September 2026 News from the Sawmill
Welcome to our September Newsletter
September marks the start of the busy season. Summer eases off, stalled projects restart, and the year tips towards its busiest stretch.
This issue takes a longer view. A home clad in the cedar that grew on the plot. Why western red cedar trees are suited to a changing climate. And, the industry group making the case for the productive forests in England.
Here is what has caught our eye this month.
From tree to timber, from house to home
At The Old Orchard in Oxfordshire, Gresford Architects turned a 1960s bungalow into a certified EnerPHIT retrofit. Western red cedars had grown in the grounds for decades. During the build, those trees were felled, milled and returned to the house as cladding.
Vastern supplied the remainder of British western red cedar to complete the project. Unusually the cedar cladding boards run across the verandah and into the internal living area as wall panelling. The project is shortlisted for the Architects’ Journal Retrofit and Reuse Awards 2026.
Built for a warmer Britain
Britain’s summers are getting longer and its winters milder. Western red cedar is suited to that shift. The tree thrives in a warm and wet climate, and it is happy in the shade of other trees. This is why English foresters are planting more of it and why we are likely to see more of the timber on our homes in the future.
Say hello to Teni
Teni is a hidden decking clip. It sits in the groove of the board and fixes to the joist below, so there are no screws through the face and no holes in the surface. It also creates an air gap between the joist and the board allowing the timber to breathe, drain and dry, so the deck stays looking good for longer.
There is a neat bonus too. A board can be popped out with a lever tool and a fresh one clicked into place, without disturbing the boards around it.
Easy to fit. Better looking. Built to last.
Inside EFILG: growing the timber Britain will need
Around 95% of the timber consumed in the UK is softwood. Even the fastest-growing commercial softwoods can take 40 years to reach the sawmill.
That means many of the trees supplying British sawmills in 2050 should already have been planted by 2010. That opportunity has largely passed. But the UK’s timber security in 2070 and beyond is still ours to shape.
The England Forest Industry Leadership Group (EFILG) brings together senior figures from forestry, timber processing and Government to help address that challenge.
As Deputy Chair, our own Tom introduces the group, explains why it matters and sets out what it is working to achieve.
New at the yard: British fence slats
The Royal Wootton Bassett yard has changed. New fence slats and screening now stand at the main entrance.
Vertical picket, horizontal slat, contemporary screens. All milled here from British timber. The full range is on sale, and it looks its best seen in person, in daylight, at full height.
The product page follows shortly. Until then, the display is at the yard, ready to see.
