The timber section is where the magic really happens. It’s like a library of possibilities, except every book is a plank of wood that smells like a forest’s polite apology. You’ll see massive beams that look like they could hold up a castle, next to delicate strips of batten that are basically the pixie sticks of the wood world. I once stood there for a full ten minutes, just touching different grades of plywood, pretending I knew the difference between birch and pine.
If you’re a newbie, the staff will patiently explain that “pressure-treated” doesn’t mean it’s been to therapy. It means it can survive a British winter without turning into mush. And let’s be honest, anything that can survive a Chichester winter—which is basically four seasons in one afternoon—deserves a round of applause. I once asked a staff member, “Is this strong enough for a garden bench?” He just looked at me, then at the plank, and said, “It’ll hold your tea, your cat, and your dignity. That’s the test.” Legend.
Builders’ Bits: The Secret Heroes
Next to the timber, you’ll find the builders’ merchants section, which is basically a treasure chest of tiny, critical things. Screws, brackets, dowels, and hinges that look like they could open a dragon’s lair. These are the unsung heroes of every project. I once needed a single, weird-sized hinge for a cupboard door that had been crooked since 1997. The shelf at Covers had exactly the one I needed, tucked between a box of nails and a tub of putty. It was like the hinge was waiting for me. We had a moment.
Covers Timber & Builders Merchants adds to its green ambitions
The paint aisle is another rabbit hole. You go in looking for “white,” and you leave with three shades of “eggshell,” “cloud,” and “slightly disappointed swan.” But the staff won’t let you make a terrible mistake. They’ll ask, “Is this for a bathroom or a cat?” And they’re not joking. I’ve seen them steer a man away from gloss paint for his dog kennel. “Your dog will look like a disco ball when it rains,” they warned. He bought matte. Crisis averted.
