Rooted in tradition. Built for today.

The History of OT Timber Frames

The story of OT Timber Frames starts back in 1985 when a thirteen year old boy left Canada, moving back to Switzerland with his family. During a career day at his new school, he visited a local carpentry shop. Surrounded by the smell of fresh-cut wood and the sound of tools at work, a passion was discovered that would shape the course of his life. In the years that followed, he went on to complete a formal 3-year apprenticeship in European Timber Framing and earned his Technical Master Timber Framer Diploma from the University of Applied Sciences in Bern. Here, he developed a strong foundation in European timber traditions, precision, and craftsmanship. With his training in hand, he returned to Canada in 2003, settling down in beautiful Williams Lake, ready to apply his skills on a larger scale. 

That boy was Oliver Tritten—and his journey would go on to form the foundation of OT Timber Frames.

The Beginning

OT Timber Frames officially got its start in 2010 when Oliver took a leap of faith and began building something of his own, out of his garage and a pop-up tent. Just one year later, in 2011, the company moved to where it is today—running all operations out of what now is only a small corner of the finishing shop. It wasn’t fancy, but it worked, and it set the foundation for everything that followed.

From Forest to Finish

A major turning point came in 2013 with the purchase of OT Timber Frames’ first sawmill. For the first time, the team began milling its own logs, and with that, the forest-to-finish concept was born. By taking each piece of wood through the entire process—from raw log to finished timber—OT Timber Frames could control quality at every step and ensure each beam met the highest standards.

Building a Reputation

For much of its early history, the company focused on full-build projects—managing everything from design and fabrication through to installation. This hands-on, start-to-finish approach shaped the way OT Timber Frames works to this day, instilling a deep understanding of how timber performs on site and what builders truly need.

Technology Meets Craft

As the company grew, so did its investment in technology. In 2021, OT Timber Frames added its first low-temperature vacuum kiln, gaining greater control over drying quality and consistency. With the addition of a second low-temperature vacuum kiln in 2024, kiln-drying capacity expanded to 1.5 million board feet per year. In 2023, the purchase of the company’s first CNC machine marked another milestone—streamlining production while delivering precise, repeatable timbers.

That same year, in 2023, OT Timber Frames made a strategic shift. Building on years of experience delivering complete projects, the company refocused its efforts on what it does best: manufacturing and supplying high-quality timber products. Today, OT Timber Frames partners with builders, architects, and designers, providing timber frames, prefabricated panels, and specialty wood products that are crafted with care and built to perform.

What began in a garage has grown into a large-scale timber manufacturing operation—still driven by the same passion for quality, craftsmanship, and smart growth that Oliver began with.