The modern rustic look has made a comeback, and with it, the post and beam construction technique has reappeared. Whether it is the old-time feel of the log cabin or the more modern open rafters with the huge support beams, the heavy timber framing can help you find what you want in the look and feel of your home’s creation. Here are some things you may want to know about post and beam construction from the past to the present.

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Homes are not the only part of your property that grows old. Did you know that the ground under your home does too? The earth moves and shifts all the time, and with each of these movements, your home settles or moves just a little bit. The land can rise as if the earth is taking a breath, or it can sink as if the earth is dissolving. Sometimes one section of your home will suddenly settle down between a fraction of an inch and an inch or two. This earthly compression is especially frequent after a flood, earthquake, or other natural disaster. If your house ever has movement problems, here are how post and beam repairs can save your home.

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Timber frame homes have been around for many years. What started as strictly wood structures now have modern features. The result of this construction model is a beautiful, long-lasting home for homeowners who love an open floor plan.

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If you have ever watched a stick-built home go up, you may either be surprised or appalled by how flimsy these materials often appear to be. They do not embody the idea of a strong and safe home. Because of this, more homeowners are turning to timber frame homes. These homes do cost more than the average stick-built homes, but come with the added benefits of a higher-quality build and better energy efficiency.

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Building a home from the ground up can be an exciting prospect. Designing and building your own home can ensure you get the exact layout and appearance you want. While there are many different architectural styles and construction methods to consider, you may want to think about the advantages of timber frame homes. This unique style turns some of the structural elements of your building into beautiful design elements.

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Your great room is the perfect gathering place for your friends and family. Whether you’re hosting a party or staying warm by the fireplace on your own, it’s essential to choose a design that fits your needs. Here are some tips to get the most out of your timber framing project.

Focus on the Views

There’s nothing worse than beautiful bay windows facing the side of a building or an attractive street. When designing your great room, keep your surroundings in mind. Timber framing provides an elegant view on the interior, so compliment it with luxurious views out your window.

Face your windows to your backyard, wooded area or scenic overlook. Don’t be afraid to splurge on additional windows to take full advantage of lofted ceilings or picturesque views.

Choose Your Furniture Wisely

From end tables and bookshelves to recliners and sofas, choose your furniture to match your timber frame great room. Once you’ve invested in elegant timber interior, you want to match it perfectly. Whether you choose a log cabin look or a more modern mix of textures and colors, the inspiration should be the timber itself.

If your furniture doesn’t match your great room, it could ruin the entire effect of the timber frame. Choose premium wood products or soft, contrasting fabrics to create a memorable and welcoming space.

Light a Fire

Finally, your timber frame great room wouldn’t be complete without a fireplace as the focal point. Whether you choose an ornamental, electric, gas or wood-burning fireplace, an ornate stone or brick fireplace can bring the whole room together. A wood-burning fireplace is a popular way to heat your home naturally while enjoying the rustic look and feel of an actual fire.

With these design features in mind, it’s time to start planning your new great room today. From new builds to renovations, timber framing can be a popular, long-lasting and unforgettable choice for your home.

Building a home starts with a solid foundation and a sturdy frame on which the rest of the house is built upon. However, the frame can get expensive depending on the type of material used. Timber framing provides homeowners with a durable, convenient and environmentally-friendly building option that many can afford. The centuries-old process uses modern technology to build customized, durable home structures.

Durable Material

Regardless of the environmental conditions of the area, you can build a robust house with a timber frame. Interior frames use 15 to 30 cm thick timbers for most structures. The material withstands cold and warm climates. The tenon and mortice joints provide greater durability than nails used in wooden frames. Steel joints offer additional durability to the frame especially when the foundation is shallow due to ground conditions.

Convenient Build

Timber framing is ideal for a custom designed home. You can design the home of your dreams and have the frame created with those plans. The home build moves faster than other building methods. Insulation comes pre-fitted onto the frame saving time and money on the build. The frame uses panels designed around your house plans to provide a custom look. The optimized process has about two centuries of proven durability with the benefit of modern technology.

Environment-Friendly

Timber is environmentally friendly as it costs less energy to manufacture and process. The home provides excellent circulation requiring less energy usage throughout the winter and summer months. They ventilate better cutting down on the number of greenhouse emissions needed to power the home. The non-toxic, organic timber uses up to 4 tonnes of carbon dioxide less than conventional building options.

