frequently asked questions

Where can we buy your timber?

We are glad you asked! Simply reach out to us via our contact form or give us a buzz on 1300 320 610. Whether you’d like to organise a few samples, need large volume of timber or have a question, we will be happy to assist you.

If you are an Architect or a Designer, you can also simply specify “Crafted Hardwoods [species]“ in your project. But if you are new to our material, we always recommend speaking to us.

Why choose Crafted Hardwoods over traditional timber?

There is no doubt that the use of sustainable timber in the built environment plays a crucial role in minimizing our ecological footprint.

However, timber cannot become a viable core building material unless we find a way to producing it in masses, sustainably and with future generations in mind.

This is where Crafted Hardwoods is so different. We DO NOT rely on mature trees. Instead, we take abundant juvenile low-value wood resources (pulpwood) and convert them into timbers that have the feel, look and properties of 100-year-old trees.

We give these underutilised resources another life with exceptional value-add, fulfilling the demand for low-carbon, toxin-free building materials without compromising our native forests and biodiversity areas.

What are the price comparisons with traditional timber?

Our goal is to offer our material at the same price as conventional timber.

Not only that, but our business model also enables us to hold quoted pricing for a period of 12 months, giving our clients peace of mind that their project will not be negatively impacted by the price volatility ruling the traditional wood markets.

We can achieve this because our raw material - pulpwood - is so abundant. Australia alone produces 16 million m3 of it every year! (source: FAOSTAT)

We will always do what we can to help our clients meet their sustainability goals and their bottom line.

What exactly is pulpwood?

Timber is generally divided into three categories, saw timber, veneer, and pulpwood.

Pulpwood is the lowest-grade product among the three, and in most cases, it is the most abundant product in the forest. Traditionally, pulpwood would refer to wood that is made into pulp for papermaking, but it also refers to low-grade or juvenile wood used for wood chips or engineered wood products.

Trees that are too small for saw timber gets classified as pulp automatically. Even mature, high-value trees are often sold as pulpwood if their quality is too undesirable. For example, a tree with too many holes, knots and limbs will be unusable for saw timber but will qualify as pulpwood.

What is the process from pulp log to us? How does it work?

Our process starts with thin sheets of wood, or veneers. We source these directly from reliable mills who have the rotary peeling ability, meaning they can direct their low-grade logs (pulp logs) to get veneered and keep their larger logs for sawn material. This is a win-win for both parties.

Where is the feed stock from?

We have a range of Australian species which are sourced locally and we also source species from overseas.

Whilst we understand the importance to support our local economies, due to the way we make our product (using logs that are destined for pulp) and knowing how much pulp is produced globally, we feel that it is worthwhile to use both local and international resources.

As always, whether sourced in Australia or from overseas, all our raw wood material is certified sustainable.

Do you only use plantation wood?

Juvenile plantation wood is the material that we use the most. However, some of our wood species cannot be obtained from plantations. This is the case for our Tasmanian Oak, which is sourced from sustainably managed forests in Tasmania.

When more mature trees are logged, we only use the fall down that does not meet a supplier’s specifications for saw timber.

In other words, whether it comes from plantations or sustainably managed forests, our raw material is always what is regarded as low-value by the industry.

How do you know the wood you are using is sustainable?

It is a priority for us to only source raw wood material that is certified.

The chain of custody for certified wood products ensures transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain. This gives us the ability to track the movement of wood from the forest and through processing. We can trace each block we produce to its forest or plantation.

This chain of custody ensures that the raw wood materials we are buying originate from sustainably managed forests and plantations and have been produced according to rigorous standards.

What about all the power that is used to “grow trees in a machine”?

This is an important question. Yes, our machinery needs a fair bit of electricity to run.

Our manufacturing is done in a modern government owned facility in Adelaide. The roof being covered with solar panels, a large portion of the energy we use comes from the sun.

South Australia being a leader in sustainable energy, the state generates almost 70% of its electricity from renewable sources which is projected to reach 85% by 25/26, with a target of 100% by 2030.

Is your company "giving back" with offset programs, clean ups or other environmental contributions?

Absolutely, see our initiatives here.