For one day only, we're sawing down the prices on some special packs of timber! Drop by the warehouse on Saturday 10 May, 9AM- 2 PM to grab a bargain. We will have Macrocarpa Cypress slabs, cladding, landscaping, thick joinery and more - all of it sustainably sourced in Victoria! Our team will be on hand to assist you - Bring your trailer and we'll see you there.

After gaining confidence with the tools at CERES Fair Wood warehouse, Samira is now set to start her apprenticeship at a major engineering organisation in Melbourne. Forced to give up her place on Afghanistan’s women’s soccer team after a ban on women’s participation in sports, Samira found a new passion after arriving in Australia on a humanitarian visa in 2023. Enrolling in a hands-on carpentry program felt like a natural next step, having grown up watching her father doing steelwork. Samira spent 12 weeks learning from our experienced carpenters and shortly after enrolled in a Certificate II Building and Construction Pre-apprenticeship in Carpentry.  Samira’s story is just one of many successes coming out of our carpentry program. With connections to a wide network of Melbourne-based organisations, Fair Wood supports program graduates in finding employment or enrolling in TAFE courses if they choose to pursue a career in trade. In 2024, Fair Wood raised their total enrolments into the EPRI program to 18. Two graduates of the program have since progressed into permanent carpentry positions, with others working at Fair Wood. The program is part of the nationwide initiative Economic Pathways to Refugee Integration (EPRI) funded by the Federal Department of Home Affairs, assisting refugees in securing stable and fulfilling careers.

Timber grains come in a range of patterns. This depends on the way that the log is cut into boards. There are numerous ways to saw logs, with common low-waste techniques being: backsawn quartersawn radial sawn Each offers distinctive appearances, either embracing unique features of a tree that share its story of life in the soil or offering neat, uniform lines. Figuring out functional requirements and aesthetic vision of your design will help you to make the right choice in selecting timber. Backsawn: This type of sawing minimises waste of the log and allows for wider boards to be cut. You'll have seen backsawn wood before in furniture surfaces that display an attractive grain pattern of arching lines. Each pattern is unique and brings visual interest to a design, with a warm, rustic feel. Backsawn timber is less prone to splitting when nailing. Quarter sawn: Quarter sawn timber is the smart, formal office attire type - not as laid back as backsawn. It's characterised by a straight even grain, in Oak species displaying ray flecks. This process of sawing takes longer, where the log is initially divided in quarters before boards are cut. Compared to backsawn, quartersawn has lower shrinkage and is less likely to cup or warp. Radial sawn: Logs are first divided into wedges, following the way logs naturally split when drying. This type of sawing ensures high yield and low waste, particularly for smaller logs. Though less common due to its longer sawing process, people choose this type due to its high stability and attractive grain detail. It's popular for fencing, cladding, decking and skirting. The diagram on the right (sourced from Wood Solutions) shows how the log is cut for each saw type.   Ultimately, the grain pattern is a stylistic choice, with some considerations to be made about how the saw type will perform for the specific application. Fair Wood largely supply backsawn, with quartersawn joinery also available, like the Manna Gum pictured. Chat to our team the next time you visit our Preston warehouse to make sure you choose boards that work perfectly for your design.