Frequently Asked Questions

There are over 80 buyers with active saved searches on CloudForest across the UK — waiting to be notified when timber matching their criteria is listed. Your listing might be exactly what someone is looking for.

Tips for a successful listing:

• Add photos — buyers want to see what they're getting. A few phone photos showing log ends, lengths, and overall condition make a big difference.
• Be realistic on price — if you're unsure you can choose not to show a price, or show an "offers over" price. An above-market price can put buyers off before they even enquire.
• Include the basics — species, approximate volume, and rough location help buyers quickly decide if it's relevant to them.
• List early — even if felling is months away, listing now gives buyers time to find you and plan ahead.

Short answer: Less than you might think. A rough location, species, approximate volume, and a few photos is enough to get started.

To create a listing, you need:

• Photos — these make a real difference. Buyers want to see the quality, size, and condition of the timber. Phone photos are fine, and a few shots from different angles is ideal. See our guide to taking good photos of timber for tips.
• Location — you'll pin a point on a map, but this can be an indicative location (e.g. the nearest village) rather than exactly where the timber is lying.
• Species
• Approximate volume (a rough estimate is fine)
• Whether it's available now or upcoming

What happens next: Interested buyers contact you through CloudForest. You then decide what additional information to share with them directly, whatever you'd normally share with a serious enquiry.

Yes — CloudForest is focused on smaller parcels.

We have buyers looking for all sorts: single special trees (burrs, character timber, unusual species), small lots of firewood logs, or lorry-loads of saw logs.

A lorry load is more economical to transport, but smaller quantities can work for some buyers — particularly mobile sawmillers, local makers, or buyers who are nearby or passing through. There's also potential to link up partial loads with other sellers in your area.

These categories describe the point of sale — where ownership changes hands.

Standing Timber: Sold before felling, with the buyer taking ownership of the timber whilst it is still standing. The buyer arranges and pays for harvesting.

Roadside Timber: Sold at a collection point after felling and extraction. The seller is responsible for getting the timber to roadside; the buyer collects from there.

Choose "Roadside Timber" on CloudForest if:

• Timber is felled and stacked, ready for collection
• Trees are still standing but you plan to sell at roadside after felling
• You're delivering to a buyer's yard (the yard becomes the point of sale)

Roadside sub-categories:

• Saw Logs — larger diameter logs for sawmills
• Small Roundwood — smaller diameter material (e.g. for fencing, stakes, firewood)
• Biomass or Arisings — brash, offcuts, or lower-grade material

Wood Products: Timber that's been processed — sawn, dried, or made into a product (e.g. firewood, fencing, cladding).

Everything you put in the listing is public. Only the title and approximate location are mandatory — description, price, species, volume, and other details are optional, so you control what you share.

Your business name shows on the listing if you've added one; otherwise your profile name appears. Your email and phone number aren't shared on listings (though they may be visible on your business directory entry if you have one).

Buyers create an account to message you. Treat enquiries as you would any new contact — ask questions and share further details once you're comfortable.

Free to list, free to browse.

There's no charge to create a listing, no subscription, and no fee for receiving or sending enquiries.

In future, we plan to introduce a small transaction fee as we develop the service further.

Some sales are simple — a few emails to trusted contacts and it's done. But for other species, smaller volumes, or timber outside your usual network, finding the right buyer can take a lot of ringing around.

CloudForest helps you reach beyond your existing network:

• Buyers can filter by exactly what they need (species, location, volume, timing)
• Timber Alerts mean serious buyers find your listing without you having to post repeatedly or make calls
• Your listing stays visible until you close it
• You're reaching people specifically looking for UK-grown timber

There's a surprising range of buyers out there looking for different things — from chainsaw carvers and specialist woodworkers to hardwood sawmills and cladding specialists.

Timber Alerts notify you when new listings match what you're looking for.

To set up an alert:

1. Go to the listings page
2. Use the filters to select what you want (species, location, timber type, etc.)
3. Click "Save this search"
4. We'll email you when new listings match your criteria

Watch our how to set up Timber Alerts video for a walkthrough.

Sawmills: You can set up alerts for both standing and roadside timber in one go using our quick sign-up form.

Yes. You can filter listings by distance from a location you set.

On the listings page, use the location filter to enter a postcode, then set a radius (e.g. within 50 miles). Only listings within that range will show.

You can also save this as a Timber Alert — so you'll be notified when new listings appear within your area.

CloudForest requires all listed timber to come from legal UK sources.

However, CloudForest is a marketplace that connects buyers and sellers. We don't inspect timber or verify felling licences on behalf of buyers. That means it's important to do your own due diligence before agreeing a purchase.

Ask the seller for the felling licence number or approved management plan reference. Check certification numbers directly with the certifying body. You can verify FSC certificates at info.fsc.org, and Grown in Britain licensees at growninbritain.org.

If a listing looks unusual or you have concerns about legality, report it to us and we'll investigate. We actively monitor listings and have removed listings that don't meet our requirements.