Wood Fascination
Wood care – Timber is a living thing that breathes life into the environment and which, in turn, responds to the environment in which it finds itself. Caring for wood is a crucial part of maintaining your woodcraft. Wood is sensitive to fluctuations in temperature, altitude, humidity, and sunlight. It is important to bear in mind that the wood will adapt to its environment, and proper care will ensure its longevity.

From the forest into your home
The process of harvesting indigenous timber is strictly controlled. Trees are felled in the forest on a selected basis under the supervision of the South African National Parks. The logs acquired by Timber Village are cut on site, cured and dried in stacks for up to two years. This is a gradual curing process that matures the wood like fine wine to ready it for the workmanship. You may therefore be actively involved in the entire process, from selecting the raw timber through to designing and overseeing the manufacture of the final product. The unique character of each piece of timber serves as an inspiration for the needs of each customer.

REAL YELLOWWOOD (Geelhout) Podocarpus latifolius
A pale yellow-brown wood, undifferentiated between heartwood and sapwood. It has a fine, even texture, but exhibits magnificent whorls and ripples around knots. It's dark brown bark contrasts magnificently with the yellow wood in Rustic-style furniture. It is much sought after as a furniture timber.

BLACKWOOD (Swarthoud) Acacia melanoxylon
A strong, stable wood, Blackwood has a beautiful red-brown heartwood with a pale tan sapwood. This wood is greatly sought after for all types of furniture manufacture. Seeds were imported from Australia in 1848 and the species is now well established in the indigenous forests of the Garden Route.

WHITE PEAR (Witpeer) Apodytes dimidiata
An attractive grey-brown colour with occasional purplish streaks. It is a hard and heavy wood with a fine grain. It works easily.

WHITE ELDER (Witels) Platylophus trifoliatus
This wood has a distinctive pink-brown colour with occasional yellowish streaks, and interesting grain patterns. It is even-grained and light and makes excellent furniture items and accessories.

HARD PEAR (Hardepeer) Olinia ventosa
A magnificent golden brown wood with a fine, wavy grain which gives its characteristic rippled appearance. It makes lovely furniture but is not common in the forests and hence not readily available.

IRONWOOD (Ysterhout) Olea capensis ssp. Macrocarpa
The sapwood has an orange-brown colour while the heartwood is a distinctive streaked dark brown colour. It is very heavy and hard and makes lovely furniture, but works with difficulty.

STINKWOOD (Stinkhout) Ocotea bullata
This has an olivebrown sapwood which darkens to a rich golden brown to dark coffee brown heartwood. The fresh cut wood gives a sweet pungent odour, hence its name. It is very high priced and much sought after for furniture.

CAPE BEECH (Boekenhout) Rapana melanophloeos
Commonly termed "Boekenhout", this is a pink-brown colour with a short, reticulated grain similar to oak. In the plane of the grain however, it has a handsome, wide, flecked appearance reminiscent of a hawk's wing. An interesting, durable wood which makes fine furniture.

ASSEGAI Curtisia dentata
A deep, dull red to grayish-brown colour. Not commonly used in furniture despite its fine texture and strength. In the past it was commonly used in wagon spokes due to its durability.

CANDLEWOOD (Kershout) Pterocelastus tricuspidatus
A deep burgundy colour with a fine, beautiful grain. It is heavy and hard and its handsome colour lends itself to furniture. However, it is not readily available.

CAPE HOLLY (Without) Ilex mitis
A soft, porous pale tan wood which makes it suitable for carving. It frequently has attractive black streaks as a result of exposure to water in the forest.