When fencing season starts to ramp up, fencing contractors and timber merchants quickly discover which suppliers are truly reliable – and which ones aren’t.

 As workloads increase, the margins for error always get tighter. Merchants need stock they can rely on. Contractors need materials that perform first time. And everyone needs deliveries to arrive exactly when promised.

Yet every season, the same problems resurface.

Capacity really matters

Fencing season is particularly sensitive to weather-driven demand spikes. Lead times stretch. Smaller mills can run short of stock. And merchants frequently report stock gaps during peak months.

What appears manageable in quieter periods can quickly affect programme efficiency and customer confidence when demand rises.

Processing around 85,000 tonnes of logs each year and producing more than 50,000m³ of sawn timber annually, Ransfords has the scale to support merchants and contractors when demand increases.

Our entire fencing and landscaping range, from posts, rails and boards to gates, sleepers and cappings, is sawn and treated on our site in Bishop’s Castle. That integration allows us to maintain control over stock levels and lead times, even when volumes rise.

But ‘reliable supply’ isn’t just about holding enough stock and delivering on time – it’s about consistently delivering high quality, treated timber that performs exactly as you need it, time after time.

Because when contracts are stacking up back-to-back, even tiny inconsistencies in process control can have serious knock-on effects, disrupt productivity and eat into precious margins.

The risk of distortion

Timber distortion in the form of bowing, twisting or cupping is a well-documented material behaviour risk across the construction and fencing sectors. Industry bodies including the Timber Trade Federation and TRADA reference distortion as a common performance issue where moisture control, grading or processing aren’t properly managed.

The problem of distortion is often caused by what can be relatively minor process control issues, typically linked to:

• Moisture content not being properly controlled before machining
• Inconsistent kiln drying
• Fast-grown, lower-density softwood
• Poor storage conditions prior to supply

Treatment consistency

Standards such as BS 8417 (Code of practice for wood preservation) and the NHSS4 scheme for highway works exist because preservative performance depends on correct penetration depth, retention levels and appropriate Use Class selection. Technical guidance from preservative manufacturers reinforces the importance of controlled process cycles and documented evidence.

Where treatment penetration is inconsistent, retention levels vary and durability can be compromised — sometimes without being immediately visible in the yard.

Quality should always come first

Good fencing timber saves hours on site. And during the busy months, helps deliver improved margins.

Straight posts. Consistent rails. Accurate cutting. Treatment matched to real exposure conditions. When timber is properly processed and controlled, contractors can work efficiently and confidently, knowing the product will behave as expected once installed.

That consistency starts upstream, through careful species selection, controlled moisture content, monitored drying processes and robust treatment regimes. It’s all about reducing variability of output.

Service that protects your reputation

When demand ramps up, communication becomes critical.

We’re family-run, and it shows. When you contact Ransfords, you speak directly to knowledgeable people who understand your business – not a call centre or ticket system. Our commitment to outstanding service is just one reason customers such as Denis Brown & Son have trusted us for over a decade.

As Ed Brown puts it, “With Ransfords, the quality is assured, deliveries take place exactly when promised, and the paperwork is accurate. If we have a query, we pick up the phone and it’s dealt with immediately. We couldn’t ask for more.”

In fencing season, that kind of reliability matters.

Reliability in peak season isn’t accidental. It’s planned.

Peak season is not the time to gamble on inconsistent or unreliable supply.

If you’re looking for a fencing timber supplier you can rely on to deliver consistent quality, controlled treatment processes and dependable delivery, we’d love to have a conversation.

Already a Ransfords customer? Now’s the time to discuss projected volumes and ensure your requirements are planned in advance.

 

Call 01588 638331 to discuss your fencing requirements — and experience the Ransfords treatment.