frequently asked questions
Where can we buy your timber?
We are glad you asked! Simply reach out to us via our contact form or give us a buzz on 1300 320 610. Whether you’d like to organise a few samples, need large volume of timber or have a question, we will be happy to assist you.
If you are an Architect or a Designer, you can also simply specify “Crafted Hardwoods [species]“ in your project. But if you are new to our material, we always recommend speaking to us.
Why choose Crafted Hardwoods over traditional timber?
There is no doubt that the use of sustainable timber in the built environment plays a crucial role in minimizing our ecological footprint.
However, timber cannot become a viable core building material unless we find a way to producing it in masses, sustainably and with future generations in mind.
This is where Crafted Hardwoods is so different. We take abundant low-value wood resources and convert them into timbers that have the feel, look and properties of 100-year-old trees.
We give these underutilised resources another life with exceptional value-add, fulfilling the demand for low-carbon, toxin-free building materials without compromising our native forests and biodiversity areas.
What are the price comparisons with traditional timber?
Our goal is to offer our material at the same price as conventional timber.
Not only that, but our business model also enables us to hold quoted pricing for a period of 12 months, giving our clients peace of mind that their project will not be negatively impacted by the price volatility ruling the traditional wood markets.
We can achieve this because our raw material - pulpwood - is so abundant. Australia alone produces 16 million m3 of it every year! (source: FAOSTAT)
We will always do what we can to help our clients meet their sustainability goals and their bottom line.
What is your raw material?
Natural wood—just not the kind the industry usually wants!
Our timber is made from low-grade resources, including:
Logs graded as low quality at harvest (too knotty, bent, or otherwise imperfect)
Juvenile trees and pulp logs (younger trees from thinning or plantations not mature enough for sawlogs)
Residual material left after sawmills take the prime cuts—offcuts, short lengths, or sections unsuitable for structural or appearance-grade products
In essence, anything that doesn’t meet the specs for high-grade sawn timber, trees that are too small and low quality — for us, they’re perfect!
Where is the feed stock from?
We source a range of Australian species locally, and we also source selected species from certified sustainable forests overseas.
By drawing from both local and international sources, we’re able to ensure supply continuity, meet demand, and maximise the environmental benefits of upcycling timber that would otherwise go to low-value uses.
No matter where it’s sourced—Australia or overseas—all our timber is certified sustainable, aligning with global best practices in responsible forestry.
Do you use plantation wood?
Our technology is ideally designed to work with plantation wood—especially younger, lower-grade logs that wouldn’t usually make it into high-value products.
However, not all species are available from plantations. In these cases, what we are sourcing is the fall-down : the lower-grade material that doesn’t meet a mill’s specifications and that would otherwise be discarded or used in low-value applications.
Whether it’s plantation or regrowth, the timber we use is always what the industry considers low-grade. By giving this overlooked material a second life as a high-performance product, we’re reducing waste and making the most of every resource.
How do you know the wood you are using is sustainable?
It is a priority for us to only source raw wood material that is certified.
The chain of custody for certified wood products ensures transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain. This gives us the ability to track the movement of wood from the forest and through processing. We can trace each block we produce to its forest or plantation.
This chain of custody ensures that the raw wood materials we are buying originate from sustainably managed forests and plantations and have been produced according to rigorous standards.
What about all the power that is used to “grow trees in a machine”?
This is an important question. Yes, our machinery needs a fair bit of electricity to run.
Our manufacturing is done in a modern government owned facility in Adelaide. The roof being covered with solar panels, a large portion of the energy we use comes from the sun.
South Australia being a leader in sustainable energy, the state generates almost 70% of its electricity from renewable sources which is projected to reach 85% by 25/26, with a target of 100% by 2030.
Is your company "giving back" with offset programs, clean ups or other environmental contributions?
Absolutely, see our initiatives here.
What is the difference between Crafted Hardwoods and other engineered wood products?
We are not competing with the traditional engineered wood products currently found in the large commodity markets. Instead, we are providing a new supply of high-value sustainable wood with applications that encompass both the decorative and structural wood markets.
Whilst our process might sound similar to that used to produce other engineered wood products, it is vastly different, and the resulting product is like nothing else on the market.
What about the glue? Is it safe?
Our glue is a water-based, non-toxic "nano resin" that bio-mimic the natural lignins produced by trees.
Our timbers DO NOT contain formaldehyde adhesives or other harmful chemicals. Our products have been tested for VOCs and are suitable for the most sensitive indoor environments,
Safe for us. Safe for the environment.
Do we handle and machine this timber the same way as natural timber?
Yes!
Handling, machining, and finishing timber products requires skills and knowledge, but in most instances machining Crafted Hardwoods will be like using any natural timber product.
Refer to our “working with Crafted Hardwoods” guide for more information.
What wood species do you have?
Our current species are listed here and include a range of Australian species and carefully selected species from around the world.
If you cannot find what you are looking for, reach out to us as we have the ability to create bespoke timbers unique to your project.
All our raw wood material, whether sourced in Australia or overseas, is certified, giving us the assurance that it is obtained from forests that are well-cared for and meet rigorous standards for sustainable and ethical forestry practices.
What grade is your timber?
That’s a great question. Our material doesn’t fit neatly into the traditional grading system because it’s engineered from upcycled timber rather than sawn from a single log. Performance-wise, it meets the highest standards — it’s strong, stable, and thoroughly tested. Aesthetically, it shows its story. You’ll see natural variation, knots, gum veins — all part of the character we celebrate, not flaws to be hidden. If someone’s after a clean, uniform look, we can help guide species and grain cut option — but if you’re open to warmth and honesty in the material, you’ll find there’s a lot to love in what we make.
What is a “cut option”?
Typically, once you have selected your wood species, you will need to specify a cut-option: Backsawn or Quartersawn.
Looking for a rustic, natural look? Our back-sawn timber has the same stunning aesthetic and character as back-sawn natural timber and often showcase unique, bold, and distinctive patterns.
Going for a neutral, minimalist design? When cut across the grain, or what we call our quarter-sawn cut, our timber will display a very uniform linear grain pattern with minimal imperfections.
We’ve actually written a full blog post on this, check it out!
Who is 3RT?
3RT is an Australian company. Peter Torreele, the former Managing Director of the World Economic Forum., is the Founder and Managing Director of 3RT.
Torreele conceived his idea for 3RT when working in Asia and seeing the massive waste of material in the timber processing sector.
“Innovation always comes from unexpected corners – innovation equals curiosity.” Seeing how a grass, that is bamboo, can be turned into something much stronger, he saw immense potential if he could find a way to do the same with all the waste that is generated globally in the timber supply chain. That was the germ of the idea which grew to create 3RT.
3RT linked up with scientists from Flinders University in Adelaide and engineered from Bosh Australia to develop a way to convert low-value juvenile logs into timbers with the properties of 100 year old trees.
They then established a 6,000 square metre innovation facility in Adelaide, where the Research and Development has been ongoing for the last 10 years.
All our timbers are manufactured in that same facility, right here in Australia. As a 3RT Licensee, we share their Reuse-Reduce-Recycle ethos and are working closely with their team to deliver a material that will redefine what sustainable timber can be.
Anything else you would like to know?
please do not hesitate to ask!
send your queries to info@craftedhardwoods.com