and grain.
  • Nearly always clear finished for aesthetics.
  • Can look like Teak.

Oak Hardwood:

Cost: £££££££

  • Very durable. Beautiful and consistent golden colours and grain.
  • Often clear finished to maintain aesthetics but can also be stained to achieve many different effects, or left bare to naturally silver over time when exposed to UV.

 

Note – you will see that there are some softwoods and some hardwoods. This distinction is based on what seeds the tree produces, therefore it is more important to look at each individual properties of the different types of hard and soft wood to choose the best suited timber that is fit for purpose.