Obviously, timberframes require large beams. At first glance it might seem like a travesty to cut large, old trees for construction. However, wood is one of our few renewable resources and unlike production stud-framed houses which often last only a few generations, timberframes will remain in useful service far longer than it takes to re-grow the trees that make them. Many of the frames our shop produces are cut from reclaimed or salvaged timbers. These beams come to us from many sources including old barns, mill buildings, warehouses and bridges. Reclaimed timber is usually very high quality, old-growth wood which has been dried to stability in it’s previous use. We like to think that our homes will last forever but if they are disassembled someday, the beams we put in them can be used again in other buildings.
Sadly, more than half of the homes built in America since World War II have already been torn down. (National Association of Home Builders) The vast majority of these homes was stud-framed and didn’t last as long as a 30 year mortgage.
Build a timberframe to have a conversation with future generations about beautiful, renewable buildings.