A new end-grain floor tile system is being developed to find a commercial use for small dimension Welsh timber.
The two-and-a-half year Coed Cymru project, to be launched on March 10, has secured funding from the Welsh Assembly and the EU.
Furniture maker and joiner Dylan Jones has been appointed to head the initiative, with a mission to develop the supply chain for end grain tiles.
Small dimension wood, including birch, alder, sycamore, cherry and oak, is abundant in Wales and will be used for the tiles.
Mr Jones will identify the amount of suitable timber available in Powys for the project over the next five to 10 years and will project manage the design and development of machinery to manufacture the tiles, as well as a heat treatment process and drying racks.
“The ultimate aim of this project is to show that end grain tiles are a feasible product to manufacture,” said Mr Jones.
“By adding value to a very poor woodland material, we aim to show that you can end up with a high quality product.”
Coed Cymru, which promotes use of locally grown timber in Wales, is best known for its development work on Ty Unnos, a box beam building system using Welsh softwood.
