Learning Centre

OT Timber Frames are wood-building specialists who are masters in
the art of traditional Timber Frame building methods.

Why Timber Frame?
Wood Options
Learn About Joinery

Timber frame building uses heavy squared off timbers from a variety of woods, depending on client needs and preferences. These timbers are finely selected, milled, fitted, and expertly joined by our team to build anything from small accents to large scale structures.

OT Timber Frames has a vast inventory of premium timber to select the best wood suitable for your building project and our skilled sawyer expertly mills timbers to meet our stringent specifications for cutting your custom timber pieces.

Why Timber Frame?

When people ask “Why build a Timber Frame?” We provide the following reasons:

The beauty of natural wood

Our timber frame homes and buildings are designed to emphasize the timber’s inherent strength and beauty maximizing the visual appeal of exposed wood and natural timbers.

Environmentally friendly

When finished with SIPs panels our timber frame homes and buildings dramatically reduce both energy consumption and ongoing energy costs.

Minimal hardware

Joinery is primarily handcrafted using mortise and tenon type construction. This method of cutting out the timbers and fitting them together then pegging them with wooden pegs is much stronger and a more stable method than conventional framing or conventional post and beam.

Timber options

The size and species of timbers used in your timber frame home or building can be crafted to your specifications and engineering requirements. We also offer reclaimed wood for that rustic look, adding to the charm and appeal of your home.

Style flexibility

Our unique building systems give you the option of choosing your own building style and customizing your timber frame build, making it rustic or elegant, whatever look you desire.

Less waste

Timbers are pre-cut and wall systems are pre-cut and assembled at our manufacturing facility, resulting in less waste at the building site and quick assembly of your timber frame build. During the timber frame layout, our skilled craftsmen ensure maximum utilization of the entire piece of wood prior to cutting.

On-site installation

Timbers are pre-cut and wall systems are pre-cut and assembled at our manufacturing facility, resulting in less waste at the building site and quick assembly of your timber frame build. During the timber frame layout, our skilled craftsmen ensure maximum utilization of the entire piece of wood prior to cutting.

We can make your Timber Frame dream a reality!

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Choosing the right wood for your project

In considering the best wood for your project, OT Timber Frames is proud to
build with the following species and guide you in your selection:

Joints & Joinery

OT Timber Frames ensures that all technical considerations are taken into account for every build; from the type of wood and the size of the timbers, to the required structural elements, such as vertical posts and horizontal beams, purlins, and trusses. Our expert craftsmen use their hands-on experience while our master draftsmen use their technical knowledge to ensure that your project is not only structurally sound, but aesthetically pleasing, elegant, intricate, and beautiful.

Joinery is a part of timber framing that involves joining pieces of timber to produce more complex components of the structure being built. Some wood joints employ fasteners, bindings, or adhesives, while others use only wood elements. The characteristics of wooden joints – strength, flexibility, toughness, appearance, and function – derive from the properties of the materials involved and the purpose of the joint. Therefore, different joinery techniques are used to meet differing requirements.

Each timber joint is determined first by mathematical calculations to ensure that the angle and type of joint is properly laid out and marked on the piece of timber before it is cut, then expertly cut to fit two or more pieces of timber together to form the joint. The joint is not only beautiful but also structurally sound. Cutting is done either by hand using power or hand tools or using state of the art pieces of equipment to create the perfect cut.

Mortise and Tenon

A stub on the end of one piece of wood (the tenon) will fit snugly in a hole cut in another piece of wood (the mortise).

Dovetail

The dovetail joint is used primarily to interlock two pieces of wood. This strong joint is often used where the end is going to be visible for its’ aesthetically pleasing look.

Sheer Key

Used to increase the structural integrity of a beam and allow for greater spans without additional support posts the sheer key adds a strong interesting feature to your timber frame build.

Scarf Joint

The Scarf Joint is a strong joint used for splicing beams together to extend the length of the beam.

Questions?

Do you have a question that is not listed here?

Click below to call or email us, we would love to answer that for you.

You shouldn’t have to settle when it comes to your dream space.

We’ve helped over 300 people and organizations build their perfect timber frame space since we began in 2010.

Let’s build your perfect space today!

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