Vermont Timber Frames
VTF specializes in traditional timber framing featuring handcrafted mortise and tenon joinery. Unless specified, there are no steel connections or visible hardware.
THE TIMELESS APPEAL OF WOOD
VTF frames can be made of almost any wood. Douglas fir is most typically specified by our customers, but red and white oak and NewEngland white pine are also popular. Various cedars are chosen by our clients occassionally. Straight and naturally curved braces of pine, oak, and cherry are often used.
We build from newly cut material, and also from posts and beams saved from structures which may date back to the 1800's. For many people recycled timbers are preferable because of their dimensional stability and the environmental benefits of re-use. Costs can be prohibitive however.
Whether you choose new or recycled, you can select the surface treatment you want: a rugged, natural look, or a more refined, finished appearance.
THE PROCESS
The strength of the timber framing art results from the economy of its parts... the posts and girts and sills, rafters and braces that are the basic elements of the frames. Each of these elements is designed to perform a very specific task in the overall structure.
These basic parts are laid out and cut in one of the large work spaces at our shop in New York. The early timber framer took pride in his tools, and used them with great skill. While we use power tools and sophisticated CNC machinery for the heavy work, the finishing details are done using hand tools, some of which have been restored by our craftsmen from originals that may be more than 100 years old.
Once the beams are shaped, mortises are cut. The bulk of the mortise is removed using power tools, but the fine finishing work is often executed with hand chisels that are fastidiously sharpened and used in much the same way as the early builder used them more than 200 years ago.
These carefully constructed joints give the timber frame its unique strength, and make possible the large open spaces and grand proportions that are the trademark of the "timber frame style."
STANDARD DETAILS
Housed Joints
The recessed area around the joint of one timber is made to provide housing for an intersecting member. This method of joinery provides more stability and strengththan a non-housed joint, while disguising the effects of shrinkage on the timber-to-timber fit over time.Even our braces are housed.This attention to detail preserves the structural integrity – not to mention the appearance – of the timber framefor hundreds of years.
Drawbored Pegs
Unfortunately, this ‘lost art’ has begun to be overlooked. The tenon and mortise holes for a given joint are purposely offset slightly so the corresponding peg is pre-bent as it is driven into place. The process not only ensures a tight fit immediately, but it also draws the tenon into the mortise as the frame dries and shrinks over time. When old timber frames are disassembled, the pegs that have been in place for the life of the frame can resemble fishhooks. Indeed, drawboring is a tried and true method of pegging.
FLEXIBILITY
In order to preserve the beauty and integrity of the frame, certain methods of joinery and crafting cannot be compromised. That being said, Vermont Timber Frames offers an astounding amount of flexibility in the finishing details. Often it is these details that are most compelling to the eye, adding the ultimate mark of distinction while accentuating the aesthetics of the frame itself.
The chamfer that softens the edge of the timber, the gentle effect of a tapering post, or the wood grain of an important structural element are all designed to achieve a sense of lightness and grace that belies the strength of the basic construction. After collaborating with the client and/or the architect, we can get a sense for the general aesthetics that are desired and offer suggestions for how to highlight – however subtly or boldly – those aesthetics.
Surfacing
Once the species of wood is decided upon, the surface of the timbers in a frame helps capture the overall feel of the home. Whether the wood is new or recycled, the surfacing treatment can offer varying degrees of a rugged, natural look, or a more refined, finished appearance.
Surfacing four sides (S4S) provides a refined, more contemporary look. Rough sawing provides an increasingly rough, rustic finish.
Scrub planing gives timbers a hand-tooled, antique furniture-type texture. Sand blasting softens the wood, giving it a unique grain-enhancing look and feel. Finally, adzing or hand-hewing can be used for authentic reproductions or to create an historical texture. Many of the old New England barns have been adzed.
Finish
By far, it seems, the most popular finish for a Vermont Timber Frame is no finish at all. The natural look and feel of wood is quite often the most appealing to our clients. However, various stains can be applied to help achieve particular aesthetics. Also, our signature citrus-based (and eco-friendly) finish doesn't so much stain the timbers as it delicately brings out the grain and protects the timber during the construction process. This finish works particularly well on Douglas fir timbers.
Braces
The braces in a timber frame offer yet another opportunity for clients to add character to their home. Specialty species of wood can be used for the braces, offering a beautiful contrast to the larger members in the frame. Pine, oak, cherry, maple, and birch are all often used in this manner.
While straight braces are standard, various types of curved braces are possible as well. Cut curved braces involve taking a straight piece of timber and cutting out a rounded brace. Naturally curved braces are beautiful option, although it can be difficult to locate appropriate materials. Some of our clients have found particularly eye-catching timbers on their site and had us incorporate them into their frame. The most cost-efficient and timely method of including naturally curved braces in a frame is to choose from our inventory of curved material. Steam bending provides another alternative to achieve curved grain in a curved brace. This method was derived from the ship-building industry.
Chamfers
While softening the edge of the timber for safety purposes, as well as to meet fire codes, chamfers also provide an opportunity to enhance the overall aesthetics of a timber frame. Our clients often customize their chamfers within their own frame to help define areas or spaces within their floor plan. There are countless chamfer details. Chamfers tend to become simply a matter of preference for the owner and architect. Sensitivity to details such as these can raise a fine design to an even higher level.
Orientation
No matter the species, cut, or grade of timber, Paul Martin and his crew personally inspect and orient the timbers upon arrival to our shop in order to maximize a client’s desired aesthetic. This enables us to take advantage of a particularly eye-catching grain, for example, and place it in a focal point of the home.
Vermont Timber Frames is committed to the careful integration of details such as these!
Client Testimonial
"The whole process has been so fun!"
- Donna Gann
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