As well as holding the right stock, merchants need to be promoting and educating their customers on the benefits timber can bring to landscaping projects, to help boost summer profits. Phil Taylor, Regional Sales Director at International Timber, discusses some of these key differentiators.
Great landscaping can increase a home’s resale value by 15 to 20% on average, making it a popular choice with homeowners looking to improve and add value to their property.
Thanks to the longer days and improved weather, summer is the time when homeowners and tradespeople tend to embark on new landscaping and garden projects which, in turn, creates strong timber sales opportunities for merchants.
Stocking a wide variety of quality timber is one of the best ways for timber and builders’ merchants to capitalise on the upturn in outdoor home improvements.
Timber is the perfect material to use as outdoor decking, retaining walls, planters and even exterior cladding. It adds a natural warmth to outdoor spaces and its flexible and durable properties make it a versatile choice for most home improvement projects. Plus, a proper maintenance and cleaning regime can increase the timber’s life span by many years.
Sustainable properties
Timber is widely recognised as one of the most sustainable and environmentally favourable materials. This is due to its ability to absorb carbon dioxide while growing, and its potential to be recycled or used as a biofuel.
As Building Regulations increasingly promote the use of sustainable products in home improvements, merchants should emphasise the sustainable qualities of timber decking to their customers.
International Timber, for example, sources its timber from well-managed, credibly certified forests so that the risk of deforestation is eliminated. It works closely with its supply chain to ensure that its products not only meet legislative requirements, but also consider important factors such as the sustainability of raw materials, lowering the embodied carbon of the products and ensuring that social conditions for workers meet internationally recognised standards.
Quality timber
Merchants should advise their customers to invest in timber decking that is designed to the highest standard to achieve maximum return on investment.
The quality of the timber used is key, as decking is exposed to various weather conditions and undergoes regular wear and tear. Therefore, it’s crucial that tradespeople and merchants alike invest in timber that is naturally resistant to moisture and rot.
International Timber provides hardwood decking that is highly resistant to fungal growth, and which offers naturally superior levels of durability and wear resistance without additional chemical treatment.
Expert guidance can be provided to merchants on the benefits of using hardwood timber for decking purposes, ready for the outdoor home improvement season.
Range variety
As well as durable hardwoods, International Timber supplies a range of softwood decking for a more cost-effective option. In addition, a variety of modified decking products are also available. These products, such as Accoya, Thermowood decking boards and slip-resistant decking, provide further options for every type of project, as well as an opportunity for merchants to gain additional margin.
Merchants looking to meet the increased demand for decking this summer should consider stocking a wide range of product options as consumer trends adapt, and homeowners look for more tailored solutions. For example, upselling to hardwood from softwood, or adding slip-resistant inserts where slips and trips are likely, allows for additional sales opportunities.
International Timber offers technical advice to support merchants on how best to provide timber for landscaping and garden projects.
* This article was originally published in Issue 6 of Supplying Timber magazine.
