Homes with Soul

Most houses built in the U.S. are "stick built", meaning that they are framed of 2x4, 2x6, 2x8, or 2x12 lumber. Frames are made and covered with plywood, and these walls are tied together and roofed over. The structure is completely hidden inside sheetrocked walls.

In contrast, in timber frame construction, the first step is to build and raise a massive post and beam frame, and then the house's skin - wall panels, roof - is hung on that frame. The timber ends and joints are mortise and tenon, and pegged together with wood pegs.

Therefore, when the house is done, its skeleton is out in plain view- and you are surrounded and protected by this massive wood. The sense of enclosure and welcoming is powerful.

Raising a Frame

Pegging a Joint

Flying in a Timber

Fitting

Tap hole sugar maple flooring, ash and cherry cabinetry, and halogen lighting bring warmth to the kitchen.

Building the Timber Frame From Local Lumber

While timber frames are now becoming more common, there are a number of things that make our buildings special.

A building site might, for example, be forested with pine, tamarack and fir. When we clear it, we work to incorporate some of that wood in the house. In some cases the trees are of high quality and can be used for beams and boards in the enclosure system.  In this case we have a local sawyer come saw it into timbers and boards with a portable bandsaw mill.

If it is old pasture a fair portion of the wood may be curvy and is normally considered worthless. However, by following the natural curve of the limb or using a fork in the round, these unusual pieces maintain their strength and bring an organic feel to the frame.  In that way, the curved local wood turns from junk into a gorgeous hand-carved feature!  Often the side boards from these curving pieces find their way into the home as trim for windows and doors, or perhaps a live edge shelf.

Rather than using lath turned pegs, we hand rive ours and shape them on a shaving horse, making a stronger and more delightful peg.  When a client wishes, timbers are hand planed bringing another level of texture and finish to the wood.

Timbers From Stump to Kitchen

Clearing the Site

Judging a Timber

Hand Planing

Curved Local Timber in Final Location