Workshop
Green oak timber framed building is great way to create a highly durable, warmly atmospheric and surprisingly affordable living space. It stems from one of the oldest methods of jointing timbers, but has seen a huge resurgence in popularity in recent years. Subsequently, techniques in roofing, insulating, cladding and glazing these modern frames have been developed that allow this new breed of timber building to be as competitive as any in terms of speed of construction, energy-use during and after build, longevity, and, when looking at all of these factors, value for money.
As much as possible, we try to use timber grown and milled in Cornwall and the South West of England, though occasionally we use French Oak from a sawmill in Normandy. The frames are cut in our Falmouth workshop...each joint is carefully laid up and scribed to allow for the shape of each individual timber, and then cut and finished using a mixture of hand and power tools. Hand cleft oak pegs hold the jointwork together to create a structural skeleton of strength and beauty. This can be finished in a variety of styles, from rustic and quirky through to crisp contemporary buildings.
Wherever possible we like to use "timber-only joinery", and generally stay away from steel pins, brackets and other shortcuts that some firms use in place of design knowledge and accurate carpentry. That said, my interest is very much in "Building with Wood", not just traditional heavy oak timber framing, and I relish chances to work in different styles and with different materials. I've worked in Oak, Chestnut, Larch, Douglas Fir, alongside Stainless Steel wires and plates, glass and brass...in short, I like to look at mixing the best of the old with exciting new designs and materials that stop us from all living in cold drafty huts. Craftsmanship and authenticity are always at the fore front of our work though.
I can generate CAD drawings of any proposal, and am always happy to work with architects and builders to ensure a high quality end result, no matter what size or scale the project. Larger jobs occasionally involve collaborations with other timber framing professionals in the area; there is a pool of skilled self-employed carpenters in this part of the South West, and the benefit to the customer is a large skills and knowledge base without the associated costs of a large out-of-county contractor.
