ITM Timber Merchants: The Wonder of Birch

ITM Timber Merchants are the market leaders in importing timber from all over the world. Among their top imports are quality Birch plywood and Baltic Birch plywood.

Minima

Birch trees are the ultimate natural resource with virtually every part of the tree being utilised. The twigs are used for besoms and sauna whisks, timber for furniture and flooring; bark was used for roofing and canoes, and even the sap for wine! Waste timber and residue at plywood mills are used for boiler fuel and helps create additional energy for small towns.

Robert Baerveldt Baer Design. Stuart Douglas.

Since the late 19th Century one of the main uses of Birch is for high quality plywood that is widely used for furniture, construction, toys, vehicle building, packaging and today high-tech wind turbine blades. From an environmental perspective, Birch is an abundant species found in the forests of the northern hemisphere being widespread across Russia and most of Northern Europe, in particular, Finland and countries bordering the Baltic. Birch species are relatively fast growing and support a myriad of varied wildlife, and where managed as a sustainable forest resource, does not impinge on the natural biodiversity.

Baltic Birch is not a specific species of birch, but is a general designation of plywood from Russia and nearby Baltic states (such as Finland). As with any natural wood product, quality can be variable. However, Baltic Birch plywood is generally regarded as being of higher quality than standard birch plywood. Baltic Birch plywood is made entirely from birch plies, with no softwood or filler plies in the centre. Furthermore, the plies themselves tend to be much thinner, allowing for more plies for a given thickness, and greater stiffness and stability.

LEFT: Colin Rock and RIGHT: Cabinet Works

At ITM Timber Merchants you will find the following sizes: · 3mm x 1525mm x 1525mm · 4mm x 2440mm x 1220mm · 6mm x 2440mm x 1220mm · 9mm x 2440mm x 1220mm · 12mm x 2440mm x 1220mm · 15mm x 2440mm x 1220mm · 18mm x 2440mm x 1220mm Type of glue: 4mm – 18mm = Water and Boil Proof (WBP) 3mm = Moisture Resistant (MR) Grade: BB/BB (Long grain)

Contact: ITM