He asked for oak. We said ash. Here’s why.
He came in asking for oak. We talked him out of it.
That is not something you hear often from a timber merchant. But at Vastern, the right product always wins over the most expensive one.
William Moseley, known to many as Peter Pevensie in The Chronicles of Narnia, has been quietly doing something remarkable. Between film sets, he has been getting his hands dirty. Renovating his family home himself, learning as he goes, turning a house into something genuinely special.
He visited our Royal Wootton Bassett showroom with a clear idea in his head. Oak cladding, because that’s what everyone thinks they want.
Our team listened. They asked the right questions. And then they recommended ash instead.
William was surprised. Here was a timber yard suggesting a product that was not the priciest option on the shelf. But we explained why ash was the better fit. Ash has far more pronounced growth rings than oak, creating bold, dramatic patterns across the surface. Against stone walls and in natural light, it would sing.
William trusted the advice. He went with ash.
The result speaks for itself. Mixed width (150mm to 250mm) tongue and groove British ash cladding runs the length of the ceiling, warm and bright against the exposed stonework. A space that feels calm, considered and completely his own. Even the dog approves.
William keeps coming back. That tells you everything.
If you are not sure which timber is right for your project, come in. We will give you an honest answer, even if it is not the one you expected.