Building your home with timber framing makes for a great retirement home that is affordable. Find a local construction that uses timber in their framing. Your home frame is sure to last for decades with robust material in the design you want.

Maybe you have heard of timber framed houses, but aren’t entirely sure if that is a good idea for your new home. Well, here are four ways timber framing is ideal for you to build your new house with so you can have the home of your dreams.

1. Cost Effective

First of all, it is cost effective. You can achieve savings through low labor costs thanks to the quick assembly and fewer processed materials. A professional contractor can offer assistance in the design and help you keep the costs down while staying on budget.

2. Quick Assembly

Due to the simple design and amount of materials, it is a relatively quick assembly process once the wood is delivered from the warehouse. While it’s possible to do this yourself, we highly recommend hiring a professional contractor to construct the house. That way, you can be assured that everything is where it should be and completely safe.

3. Strong and Durable

For a strong and durable structure, timber framing is the solution. Wooden poles are placed directly into the soil, which provides a sturdy foundation that isn’t affected by weather. The timber can bend without cracking or breaking, which allows it to move and breathe naturally. Beams are also reinforced with trusses and joists for added stability. All of these combine to create a sturdy house with a long lifespan.

4. Energy Efficient

Lastly, there are large cavities within the walls where extra insulation can be placed. This cuts down on heating and air conditioning costs. It also helps keep the house a cost effective investment throughout the years.

Build Your New House With Timber

If you are wondering what materials you should use to build your new house, consider timber framing as a contender. When you hire a professional contractor who specializes in timber buildings to do the work, you can design the home of your dreams.

Every material has pros and cons, which makes choosing the right one difficult. To help with the process, take a look at the top five advantages of choosing timber framing for your new home construction.

Major Benefits

While you may be more familiar with other types of housing, consider a timber-framed house. Below you’ll find the five benefits of using timber for building a house:

1. Durability: During construction, wooden poles are built directly into the soil, which provides greater stability in the foundation. The trusses and joists also add more strength to the overall structure.
2. Energy: The structure is built with plenty of space between the walls so you can add extra insulation. This helps cut down on heating and cooling usage and costs. If energy efficiency is important to you, inform your contractor and ask what other methods you can use to make your home more energy compliant.
3. Flexibility: Timber framing allows for a great deal of flexibility in the construction. Wood is a natural material that can bend without breaking. More than that, you can design your house in a way that doesn’t require load-bearing walls.
4. Build time: This type of house has a relatively simple build design, which means it requires less time to build. Your contractor could have your new house built in no time at all.
5. Cost: Besides saving money on energy bills, you can also save during the construction process. It’s a simple method for building, which means you can cut down labor costs and building costs. In the end, this type of housing construction is incredibly cost effective.

Contact a Professional Contractor Today

With the facts laid out like above, it’s easy to see the advantages of a timber framed house. We recommend you hire a professional contractor to help you design and build a house using timber framing so you can live in a home you love.

There are many material options to choose from when building your dream home, not to mention all the other factors to consider. We’ve put together a list of the top three reasons why you should choose timber framing for your construction.

1. Flexible

Flexibility comes in all forms, especially with timber buildings. During construction, wooden poles are set into the ground, making the house more stable and less likely to have foundation issues. The wooden beam frame also enables you to add on to the house at a later date with a porch or roof overhang extensions if you want. Not only that, but you can also create a floor plan that is open or closed, because there are no load bearing walls. A professional contractor can design the layout you want.

2. Energy Efficient

The next reason is that timber framing creates buildings that are energy efficient. The construction allows for large spaces in the wall where more insulation can be put. That means you won’t have to crank the air conditioning or heating to keep the interior at a comfortable temperature. Your contractor may also be able to install other energy efficient materials, so be sure to ask.

3. Durable

Lastly, these buildings are made to last and withstand all sort of weather conditions. Due to the wooden poles that go into the soil, these constructions can hold up under heavy loads of snow and rain as the weight is transferred to the soil rather than the roof. The naturally sturdy timber provides greater strength and lengthens the lifespan of the building.

Post-Frame Buildings Are the Way To Go

If you are planning on building a new home or other structure, ask your professional contractor about timber framing as the construction material. Not only is it durable and flexible, but it is also energy efficient. All of these factors combine to provide a strong and cost efficient building.