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Building a Timber Frame
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Why Build a Timber FrameWhy
build a timber frame? Timber frames are
green from the beginning. From sustainable timbers,
built to last centuries, and to be very efficient,
they fulfill the essentials of “green”.
One
of the most compelling reasons to build a timber
frame home is the longevity associated with timber
frames. There are homes which were built in the 13th
century in Great Britain which have been continually
inhabited comfortably since then. And there are many
which were built in the 1600s on in this country
which are still lived in. Not many stick built homes
are expected to last more than 40 years.
There
are no load bearing walls in a timber frame.
Consequently, one may have as many windows or doors
in a wall as one wishes, and interior walls may be
changed or removed as the homeowner wishes, with no
structural consequences. Timbers may be recycled at
the end of the buildings life, some centuries down
the road.
The frame is quite strong by
itself, and when combined with the very strong
structural insulated panels or sips on the walls and
roof, it becomes even stronger. Timber frames have
been resistant to storms and seismic events which
have destroyed many other stick built homes nearby.
There
are other compelling reasons to use sips as
insulation. Their use costs somewhat more initially,
but is regained in 5-7 years, and saves considerably
thereafter in lowered heating and cooling costs. For
example, an 1800 sq. ft. home insulated with sips,
heated and cooled by an electric heat pump alone, is
costing on an average, $50. per month to heat,
cool, and power. This means it costs less to build
and live in this house for 7 years than another less
efficient home. And from 7 years onward, at todays
prices, the owners of this timber frame are probably
saving $2500 per year for possibly the next few
centuries.
Disadvantages of fiberglass
infill stud wall construction are 10 times the air
flow through a sips wall, settling over time of the
fiberglass to make efficiency even less, and cold
bridging by each 2x stud. In a timber frame, sips
are applied outside the frame to provide a tight
envelope around the walls and roof.
The
beauty of a timber frames is another valuable
consideration. There is something about the beauty
of being able to see large structural wooden
timbers, their connections and the way in which they
obviously work together, that is always interesting
and reassuring. With sips, the buildings are very
quiet and restful. Temperature variation from bottom
to top of the structure is minimal, and ductwork
need not be run to outside walls, saving HVAC costs.
Efficiency of the HVAC (Seer) can be increased and
size (or tonnage) diminished also saving money.
Walls
of well built timber frames are straighter than most
stick built buildings.Timber frames use equal or
less wood than stick built structures.There is
little to no waste created on the construction site.
Buildings usually go up from subfloor to dried in
and insulated structures within 2-3 weeks, allowing
comfortable work in any weather, and minimizing
exposure to the elements. Sips can come with rough
window and door openings in place, ready to accept
off the shelf windows and doors, and speeding the
drying in process.
With the use of local
timbers such as Eastern White Pine, a timber frame
building with sips for insulation is essentially
green from the beginning. That is, it is
sustainable, durable, and efficient. |
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Cabin
Creek Timber Frames | 6624 Georgia Rd. | Franklin, NC 28734
| Toll Free: (877) 369-5899
Phone: (828) 369-5899 | Fax:
(828) 369-8512 | Email:
info@cabincreektimberframes.com
All
images, renderings, photos, plans, text: © Copyright
1996-2010 Joseph O. Bell, III for Cabin Creek Timber Frames,
All Rights Reserved Worldwide, All Designs by Joseph O.
Bell, III for Cabin Creek Timber Frames. |
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