About Us
For over 25 years, Somerset Timbers has been a leader in the local timber industry, supplying, manufacturing, treating and tailoring timber products for the construction industry, home builders and designers, and the general public.
Focused on the raw product and how to get the best out of the timber, we are also fanatical about ensuring that the final timber product you choose enhances the look, feel and functionality of the space the wood is used in.
Established in 1990 as a sawmill supplying wet off-saw products, Somerset Timbers has grown in response to the market call for quality and cost-effective timber products supplied with care and professionalism, and we now supply the construction industry and retail customers country-wide.
With an emphasis on manufacturing popular timber products on-site, and augmenting these with products brought in through sustainable sources, Somerset Timbers offers large stocks of fast-moving goods at ‘from the mill’ pricing, from mouldings and finished products for the home and structural / construction timber to value-added products like plyboard and shutter ply.
The Somerset Experience
From custom quotes for a complete timber house and details of the bits and pieces you need for a DIY fence, to advice on how your builder should approach your new outside deck, the Somerset Timbers team of highly experienced men and women are on hand to ensure you receive the right advice, products and prices.
Visit the Somerset Timbers store in Strand just outside Cape Town, South Africa, where one of our staff will welcome you into our retail-style showroom, designed to bring the diversity and application of our timber products to life, through finishes, colour treatments and profiles clearly and beautifully displayed.
The size and professional management of our 10ha timber yard means we are extensively stocked with a range of products, allowing for quick supply and immediate attention. The Somerset Timbers fleet of delivery trucks deliver throughout the Cape Town and Boland region direct to builders, resellers, DIY customers, farms and municipalities, and our loading team is always on hand to assist when clients collect.
On-Site Production
Advancements in timber manufacturing machinery have really helped the industry evolve and in South Africa, which means more options, and a higher quality end product. At Somerset Timbers, we have taken full advantage of these advancements, manufacturing with the mindset of improving quality and reducing waste.
Our moulding plant accurately planes and moulds timber to various shapes and sizes, and the addition of a Finger Jointing machine has really bolstered our manufacturing capacity.
A significant investment for the company, this finger-jointing machine significantly reduces wasted offcuts by turning them into usable timber products while at the same time, increasing production capacity. This means we are now able to improve the quality and strength of our products by allowing us to remove defects and re-join the timber through finger-jointing.
Our skilled laminating division uses our range of laminating machines with specialist glues to manufacture laminated beams and posts, shelving and countertops, balustrading and stair treads.
Our long-serving manufacturing staff are well versed in the language of timber and check each piece of wood that has been trimmed, cut, planed, moulded, preserved and treated to ensure it meets the Somerset Timbers standard.
Responsible Sourcing and Production
With our focus on quality, and our independence as a timber supplier, not only do we source the best quality timber from South Africa and overseas, but we ensure our timber is sustainably farmed.
All Somerset Timbers pine is locally sourced and makes up about 70% of our timber stock. All this pine is plantation grown and part of a 15-20 year cycle. The international timber procured by Somerset Timbers is from Brazil, Uruguay, Indonesia and Malaysia and is sourced from selected suppliers, who strictly conform to the regulations of bodies that apply to their region such as:
FSC: Forest Stewardship Council – www.fsc.org
An independent, non-governmental NPO, the FSC promotes the responsible management of the world’s forests and was established in 1993 in a response to concerns over global deforestation.
As a multi-stakeholder organization, the FSC is nationally represented in more than 50 countries around the world and applies the directive of its membership to develop forest management and chain of custody standards, deliver trademark assurance and provide accreditation services to a global network of committed businesses, organizations and communities.
FSC Certification provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decisions that benefit people and the environment as well as providing ongoing business value.
The Programme for the Endorcement of Forest Certification (PEFC):
An international, non-profit, non-governmental organization which promotes sustainable forest management through independent third party certification. It is considered the certification system of choice for small forest owners.
SLVK Indonesia Legal Wood, which is a verification required by Indonesian law for all wood product exporters from Indonesia.
Nature On Site
Somerset Timbers is very fortunate to have a 23 000 square metre man-made dam on its property that is home to a variety of water and reed dwelling birds. We are committed to preserving this sanctuary and continue to do improvements as well as regular water tests.
In addition to the Spotted Eagle-Owls who have raised many generations on the property, our other feathered residents include: Lesser Swamp Warblers, African Reed Warblers, Southern Red Bishop, White-breasted Cormorant, Reed Cormorant, African Darter, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Grey Heron, Egyptian Geese, Common Moorhen, Red-knobbed Coot, Yellow-billed Duck, Little Grebe, Water Thick-knee, Giant and Pied Kingfisher, Southern Masked Weaver, Karoo Prinia, Levaillant’s Cisticola, Blacksmith Plover, Little Egret, Speckled Pigeon, Laughing Dove, Cape Turtle Dove, and the Red-eyed Dove.
Meet The Som Tim Family
With over 60 years of collective experience in our core team, Somerset Timbers has a fair amount of knowledge about timber and how to use it! This knowledge we share with you in the hopes that the timber products you invest in not only serve their function but enhance the quality and enjoyment of the spaces you use them in for many years to come.
Visit the Somerset Timbers store in Strand just outside Cape Town, South Africa, where one of our experienced staff will welcome you into our retail-style showroom, as one of the family.
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