CLS Timber & Scant

What is CLS timber?

CLS timber meaning "Canadian Lumber Standard" timber, is mainly used for timber frame home construction and for internal and partition walls. It is typically a timber finished on all sides, giving a smaller cross-section than traditional sawn timber.

What is CLS Timber used for?

CLS Timber (derived from Canadian Lumber Size), though used for the same application as a Scant, has a smaller radius on each of the four corners, making it both thinner and narrower. The finished size of a 50 x 75mm piece of CLS timber is 38 x 63mm. The most commonly available stock lengths of CLS timber sizes are 2.4m and 4.2m cls timber with some branches carrying the additional 3.0m length. As with the Scant, the best-quality of CLS timber is important from Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, as well as the Baltic regions and Canada.

What is scant timber?

Scant timber is a specific type of timber, which is occasionally used as rafter material known as ‘framing.’

What does Scant Timber mean?

Both Scant and CLS Timber are abbreviated trade references to specific types of timber, which have a specific main use, in the form of building non load-bearing partition walls. They are occasionally used as rafter material which is known as “framing”. Once constructed the frame panels are faced, by the joiner, with plasterboards. They may also be used as Cavity Filler with Knauf Dritherm insulation or Acoustic Insulation, which is readily available from our network of branches.

Howarth Timber & Building Supplies only stock kiln-dried “Scant” and CLS to ensure the timber stays as straight as possible.

Scant is traditionally more widely used in the Manchester and Lancashire regions. All four sides of the section are surfaced, with the finishing size being 42 x 699m. The corners of the section are squared, rather than rounded, with lengths of 2.4, 3.0 and 4.8m being available in most Howarth branches. However, some branches may carry lengths of 3.6m.

The best-quality timbers (normally Whitewood, or Picea Abies) are imported from Sweden, Denmark, and Germany. However, it could also be important from the Baltic regions and Canada. It is most commonly available as C16 grade; when used with non loading-bearing walls – such as stud partition walls – the grading gives you a greater level of consistent quality, rather than being a necessity. We may also carry an ungraded stock which is perfectly fine for use in non load-bearing applications.