The Tamar Joinery Company

Green Oak Timber Framing

Traditional Green Oak Timber Framing

01822 840848

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We specialise in the design, construction and erection of traditionally jointed and pegged bespoke timber framed buildings and green oak structures, mainly locally to us in Devon & Cornwall but we occassionally work further afield.

Our Oak Sawmill : We use locally grown English timber which we carefully select, grade and saw on our own sawmill in Devon.

Our timber frames : are all made in our workshop and framing yard near Tavistock in Devon using English Oak, Douglas Fir or Larch. Each of our frames is individually designed and absolutely unique. We can make different styles of timber frame, from very contemporary frames with straight cut timber, to traditional medieval style green oak 'cruck' frames where the two paired halves of a curved oak tree are used. Our timber framers use traditional carpentry techniques and we take pride in producing beautiful, durable, energy efficient buildings using locally sourced renewable materials.

Design Service: We work closely with an architectural designer and we can provide a full design and drawing service for your timber framed buiding project. Alternatively we are happy to work with your own architect or frame designer.

Glazing Green Oak: Green oak requires the application of specialist glazing techniques and we can offer a glazing service for our own timber frames.

The small gazebo shown on the right is built by the traditional scribe framing method of marking and cutting timber. This method allows for the accurate jointing of hand hewn or crooked timbers. Our timber frames can therefore be made using either straight cut timbers or rustic looking bent or 'wainy' edged timbers.

The photo above shows a timber framed oak gazebo, with an integral seasoned Oak seat.

We are members of The Carpenters Fellowship www.carpentersfellowship.co.uk

Traditional Green Oak Heavy Structural Timber Framing

Our lead timber framer is Nigel Harrison."I have been involved in many unusual carpentry projects over the years, and I first became interested in building green oak timber framed structures when my imagination was caught by the strength, beauty, and extraordinary durability of English Oak timber framed buildings. I am passionate about preserving traditional carpentry techniques and using them to construct new, durable, energy efficient buildings, using local sustainably produced, renewable materials".

Traditional Timber Framing: Materials and Methods.

This photo shows the detail of the Lap joint between tie beam and wall plate

When making our timber frames, we remain as true as possible to traditional jointed and pegged timber framing methods. The oak pegs can be cut flush but many of our customers prefer some to be left raised as a feature as shown in the view from inside a section of a glazed garden room, shown below.

Sawmilling: Locally grown English Oak being cut on our sawmill in Devon

We are committed to supporting our forestry industry which in turn will encourage local managed production of timber as a source of both renewable fuel and sustainable carbon neutral building material. We have our own sawmill and we buy good quality local timber in the round which we grade and saw ourselves. This allows us to control timber quality and ensure a supply of naturally curved timber for use in curved braces and tie beams. We will also supply sawn timber, oak, douglas fir, larch or chestnut, cut to order.

The photo above shows a naturally curved oak beam used in a porch and below, a jowell post is being finished.

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Above and below are sections of green oak frames laid out in the workshop with temporary iron hook pins during construction.

The photo below shows an adze being used to hand shape rafters.

Below is a green oak timber frame used in the restoration and conversion of a stone barn into a home office/workshop

Wood fuel Boiler room - Below is a garage/barn with an integral boiler room for a wood fueled heating system and wood store. This frame was made from locally grown green oak with the roof structure comprising collared trusses with wind bracing and purlins made from local Douglas Fir.

The photo below shows a green oak glazed atrium and entrance porch under construction

This photo shows a green oak timber store being clad with oak battens

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A green oak swimming pool end frame shown under construction above and below shown glazed with argon filled toughened K glass.

The internal oak wall partitions forming a gallery over the swimming pool area are shown below avaiting glazing.

An octagonal oak post used as the central pillar on a circular staircase is shown above being hand shaped and below, shown awaiting roof covering.

The roof and octagonal post are craned into place using our telehandler with crane jib.

Our telehandler with a 2 man work platform and a crane jib is an invaluable aid to raising timber frames. Below, an oak truss is shown being craned into position.

A green oak lych gate is shown below.

Frame Drawing, Design and Planning

We will construct timber frames from your own architects design or we can provide a full design and CAD drawing service for your timber framed building project. We work with an architectural designer who will prepare drawings for planning approval and building regulations purposes.

In addition, we have specialist timber framing software which allows us to create our own 3D CAD detailed workshop frame drawings (as shown above and below) for our carpenters to work from and which we use when it is necessary to instruct a structural engineer. These drawings can also be used to show our customers a 3D image of their building project.

A traditional 'topping out' ceremony on raising the frame of a green oak sling brace house extension.

Double Glazed Green Oak Conservatory/garden room, in the process of being glazed by us using Planitherm high performance toughened low u double glazed units.

Green Oak Trusses

Green Oak trusses can add character to buildings and can be made in many different styles. Shown below is a house extension with King Post trusses made from English Green Oak with curved struts. (Kitchen units by Pete White at www.TamarValleyWoodworks.co.uk) We will make up an individual truss or a full roof as required.

The photo below shows a section of some English green oak trusses to be used in the restoration of a barn at Brimpts Farm on Dartmoor.

The photo above shows a glazed green oak garden room/conservatory awaiting roof covering.

The picture above shows a 2 bay timber framed hip roof garage under construction. The main structure of this timber frame is made from green oak and the rafters are made from Douglas Fir.

A gable end garage and a gable end barn are shown below finished with green oak cladding.

The picture below shows the roof strucure of a green oak hipped roof gazebo with pendant.

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A green oak sling brace house extension during construction, and on the left, shown at design stage in a 3D frame drawing.

The house extension, after roofing, glazing and green oak cladding is shown below

Shown below is a double glazed green oak conservatory / garden room which benefits from light on all three glazed sides but has a fully insulated roof allowing for year round use.

The picture below shows a green oak pergola roof using curved

sections of oak to mirror the curve of the colonades and walls, built at Trago Mills

in Newton Abbot, Devon

Glazing Green Oak Timber Frames

Glazing green oak requires specialist techniques to overcome problems which could be caused by movement of the timber. The demands of building controls as well as a basic need for good energy efficiency means that efficient glazing is an essential part of modern timber framing. We offer a glazing service for our own oak timber frames. As the quality of the timber used and the finish of the frame to be glazed are both critical in ensuring a successful glazing system, we will not glaze timber frames made by others. In the photo on the right, Nigel is shown finishing the external double glazing panels on one of our green oak frames. The glazing system we use is the tried and tested Scandinavian drained and ventilated system. This system glazes directly onto the outer surface of the frame and uses a softwood packer (air dried locally sourced Larch for high durability) fixed to the frame to space the dry oak cover board the correct distance off the glass. This allows for flexibility if there is movement in the oak as the seal is kept intact. The best quality stainless steel fixings are used and the air dried oak cover boards are machined by ourselves from joinery grade timber.

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