Structural Timber

Structural Timber (Kiln Dry (KD) Raw Pine Timber) is an oven timber dry process where the moisture of the timber is reduced to the desired content. The timber goes through this drying process so that it can be used in certain building projects that require dry as opposed to wet timber.

The oven drying process allows the sawmill to finger joint short pieces of timber to required lengths that then, in turn, can be used as structural timber.

These include timber requirements for Roof Trusses, Log home wall frame construction and timber decking frame construction. Other uses for KD timber is in the export industry for export pallets and export crates.  All timber used for the export market needs to go through a drying process that needs to conform to the International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM15 ) standard.

Popular KD timber types include timber types such as 38mm x 114mm, commonly referred to as Rafters and 50mm x 76mm commonly referred to as Purlins. Log Home Timbers sell these in various lengths such as 3m, 3.6m, 4.2m, 4.8m, 5.4m, 6.0m and 6.6m lengths.

We sell two industry types of KD timber, the type that conforms to the SABS standard for  timber called S5 and the type that does not, commonly referred to as Utility Grade (UTP). 

It is important to note that the KD timber used for Roof Trusses, roof support beams and framework over windows needs to be S5 Structural grade. These types of timber are marked with a clear S5 sign on each piece of timber. Please make sure that you conform to this SABS approved standard when constructing Roof Trusses, Roof Support Beams and for the Frame above your windows.

It is imperative to distinguish between these two types of  timber when designing and costing your structure. The S5 type timber is quite a bit more expensive than the UTP type and UTP cannot be used for Roof Trusses, Roof Support Beams, and frames above windows.

Other KD timber include: 

38mm x 76mm used to construct the inside frames of Log homes. Can also be used for the construction frame for decking and Wendy house flooring.

38mm x 152mm is mostly used where more structural strength is required in decking and flooring.