08/09/2026
Before it became a floorboard, a wall frame or a piece of joinery, it was part of a tree.
That is where understanding timber begins.
The tree in this image introduces our series: Know Your Timber — From Tree to Site. We’re starting with the living tree so the decisions we make later, at the sawmill and on the building site, have a proper explanation behind them.
Within a living tree, wood helps support the crown, transport water and store reserves. Those jobs depend on its cellular structure—the arrangement of the tiny cells that make up the material we eventually cut and build with. Research on wood formation and function.
Milling gives timber its dimensions, but the resulting board still contains the structure developed during growth. Understanding that structure helps us ask better questions about the piece in our hands.
Where in the log did it come from? Which direction does the grain run? How was it sawn and dried? What conditions will it face once installed?
Throughout this series, we’ll work through Australian construction timbers, hardwood versus softwood, hardness, milling patterns, moisture, shrinkage and the reasons boards cup, bow and twist.
The aim is to connect timber science with practical carpentry: choosing the material, understanding its behaviour and making thoughtful decisions before cutting or fixing it.
Whether you’re an apprentice, an experienced carpenter or someone interested in how homes are built, this is our starting point.
What is one thing about timber you’ve always wanted properly explained?
Melzer H.C. Building Co.
