Our Products
Roundwood and Sawn Timber
Roundwood refers to wood in its natural state which is felled, with or without bark, and is sold without being squared by sewing or hewing. Roundwood can be used for industrial purposes, either in its round form as transmission poles, thatching poles, fencing poles and building applications, or as raw material to be processed into industrial products such as sawn wood, mining support, panel products or pulp.
Sawn timber refers to wood cut from logs into various shapes and sizes. United Forest Products represents several smaller mills in marketing their kiln dried and wet off-saw timber. Both Eucalyptus and Pine are used to produce sawn timber for various applications.
Hazard Treatment
Depending on the application, United Forest Products will ensure that timber is tailored to the specific requirements of a customer. Hazard treatment applied based on application, is a pressure treatment with either Cooper Chrome Arsenic (CCA), Creosote or Tanalith E to retain the integrity of the timber and prevent pest and/or environmental damage. The specification starts with H2 (low hazard) to H5 specification (high hazard) as required for a particular application. Hazard treatment is carried out in line with the South African National Standard for hazard classification for preservative treatment of timber.
- Creosote which is a heavy-duty wood preservative. Creosote is obtained from high temperature distillation of coal tar. Pesticide products containing creosote as the active ingredient are used to protect wood against termites, fungi, mites and other pests that can degrade or threaten the integrity of wood products. Creosote is mainly used for commercial purposes with indoor applications prohibited as well as application to wood intended for use in contact with food, feed, or drinking water.
- Tanalith E is a water borne preservative manufactured out of recycled Copper and Azole Biocides. It can be specified for all above ground, in ground and fresh water contact applications (H2 to H5 specification with application), where there is a medium to high risk of fungal decay or insect attack. This treated timber is light green in colour and is well suited to environmentally sensitive applications and close human contact.
- Copper Chrome Arsenic (CCA) (H2 to H5 specification with application) is a waterborne copper chrome arsenate preservative with a wide range of applications. CCA offers comprehensive protection (medium to high risk) against wood boring insects, termites and fungal decay. Due to the copper base ingredient of the preservative, the treated timber is light green in colour and is leach resistant.
Hazard Treatment and Product Applications
| Hazard Treatment Level and Usage |
H2
Internal/Low Hazard |
H3
Exterior Above/Ground Moderate Hazard |
H4
Ground Contact High Hazard |
H5
Fresh Water High Hazard |
| Possible Applications |
Roof trusses Laminated beams Internal structural timber Ceiling boards Flooring Paneling Doors Cupboards Skirting Window frames Plywood |
Balustrades Fencing bearers and slats Outdoor decking and Beams Garden furniture Laminated beams Weather board Stairs Cladding Log homes Gates Fascia boards Plywood Spacers and cross arms used with electrical distribution |
Prevent agricultural posts and landscaping structures from rotting and termite attack. Playground structures Fencing Pergolas Carports Flower boxes, Decking Bridges Stakes Electrical distribution, Telephone poles Light Posts |
Used in wet soils Jetties Drains Walkways Retaining walls Slipways |
Genus and Species and Their Uses
The company sources the following timber from sustainable forestry plantations across South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland.
| Genus | Species | Uses |
| Pine |
Patula, Elliotii, Taeda |
Timber from planation thinning operations are used for the manufacturing of pulp, shavings, boxes and crates. Logs from mature (20-30-year-old) trees are used for building and construction timber. High quality logs are used for veneer and furniture. |
|
Eucalyptus (Hardwood) |
Grandis Cloeziana Nitens Fastigata Paniculata
Camaldulensis Sideroxylin |
Timber from plantation thinning operations and coppice management is used for agricultural poles, fencing poles, as brandering when securing thatching grass to structures, used as roof covering on pergolas for shade purposes, garden edging, landscaping applications and lath screen fencing. Logs from mature timber (6-11 year old trees) are used for sawn timber, mining timber, transmission poles, building and construction timber, thatching poles, pulp logs, charcoal manufacturing and more.
Mainly used for charcoal production |
|
Acacia (Hard wood) |
Mearnsii/Black wattle | Used for wood chips, pulp logs and charcoal manufacturing |
Charocal
Charcoal is produced from exotic Eucalyptus hardwoods (Camaldulensis, Sideroxylon, Cloeziana) and from sustainable Acacia and Eucalyptus forestry plantations. A variety of charcoal manufacturing plants, with an average monthly capacity of 4,000 tons of charcoal produces 100% natural lump-wood charcoal, charcoal fines and powder for industrial application, domestic and restaurant use. Fixed carbon is 75-85 and moisture 5-8% and the charcoal can be screened to specific size.
UNITED FOREST PRODUCTS