Timber Trusses by Custom Woodcraft Builders Inc. Custom Woodcraft Builders sells trusses & bents direct to other builders and architects. |
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TIMBER TRUSSES - BEAM TRUSSES |
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'A man who works with his hands is a laborer. A man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman. But a man who works with his hands and brain and heart is an ARTIST. -Louis Nizer CUSTOM WOODCRAFT BUILDERS MANUFACTERS TIMBER FRAMES &
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Visit our main website - Custom Woodcraft Builders
We make the log home & timber frame building process simple.
Now offering Beamery timber frames & trusses being made right here in Indiana. Visit our shop and see your dream being handcrafted before your eyes.
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NEW - EXTENSIVE INVENTORY OF HISTORIC RECLAIMED TIMBERS, HAND HEWN BEAMS, LUMBER AND HARDWOODS.
MORE INFORMATION AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE - SCROLL WAY DOWN.
Be sure not to miss a wide array of log home and log cabin suppliers, builders and accessories at the Outdoor Sport Lake & Cabin Show in Fort Wayne Indiana March 12-14, 2010. This event is produced by Coliseum Productions Inc.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT
TIMBER FRAMING
What is the difference between Log, Timber Framing, and Post and Beam?
Log buildings have the logs, which are either round or squared off, stacked horizontally, creating the walls.
Post and Beam buildings are any buildings that have upright posts supporting horizontal beams. Timber Post
and Beam buildings are post and beam structures made of timber, held with metal brackets. Timber framing
is a specialized version of post and beam that is built like furniture, using mortise and tenon joinery, held in
place with wooden pegs.
What are the benefits of Timber Frame building?
Energy Efficiency. The building is most often completely enclosed in an envelope of insulated panels which
create an extremely efficient enclosure. High R values, no air infiltration; an additional benefit of using panels
is that with the OSB everywhere on the inside wall, you have a nailing surface wherever you want to hang
something.
Aesthetics. The feel of a timber frame building is one of warmth, strength and security. The knowledge that
your home is handcrafted by caring people adds a palpable quality.
Stability. Unlike log homes, there are no settling problems to take into account.
Open Floor Plan. Since there are typically no interior load bearing walls, your floor plan can be very open,
and can be changed as the needs of the occupants change.
Longevity. Timber frames are structurally very sound buildings, which will last hundreds of years. Many have
survived major natural disasters, including hurricanes and earthquakes, in very good shape.
How much do Timber Frames cost per square foot?
This question is similar to asking, “How much does a new car cost?” The answer is, “It depends.” There are so many variables influencing this cost, that until you have a basic floor plan and rough frame design, and some ideas about the choices of wood and degree of finish and embellishment you are interested in, you will not get a very useful estimate. It can be stated, however, that the cost of a timber frame is comparable to a well built custom home with extensive cathedral ceilings and open space with comparable finishes.
Some builders will give a range of cost per square footage, but it is in your best interest to really understand what affects this range. Also, keep in mind that how square footage is calculated directly affects any estimate given in terms of square footage. Including porches, garage, etc. in the square footage of the home will of course skew the price from a quote which includes heated space only. If you are comparing estimates, make sure the square footage is calculated on the same basis in each case.
The price of a timber frame varies according to how many pieces are in it, what species and quality of wood is
chosen, how the timbers are finished, what embellishments are added, and any exceptional site requirements.
1. Efficiency of frame design. In the same floor plan, you could add a bent or two and have 20% to 30% more timber in the project – which will clearly completely change the cost per square foot.
2. Wood selection.
Quality. (Dryness & growth pattern). You have choices ranging from green wood, which could be
either old growth or second growth, to kiln dried or recycled wood. Each of these can markedly affect the
price of the frame. Basically, the more stable the wood (drier, denser) the less the joinery will open over time,
and the less checking you will see. In a well built timber frame, these two issues (shrinkage and checking) do
not tend to be structural, so this decision is based on aesthetics vs. cost.
Species. There are many species that can be used in a timber frame. Individual builders tend to have a few
choices of wood species that they work with, and they can tell you the pros and cons of each choice. Some
are available in longer lengths, some offer greater strength in a smaller dimension, some are considered
prettier or more interesting.
3. Frame detailing. The added embellishments on a frame (drop pendants, carvings, etc).
4. The finish on the timbers themselves is a serious consideration. The choices include rough sawn
wood, a sanded and oiled finish, hand hewn, adzed, sand blasted or nylon brushed. You might apply a clear
oil, stain or even a colored wash, like a light white wash.
5. Site Requirements. Accessibility to your site will be a factor in determining the cost. Can a truck and
trailer drive right to your site, or will there be extra handling? Can a crane be brought in? Of course, these
considerations apply any home built on a site, but it is something to keep in mind.
