• Home
  • Custom Homes
    • Custom Home Construction
    • Timber Frame Construction
    • Remodeling Services
  • Green Building
  • Our Process
  • Portfolio
    • Timber Frame Building
    • Custom Home Building
  • Photo Galleries
    • Timber Frame Photo Gallery
    • Custom Home Building Gallery
    • Home Interiors Gallery
  • Blog
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Testimonials
    • News
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Custom Homes
    • Custom Home Construction
    • Timber Frame Construction
    • Remodeling Services
  • Green Building
  • Our Process
  • Portfolio
    • Timber Frame Building
    • Custom Home Building
  • Photo Galleries
    • Timber Frame Photo Gallery
    • Custom Home Building Gallery
    • Home Interiors Gallery
  • Blog
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Testimonials
    • News
  • Contact Us
facebook
linkedin
email

From The Blog

Wood Choices for Timber Frame Homes

Ultimately, the showpiece of a timber frame home is the wood. As you begin the process of designing your new home, choosing a species for the frame will be one of your first decisions.

There are structural factors that affect the decision, particularly with large homes, based on support loads and distance of spans (for windows, doors, etc.). Considerations include: shrinking, strength, warping and workability. Black Canyon Builders will guide you through that process.

For the most part, however, wood choice will come down to your preferred aesthetic. With a Woodhouse timber frame, you can choose from Southern yellow pine, white pine, Douglas fir, oak, or reclaimed wood.

Southern yellow Pine (Pinus spp.): Southern yellow pine is similar is structural strength and grain pattern to Douglas fir, yet is a fraction of the cost. It’s our best selling material. It is primarily sourced from FSC-certifie plantations and is a sustainable, fast-growing wood. The finish is blond in color with a tight straight grain that looks clean and light.

Southern yellow pine. Courtesy Pennington Hardwoods.

White pine (Pinus strobus): White pine tends to be the most preferred species for timber framing. It is easy to work with, shrinks very little and stays quite straight as it dries. Aesthetically, white pine ranges from creamy-white to deep tan, darkening as it ages. It is relatively free of knots.

A note on Blue Stain: White pine is susceptible to a fungus called Blue Stain, that develops in the wood just after it is cut. The result of a Blue Stain affected timber is a blue, stripy patina. It doesn’t impact the strength or integrity of the timber, but rather adds aesthetic interest. It has come to represent a desirable look in finish carpentry and cabinetry, particularly.

White pine. Courtesy www.remodelista.com.

Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii): Douglas fir is easy to work with and has a high load capacity. This means, it is a good option for larger structures. Aesthetically, Douglas fir has a warm, orange-ish coloring with uniform longitudinal striations. It is widely appreciated for how beautifully it ages.

Douglas fir. Courtesy of www.wood-database.com

Oak (Quercus spp.): Several types of oak are used in timber framing. It is of the more expensive options, because its strength and density make it more challenging to work with (than other often used species) and heavier to transport. However, its strength lends well to supporting heavy loads and allows for smaller timbers, if desired. Aesthetically, there is significant color variation and patterning, and it’s often preferred by those going for a traditional look.

White oak. Courtesy Elmwood Reclaimed Timber.

Reclaimed timbers: If you desire to use reclaimed timbers we can do that too. Reclaimed timbers are sourced from all over the country and come from old homes and dismantled industrial buildings. The character and stability of reclaimed lumber is distinctive, often laden with signs of heavy use and of storied pasts that lend to great party conversations. Sizes and species vary, with costs being more than new timbers. A natural aged patina is typical, however these timbers can also be cleaned, planed, or stained to your taste.

One example of a reclaimed timber. Courtesy Elmwood Reclaimed Timber.

Cracks and Grade: All large timbers will form “checks,” or notable cracks along the grain. In all but the most rare of cases, checks do not impact the stability or integrity of the timber.

Timber grading represents the structural strength (and consequently the appearance) of the wood. Factors that determine grade are: knot size and number, fungal rot and breaks in the wood. Woodhouse uses only the highest grade and specification in the industry.

Thanks,

Jared

Black Canyon Builders

16 Jun 11
By : jogden
Comments : 0
About the Author

Social Share

  • google-share

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

*
*

Get Around

  • Back To The Blog
  • News
  • Portfolio
  • Photo Gallery
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Sign Up for Email Updates

Sign up for our Enews to receive updates and information from Black Canyon Builders:

Sign Up Now

Search By Category

The Blog Archive

About Us

Jared Odgen | About Black Canyon BuildersBased in Durango, Colo., award-winning Black Canyon Builders has designed and built custom homes for all of Southwest Colorado since 2006. Founder and president, Jared Ogden, is a craftsman and general contractor of the highest level - weighing integrity, communication, skill and artistry on equal measure. Learn more about our approach.

Timber Frame Building

Timber frame construction spans centuries and cultures; it is a visual manifestation of the blending of art and engineering. As one of the premier timber frame builders in the Southwest region, Black Canyon Builders has built award-winning timber frame homes. We are an independent builder, and we will work with either our in-house team or your preferred architect to create full or partial timber frame homes.

Our Portfolio

Black Canyon Builders, Durango, CO, Timber frame construction and details

Timber Frame Raising and Construction

15 Dec 13
Black Canyon Builders, Durango, CO Significant Remodel Historic Home, kitchen and dining area

DeCoste Historic Remodel

13 Dec 13
Black Canyon Builders, Durango, CO custom sustainable home, exterior

Custom Mountain Contemporary

12 Nov 13
© 2013 - All rights reserved by Black Canyon Builders