There’s something timeless and deeply grounding about bringing natural timber into your home. It offers warmth, texture, and an organic beauty that no man-made product can quite replicate. But before you fall in love with a showroom sample or a photo online, here’s something you really need to know—natural timber is not uniform, and that’s exactly the point.

Why Timber and Veneer Vary

Timber and veneer are cut directly from a tree—an organic, living thing that develops under ever-changing conditions. Everything from climate and soil to water availability and sunlight will influence how a tree grows, and therefore how the timber appears once it’s milled. That means the grain, colour, texture, and tone can vary not just from tree to tree, but even within the same log.

When we order veneer or solid timber from our supplier, we can request a general tone or a particular cut (like quarter-cut or crown-cut), but we don’t get to choose the exact pieces that will be supplied. Even if we wanted to hand-pick each piece, it would be a time-consuming (and often frustrating) process—and even then, absolute uniformity is virtually impossible.

It’s Natural… and Imperfect (In the Best Way)

Timber is not fault-free. It can have burls, gum veins, knot holes, and grain inconsistencies. These are not defects—they’re natural characteristics that give timber its richness, movement, and personality.

Likewise, timber moves. It expands in humid conditions and contracts in dry air. This means there’s always a degree of flexibility needed in how it’s handled and constructed. For instance:

• Timber can bow or warp, especially when used for wide drawer fronts or doors with no framework. For these applications, we always recommend the use of support brackets at the rear to minimise movement.
• Framed drawer fronts or doors allow the timber panel inside to “float,” accommodating natural movement and significantly reducing the risk of warping over time. This is our preferred and recommended method when working with solid timber.

Even veneer—which is often perceived as more stable—can shift subtly in appearance over time. If exposed to direct sunlight, veneer will often “age,” developing a patina or changing in tone as the years go by. Some timbers darken, others lighten. It’s a natural process, and part of how the material responds to its environment over time.

The image below illustrates just how much natural variation can occur within a single timber species. In this case, we’ve used Blackwood to highlight the point—but this level of diversity in grain pattern, colour tone, and texture can be expected across all natural timber and veneer species. These samples, laid out in our workshop, showcase the beauty—and unpredictability—that comes with choosing real timber.

These nuances aren’t drawbacks—they’re part of working with something real.

Expect Variation—And Celebrate It

We sometimes hear from clients who choose timber or veneer, then feel disappointed when it doesn’t match the exact look they imagined—perhaps inspired by a display, brochure, sample piece, or a Pinterest photo. But we can’t stress this enough: even if you’ve seen the exact same timber species before, no two pieces will ever be identical.

If you’re after a specific colour tone or a perfectly consistent finish, timber might not be the right material for you. In that case, consider woodgrain laminates or timber-look melamines, which are designed to deliver a uniform appearance across every panel.

But if you love the idea of something natural, full of character, and uniquely yours—then embrace the variation. That’s the beauty of timber. No two spaces will ever be the same, and that’s what makes it special.

Summary? Timber is living, breathing, and never perfect—and that’s exactly why we love it.