The Rest of the House. Beyond the timber frame, you will make myriad choices that will affect the finished square footage cost. If you like stucco and slate roofs you will be in a higher part of the price range than if you accept asphalt shingles. Hybrids, making the choice to do part of the project as a timber frame and part as stick building, can sometimes make a project more affordable - consider timber framing the public areas and build the wings with structural insulating panels. In the end, you have only three variables to work with in the homebuilding process: size, quality and budget. You can set two of these, and the third will be set automatically, like the sides on a triangle. Rather than sacrificing quality for a large home if your budget is tight, consider challenging your designer to design high quality, comfortable, smaller spaces.
Custom Woodcraft Builders can help select your log cabin & timber frame home package or simply build what has already been chosen.
Custom Woodcraft Builders (CWB) narrows the volume of options and confusion in choosing the right log home and timber frame package that fits your life style. Custom Woodcraft Builders brings all of that information and answers to your many dreams – simplified - right to your doorstep. Whether your preference is timber frame, post and beam, milled log, handcrafted log, engineered log or a hybrid in between; CWB walks you through the entire process from beginning to end.
From luxury log home plans and expert timber frame designs, through detailed budgets and construction financing, to daily viewing of your project actually being built via our job site web camera, Custom Woodcraft Builders is your partner in making your log cabin or timber frame home a reality.
Custom Woodcraft Builders consults homeowners through the process of selecting the best log home kit or timber frame home package that best fits your lifestyle. CWB eliminates the confusion and ensures your goals are met.
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At Custom Woodcraft Builders, our goals are many – but simple.
First and foremost, you are our client and your satisfaction is imperative. Custom Woodcraft Builders truly has the philosophy the client is always right. No typical 'construction company excuses'. This is a specialized business with experienced log home and timber frame experts. Expect the business professionalism you deserve all the way through the job. 2nd – complete open book pricing. We mark up no products and get all products at wholesale, saving you money. How do we make money? A flat general contractor fee across the board on everything. But as we are actually building your project - the construction manager – you would pay that anyway. We can be your architect, source of materials and builder all in one. 3rd – we want you to recommend us. That means we will do everything possible to satisfy and protect.
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Custom Woodcraft Builders is a wholesale dealer for many of the products and components we will utilize in your home. Log home kits, timber frame designs , structural insulated panels (SIPS), unique roofing, custom doors, high quality windows, handcrafted trim and railing, wood stain and protection, cabinets and counter tops, handcrafted furniture and more. We literally bring the log home or timber frame show to your door step. We have spent a decade literally on the ‘inside’ of the log home and timber frame industry from coast to coast. The Custom Woodcraft Builders team is your literal ‘single source’ for log cabins , timber frame building , post & beam homes or hybrids. We literally know almost everyone – every manufacturer – every supplier in the industry on a first name basis.
PUT CUSTOM WOODCRAFT BUILDERS TO WORK FOR YOU TODAY!
Approved builder for Lincoln Logs, Precision Craft, Kuhn's Brothers Log Homes, Heartwood Timber Frames, Tennessee Log Homes, Appalachian Log Homes, Town & Country Cedar Homes, Cougar Creek Timber Frames, Wilderness Log Homes and more. CWB is also on the approved builder list for project financed by Chase Bank.
Timber Frame Homes - Log Homes - Post & Beam Homes - Hybrids
Manufacturers of log home and timber frame packages: Does your client need log home or timber frame home builder? Contact Custom Woodcraft Builders today!
Member Better Business Bureau
EXAMPLES OF TRUSS STYLES
Rooms tucked between timber rafters are fun to sleep in.
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Timber frame roof systems and trusses create dramatic cathedral ceilings.
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Trusses and roof systems can be designed to withstand heavy snow loads and span long distances. 
your roof system.
Reclaimed Lumber - Reclaimed Beams - Reclaimed Wood Reclaimed Trusses - Reclaimed Logs - Reclaimed Hardwood Pure 'green' building! Custom Woodcraft Builders maintains an extensive inventory of recycled lumber from authentic Midwest barns and cabins over 100 years old. Our inventory of a variety of wood species include poplar, beech, oak, hickory and chestnut from native and virgin Midwest forest. If your preferred wood type is not in stock, our long list of historic barns to be dismantled will surely include it.
Custom Woodcraft Builders is careful to preserve all historical aspects of any antique timber it dismantles. Our inventory is from a diverse collection of unique structures that all have a common historical connection. Lumber for these barns were likely harvested from the forest just a few feet away from where they were put to use. The size and shape of the timber usually conformed to the size of the trees in the nearby forest. The technique of hewing (shaping wood with a Adze or Broad axe) was a carpentry skill that was passed to father and son, a trait that distinguishes each one of these reclaimed timbers - but also gives them a common connection. Their new use would only be appreciated by the original craftsman. Our skill and effort to preserve these historic timbers and antique beams gives them new life insuring their survival into the next generation.
