Timber

Landscaping timber is treated wood made for outdoor structures in the garden rather than for building indoors. In our range it covers sleepers for raised beds, retaining walls and steps, decking boards for seating areas, and fencing for boundaries and screening. What makes it landscaping timber rather than ordinary softwood is the pressure treatment, which forces preservative deep into the wood so it survives contact with soil and weather. 

Pressure-treated softwood is a sensible choice for most garden projects. It costs a fraction of hardwood, takes the UK climate well once treated, and is easy to cut and fix. Oak and other hardwoods last longer untreated and look better over time, but cost several times more and are much harder to work. Untreated softwood should never be used outdoors; it will rot within a couple of years. 

Expect well over a decade from pressure-treated softwood in ground contact, and considerably longer for timber that stays above ground and dry. The variables are drainage, soil type and how much of the timber sits buried. Wet clay that holds water against the wood shortens its life; free-draining ground extends it. 

A free-draining layer underneath helps any timber in contact with the ground, because standing water is what rots wood rather than damp soil itself. Gravel lets water move away instead of sitting against the underside. How much you need depends on the project: a raised bed, a deck frame and a fence post are three different jobs and require different approaches.

Pressure treatment forces preservative deep into the timber in a sealed vessel, rather than brushing it on the surface, so the protection runs through the wood and survives cutting and weathering. Tanalith is one brand of that treatment, which is why people say tanalised. The colour is a dye added to the preservative, not a difference in protection: our green and brown sleepers are treated the same way and cost within pennies of each other. Both weather towards silver grey outdoors. 

Size, species and treatment, but mainly size: a sleeper costs more than a deck board because there is far more wood in it. Pressure-treated softwood is the affordable option, hardwood several times the price, and composite decking carries a premium for not needing maintenance. Timber is also a commodity, so our prices move with the market. Delivery is charged by pallet and postcode. 

Yes. Our online prices are already competitive on single items, and everything can be ordered in bulk. For regular or larger volumes, we offer trade accounts across the Mick George Group, which give account pricing on timber alongside aggregates, skips and the rest of our range. Prices and availability vary by postcode, so enter yours on the product page for an accurate figure, or contact us directly for a quotation on a larger order. 

We do not offer a cut to size service online; our timber is supplied in the standard lengths shown on each product page. Sleepers, deck boards and fence components are all straightforward to cut on site with a handsaw or circular saw. If you do cut treated timber, brush a preservative end-grain treatment onto the exposed cut, as that is the one surface the pressure treatment no longer protects and the usual place rot starts.