Sourcing solid wood decking boards from China
Solid wood decking boards from China classified under heading 4409 carry 0% UK duty across the relevant lines. The importer placing timber on the Great Britain market must carry out timber legality due diligence. Specify species, outdoor treatment and the machined profile before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources solid wood decking boards.
Zero duty on continuously shaped decking
Heading 4409 covers wood continuously shaped along its edges, ends or faces. For solid wood decking, check the actual grooves, rounded edges and other machining against the heading description. The table separates softwood profiles sharing a code, tropical wood and other hardwood. See the wider wood mouldings and parquet guide.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the relevant Chinese-origin lines carry 0% duty, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no tariff suspensions recorded. The supplied tariff attaches CITES import and export controls to these lines. Importing CITES specimens requires a permit; ask your customs broker to confirm the species-specific requirement for boards from China.
Confirm with the relevant authority or customs broker what harvest information, legality risk assessment and risk mitigation are required of the business first placing timber on the Great Britain market. For regulated wood material, a phytosanitary certificate is required. Ask your broker to check whether the species and origin make the shipment regulated. Confirm the commodity code using the species and profile drawing.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coniferous decking boards with grooved faces | 4409 10 18 00 | 0% | None |
| Continuously shaped tropical wood decking boards | 4409 22 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other non-coniferous continuously shaped wood decking boards | 4409 29 99 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the decking profile and outdoor use
Write the botanical species, country of harvest, board dimensions, length mix, moisture target and tolerances into the order. Provide a cross-section drawing showing face grooves, edge radius and any fixing grooves. Agree which face is installed upwards and approve a sample with the intended fixing.
Specify untreated, preservative-treated or thermally modified wood explicitly. Ask for the treatment process and batch records, and evidence supporting the proposed outdoor use. Agree acceptable knots, sapwood, splits and colour variation. Do not accept a grooved face alone as evidence of slip performance.
Collect the timber legality file before shipment. Confirm the applicable treatment and marking requirements for solid wood pallets and crates with the relevant plant health authority or your customs broker, using the site's published wood guide as a starting point.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 50 cubic metres of shaped hardwood decking boards under 4409 29 99 00, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £27,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,000, so it is £5,400. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Species and records: match board identification, harvest origin and batch references to the agreed timber legality file.
Moisture and shape: measure moisture across bundles, compare drying records, and check bow, twist, cupping and end splits.
Profile and fixings: measure thickness, width and groove position against the drawing; trial-fit the specified clips or screws during inspection.
Surface and packing: check splinters, torn grain, knots and treatment consistency against the sample; inspect bundle protection and pallet treatment marks.
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What goes wrong
Decking arrives wet, cups after unpacking or splits around fixings. Groove positions drift, leaving clips loose or preventing boards from seating. Torn grain and projecting splinters make the walking surface unacceptable. Treatment descriptions can also differ between the quotation, sample and production batch.
Keep the approved profile drawing and sample with the inspection brief. Compare boards from different bundles, trial-fit the fixing system and resolve missing harvest or treatment records before loading.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on solid wood decking from China?
The relevant heading 4409 lines carry 0% duty in the supplied tariff facts. No anti-dumping or countervailing measures or tariff suspensions are recorded.
Does every solid wood decking board belong in heading 4409?
Check whether the board is continuously shaped along its edges, ends or faces. Give the broker the species, cross-section drawing and machining details rather than relying on the description 'decking'.
What timber legality documents should I request?
Request the botanical species, country of harvest and supporting harvest and supply-chain records. Confirm with the relevant authority or customs broker the legality risk assessment and mitigation obligations of the importer placing timber on the Great Britain market.
What should I check before accepting a decking shipment?
Check moisture, bow, twist, splits, splinters and profile dimensions across bundles. Trial-fit the intended fixings and compare the treatment records and board grade with the approved sample.