From magnificent barn support timbers spanning the length of the original structure, to hardwood siding and hand hewn beams with traditional mortise and tenon joinery, there is a wide selection to make your home or office one of a kind. Antique reclaimed timbers are a part of our American Heritage and fortunately Custom Woodcraft Builders is offering the chance for that heritage to continue - in your home.
The time is now to start your project utilizing these historic hardwoods handcrafted by our pioneer ancestors. Contact Custom Woodcraft Builders today! Scroll down for additional information about the history and uses of reclaimed lumber.
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Reclaimed Lumber Reclaimed lumber is used wood that has been taken for re-use. Often this is wood from from long-standing idle buildings, and its sometimes refinished for new purposes. Most reclaimed lumber comes from timbers and decking rescued from old barns, factories and warehouses and some companies have been known to source wood from less traditional structures such as boxcars, coal mines, and wine barrels. Reclaimed or antique lumber is used primarily for decoration and home building and is often used for siding, architectural details, cabinetry, furniture and flooring.
Wood origins
In the United States of America, wood once functioned as the primary building material because it was strong, relatively inexpensive and abundant. Today many of these woods that were once plentiful are only available in large qualities through reclamation. One common reclaimed wood, longleaf pine, was used in factories and warehouses built during the Industrial Revolution. Longleaf heart pine was once the most functional wood for construction in America. It was slow-growing (taking 200 to 400 years to mature), tall, straight, and had a natural ability to resist mold and insects. More importantly, it was abundant. Longleaf yellow pine grew in thick forests that spanned over 140,000 square miles (360,000 km2).
Another previously common wood for building was the American Chestnut. Beginning in 1904, a chestnut blight spread across the US killing billions of American Chestnuts. Before the wood was destroyed, it was used to build barns and other structures, which preserved the wood for later reuse when these structures were later dismantled.
Barns serve as one of the most common sources for reclaimed wood in the United States. Barns constructed up through the early part of the 19th century were typically built using whatever trees were right there on the property. They often contain a mixed blend of oak, chestnut and other woods including poplar, hickory and pine. Beam sizes were limited to what could be moved by man and horse. The wood was either hand hewn using an axe or squared with an adze. Early settlers also recognized the oak from its European sub-species. Soon red, white, black, scarlet, willow, post and pin oak varieties were being cut and transformed into barns too.
Mill buildings throughout the southeast also provide an abundant source of reclaimed wood. Some of these buildings and complexes comprise more than a million square feet of floor space and can yield three to five times that amount of board feet of flooring. These buildings also often have no economic or reuse possibility and can be a fire hazard, as well as having varying degrees of environmental cleanup required. Reclaiming lumber and brick from retired mills puts these materials to a good use instead of a landfill.
Properties of reclaimed lumber
Reclaimed lumber is popular for many reasons: the wood’s unique appearance, its contribution to green building, the history of the wood’s origins and the wood’s physical characteristics such as strength, stability and durability. Reclaimed beams can be sawn into wider planks than the harvested lumber and many companies purport that their products are more stable than newly cut wood because reclaimed wood has been exposed to changes in humidity for far longer and therefore more stable, allowing them to be used with radiant heating systems. In some cases, the timbers from which the boards were cut have been slightly expanding and contracting for over a century in their previous installation. Radiant heat, with its low temperatures and even distribution affects the wood flooring the same way, but the impact is much less dramatic with antique wood than newly sawn wood because antique wood has already been through this cycle for years.
Reclaimed lumber industry
The reclaimed lumber industry gained momentum in the early 1980’s on the West Coast when large-scale reuse of softwoods began. The industry grew due to a growing concern for environmental impact as well as declining quality in new lumber. On the East Coast, industry pioneers began selling reclaimed wood in the early 1970’s but the industry stayed mostly small until the 1990’s as waste disposal increased and deconstruction became the more economically savvy alternative to demolition.
LEED
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is the USGBC’s benchmark for designing, building and operating green buildings. To become certified, projects must first meet the prerequisites designated by the USGBC then earn a certain number of credits within the six categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials & resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation & design process. Using reclaimed wood can earn credits towards achieving LEED project certification. Because reclaimed wood is considered recycled content, it meets the Materials & Resources criteria for LEED certification and because some reclaimed lumber products are FSC certified, they can qualify for LEED credits under the “certified wood” category. The time is now to start your project utilizing these historic hardwoods handcrafted by our pioneer ancestors. |
