Staff collecting eligible timber at collection event
By dropping off your timber, you’ll be giving it another life! The collected timber is sorted and recycled into kitchen cabinets and other joinery. Please rehome any items in good condition.
How to prepare your timber for drop off
- Check that your timber material is eligible for collection. Consult the guide below.
- Remove any edge tape, protruding screws or nails and dismantle, if possible, for easy transport. Pieces should not exceed 1.2m in length.
- Pack into your car boot and make sure that items are secured. Do not exceed one carload of material (no trailers).
- Drive in and drop off. Our staff will unload your material and advise if any items are not accepted. If there are unacceptable items, you will need to find another way to dispose of the material.
Unsure about what type of timber you have? Email WasteEducation@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au a clear photo of the cross-section of your item and we can assist with finding out if it is eligible for recycling.
- No business or renovation waste.
- Northern Beaches Council residents only - proof of residency will be required.
- Items should be easily lifted by 2 people and a maximum length of 1.2m per piece.
All loads will be inspected, and Council has the right to turn away unacceptable items. Please check the guide below before bringing your items.
| Accepted items | Not accepted items |
|---|---|
|
Timber offcuts – raw, untreated, softwood or hardwood, Bluepine (H2F), LVL, Glulam
|
Timber - painted, stained, varnished, CCA treated
|
|
Particleboard / Chipboard – raw, melamine or laminate coated
|
Medium density fibreboard (MDF)
|
|
Raw and unpainted plywood
|
Hardboard or Masonite
|
|
Oriented strand board (OSB)
|
Edge tape
|
|
Melamine-coated particleboard drawers
|
Solid wood drawers
|
|
Flat pack cube shelving
|
Solid wood shelving
|
|
Flat pack bed frames and bedside tables
|
Solid wood bed frames
|
|
Pallets – raw timber/composite, unbranded, only heat-treated
|
Pallets – CHEP or LOSCAM branded, painted, chemically fumigated
|
|
Any outdoor timber - decking, lattices, fencing
|
|
|
Any outdoor timber - furniture
|
|
|
All window and door frames 
|
|
|
Doors 
|
|
|
Vegetation such as sticks, palm fronds, tree logs 
|
|
|
Mouldy or rotting wood 
|
FAQs
How do I know the difference between particleboard, plywood, MDF and hardboard / Masonite?
The easiest way to identify the type of wood you have is to look at its sides. You may need to saw into the sides to expose the cross-section.
| Particleboard | Plywood | MDF / Hardboard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface | Flat, can be uniform or varied | Flat, natural variations | Flat, uniform |
| Sides | Rough, visible wood chips and gaps | Rough, visible layered wood, not perfectly parallel | Smooth, uniform, no visible wood grain, rings or knots |
| Particle size | Wood chips | Wood layers | Sawdust |
| Reaction to water | Swells, warps and discolours | Resistant | Swells |
Will this be a regular offering?
Timber recycling will continue to be available at Council's future Reuse and Recycling Events. In 2025, our residents dropped off over 4.5 tonnes of timber to be recycled and diverted from landfill.
Who can drop timber off?
Northern Beaches residents can attend and drop off eligible timber at our Reuse and Recycling Event. Businesses or out of area attendees are not able to access this service. They are able to drop off eligible timber at Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre and fees will apply.
What will happen to the collected timber?
Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre sends the eligible timber collected to reDirect Recycling who blend it with other raw materials and process it back into new particleboard sheets to be used in kitchen cabinets and other joinery at their facility in Oberon. Find out more.