Surface Finishes

From Raw to Refined

Every piece of timber carries the story of a tree’s life. The surface finish you choose not only enhances the natural beauty of the wood but can also reflect your personal style and vision. At Masswood, we provide a wide range of customisable finishing solutions to meet your project needs and bring your aesthetic goals to life.

Planed/Smooth or Dressed All Round (DAR)

Achieved by passing the timber through a planer, this finish results in a smooth, flat surface. It is typically the most refined and polished of all finishes. Most glulam members are supplied with a planed/DAR finish.

  • Offers a clean, modern look.
  • Easier to paint, stain, or oil, as the uniform surface absorbs finishes evenly.
  • Ideal for applications where a sleek, minimalist aesthetic is desired, such as in contemporary interiors or exteriors.

Bandsawn

This finish is created by sawing the timber with a large band saw, leaving visible saw marks on the surface. It is rougher and more rustic compared to a smooth or wire-brushed finish. Cladding boards have been used to imprint into concrete with great success. 

  • Creates a raw, industrial aesthetic with a more natural and untreated appearance.
  • Provides a strong, tactile texture that can add character to architectural timber elements.
  • Allows finishes, such as oils or stains, to absorb more deeply due to the rough surface.
Surface Finishes
Wire brush textured finish

Textured/Wire Brushed

This involves brushing the timber surface with a wire brush to remove softer wood fibres, leaving the harder grain raised. The result is a textured surface that enhances the natural grain of the wood.

  • Adds texture and a rustic or distressed appearance.
  • Helps hide imperfections or wear over time, making it ideal for high-traffic areas.
  • Provides a tactile experience, adding depth to the surface, which can catch light differently.

The Finishing Touch

Enhancing the Look & Feel

The benefits of surface finishes for timber go far beyond looks. A carefully applied finish can highlight the wood’s natural beauty, bringing out its unique grain and texture while adding a layer of protection against the elements. These benefits make surface finishes essential for both protecting timber and elevating its visual and tactile qualities across various applications.

ENHANCED AESTHETIC APPEAL

Smooth: Offers a sleek, modern look perfect for refined interiors and exteriors. It highlights the natural beauty of the wood’s grain in a polished manner.

Textured: Adds depth and character, bringing out the wood’s grain while giving a rustic, tactile appearance that suits both contemporary and traditional styles.

Bandsawn: Retains a rugged, natural look that works well for rustic or industrial designs, adding an authentic, handmade aesthetic.

IMPROVED DURABILITY

Smooth: Provides a clean surface that makes timber easier to treat with protective finishes like varnish or oils, enhancing resistance to moisture, UV rays, and general wear.

Textured: Removes softer wood fibers, exposing harder grain for better resilience, making it suitable for high-traffic areas like decking.

Bandsawn: The rougher surface helps the timber absorb more oils and finishes, which enhances its resistance to weathering, especially for outdoor applications.

OPTIMISED COATING

Smooth: Allows for even application of stains and sealants, reducing the amount of product needed and ensuring a uniform finish.

Textured: The uneven surface can hold more finish, leading to a deeper penetration of protective oils and stains, which prolongs the timber’s lifespan.​

Bandsawn: Absorbs more finish, which helps to preserve the wood and enhance its natural texture over time, especially in outdoor environments.

VERSATILITY IN DESIGN

Smooth: Works well with a variety of finishes like paints, stains, and oils, allowing for complete customization to suit modern, minimalist, or classic styles.

Textured: Offers flexibility to create custom textures and feels, perfect for adding a natural, handcrafted look to walls, floors, or furniture​

Bandsawn: Ideal for more industrial or rustic projects where a rugged, unpolished look is desirable, adding variety to design schemes.

INCREASED SLIP RESISTANCE

Textured: Rougher surfaces provide better traction, making them ideal for decking or walkways where slip resistance is important​.

Bandsawn: The naturally uneven surface improves grip, making it particularly useful for outdoor flooring and structures.

BIOPHILIC DESIGN

Textured: Its ability to absorb more finish reduces the need for frequent reapplications, as the wood is better protected from the elements.​

Bandsawn: Like textured finishes, bandsawn timber’s rough surface allows for deeper absorption of oils and stains, requiring less frequent maintenance​.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Rougher textures, like bandsawn or wire-brushed, allow finishes to penetrate more deeply into the wood, enhancing protection and highlighting the natural grain. Smooth finishes, like planed or sanded, result in a more even finish but may require more frequent maintenance due to less absorption

Given glulam members are larger in size and scale when compared to Cladding, Decking and Batten products it’s not generally possible to offer a glulam member with this sort of textured finish due to the the capabilities of our specialist machinery. Talk to one of the Masswood team members about your vision so we can explore potential solutions.

DAR timber stands for “Dressed All Round” timber. This means the timber has been machined or planed on all four sides, resulting in a smooth, uniform surface. DAR timber is used in applications where a polished, finished appearance is important, such as glulam, joinery, furniture, or decorative purposes. It offers a refined look compared to rough-sawn timber and is easier to paint or stain due to its smooth surface. The precision of the dressing process also ensures more consistent dimensions, making it ideal for when precision is required with minimal tolerances.

Textured finishes, such as wire-brushed or bandsawn, offer several advantages over charring (also known as Shou Sugi Ban or yakisugi), especially in terms of practicality, maintenance, and versatility. Here are some reasons why we recommend textured finishes over charring

 

  1. Enhanced Durability and Less Maintenance: Textured finishes like wire-brushing remove softer wood fibers, exposing the harder grain, which improves the wood’s resistance to wear and tear without altering its structure. This can increase its lifespan, especially in high-traffic areas like decking or cladding. In contrast, charring creates a protective layer, but it can become brittle and flake off over time, requiring regular touch-ups to maintain the finish.

 

  1. Greater Aesthetic Versatility: Textured finishes offer more flexibility in design. They can be combined with various stains and oils to highlight the grain or achieve a rustic look. Charring, on the other hand, produces a specific dark, carbonised appearance that limits colour options unless treated further with oils or stain.

 

  1. Smoother Application of Coatings: Boards with textured finishes can better absorb penetrating oils and stains, making them easier to maintain in the long term. The rough surface retains coatings more effectively, while charred timber may require specialized treatments and might not always absorb finishes as evenly.

 

  1. Safety and Environmental Considerations: Textured finishes are achieved using mechanical processes like brushing or sawing, which pose fewer fire hazards and environmental concerns than charring, which involves open flames and produces smoke. For those concerned about eco-friendly processes, textured finishes are a safer and cleaner option.

 

Overall, while charring provides a unique look, textured finishes are often a more practical and versatile solution, offering better durability, design options, and ease of maintenance.

Do you need help deciding which Surface finish will work best for your project?

The Masswood team is here to help you with the best solutions for your timber project. Contact us to discover the true potential of timber.

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