If you’ve ever stood in the timber aisle at Wickes with a trolley full of wood and a boot that definitely isn’t long enough, you’ll understand why this topic still comes up so often. For years, getting timber cut down in store felt like part of the deal. These days, it’s a lot less straightforward.
My local store used to offer the cutting service, but it doesn’t anymore, and yet, online searches seem to suggest it is still being offered. So I spoke to Wickes customer service team to work out exactly what the truth of the matter was.
Here’s what I actually know, without guesswork or DIY folklore filling in the gaps.
What Happened To The Cutting Service
Wickes used to offer a cutting service much more widely across its stores. That service was largely withdrawn around the COVID period, so roughly 2020 to 2021.
There’s no published end date, no big announcement, and no explanation page tucked away on the Wickes website. It simply stopped being a standard, nationwide service during that time.
Today, Wickes does not advertise a cutting service online, which strongly suggests it is no longer considered part of its core in-store offering. This is despite rivals such as B&Q keeping their wood cutting service running.
Some Stores Still Offer It
Despite that, the cutting service hasn’t disappeared entirely.
Wickes customer support has confirmed that a small number of stores still offer cutting services on a local basis. This explains why some people are saying it still exists and others say that it doesn’t.
As things stand, the following stores were named as continuing to provide it:
- Barking
- Harlow
- Edmonton
- Southampton
- Swindon
This lines up with Wickes’ own social media responses in 2025, which stated that some stores still offer cutting, without committing to it being widely available.
Hi. Yes we offer a timber cutting service. The service is available in store for materials purchased at Wickes stores. TW
— WICKES (@Wickes) May 23, 2025
The key point here is that this is not a company-wide service anymore. It exists only in 5 selected locations and can change at any time. Considering Wickes have approximately 230 branches throughout the country, this basically means the cutting service has been terminated. Only a very small number of people will be close enough to the stores mentioned to get their wood cut in store.
What Are The Rules?
This is where expectations need to be kept firmly in check.
Wickes does not have a central policy for its remaining cutting services. When asked directly, customer support confirmed that details such as limits and conditions are handled by individual stores and aren’t set at a national level.
What can be stated factually is:
- The service is managed at store level
- There are no published company-wide rules
- You need to speak to the specific store for exact details
In practical terms, cutting services like this are typically intended for basic, straightforward cuts and only apply to materials bought from the same store. They are not designed for complex work or precision joinery. However, Wickes has not officially published or confirmed specific limits, so none of that can be treated as guaranteed.
I would imagine there is a limit to the number of cuts you can ask for and that they all have to be fairly basic straight cuts.
Why People Still Expect It
The reason this keeps catching people out is simple. Wickes used to do it, and a handful of stores still do. That leaves just enough evidence floating around to make it feel like the service should still exist everywhere.
Especially since many other timber suppliers do offer cutting as part of the deal.
In reality, timber cutting at Wickes is now the exception, not the norm. If you’re banking on it, the safest move is to ring the store before you load the car or start planning the job around it.
Or go to B&Q instead.