FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Communication with clients is key. There are a few basics MATF needs to get started: a floor plan (including a transverse section and a longitudinal section, if possible), elevations, and either a verbal or written explanation of where timbers are expected to occur in the project.

Then we’ll discuss specifications for the timber — which wood species to use, the surface conditions of the timber, and whether to leave its natural color or apply a stain. MATF will also ask if any ancillary products are desired, such as roof SIP insulation or tongue-and-groove deck boards.

Bigger picture, MATF likes to understand a client’s expectations for three things. This can help guide decisions as we quote.

Bulk: Are you going for minimal visual impact? Or big and bold?

Beauty: Do you prefer simple lines or ornate design with a lot of detail?

Budget: What are the limitations on what you can spend?

First, its high strength-to-weight ratio makes it a very efficient structural wood. It’s also machine friendly and easy to work with. This lets us cut detailed designs using mortise-and-tenon-style joinery, and it receives screws and nails well.

Douglas fir has aesthetic advantages too. It takes glue, stain, and paint well, so a wide variety of looks can be achieved in the finishing process. And unlike some woods, it does not give off an unpleasant odor.

In practical terms, Douglas fir is readily available. We buy vast quantities from a mill in the Northwest and keep the inventory in our shop. Large sizes are available too (up to 48” x 48” in cross-section and 52’ long), perfect for the large spans often found in timber frames.

It also helps us support sustainable forestry. Newly planted Douglas fir trees grow quickly, so forests replenish in a shorter amount of time.

Timber frames are suitable for almost any style of building, both residential and commercial. Open, airy timber frame construction suits large spaces such as luxury homes, equestrian arenas, event venues, even high rises. At the same time, the warmth of wood is perfect for more intimate, comfortable spaces, such as spas, restaurants, and cottages.

Consider timber frame construction for projects as diverse as wineries and breweries, wedding venues, community centers, schools and universities, golf courses, retail spaces, party barns, and outdoor pavilions and kitchens.

The main elements of timber frame construction include timbers, crossbeams, joints, and trusses.

Timbers are the wooden beams that create a building’s frame. Vertical timbers are called posts. A timber frame structure is fully constructed of vertical posts and horizontal beams.

Crossbeams connect the post beams together and give a structure stability. The location where two beams come together is called a joint.

Joints are connected with mortise and tenons and secured with wooden pegs. There are many types of joints, ranging from simple to complex. Common types include lap joints, mortise and tenon joints, and dovetailed and pegged joints.

Trusses are a rigid triangle of timbers. They provide support for the roof but also allow for column-free floor space, typically on the top floor of a structure.

Read more about timber frame elements on our blog.

At Mid-Atlantic Timber Frames, we insist on the best-grade lumber available. Our timber frame buildings are constructed mainly from Douglas fir, eastern white pine, red cedar, and oak. However, we can also work with your custom wood preference.

For mass timber buildings, we use cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glued laminated timber (glulam) solid wood panels, which provide exceptional strength, stability, and durability.

When part of a building is timber framed but other parts are constructed with more conventional methods, that is considered a hybrid design. Many of our projects are hybrid timber frame designs.

Log buildings are built with logs, which are either round or squared off, stacked horizontally, creating the walls.

Post and beam construction has upright posts supporting horizontal beams. Timber post-and-beam construction are post and beam structures made of timber, held together with metal brackets.

Timber frame construction is a specialized version of post and beam that uses mortise-and-tenon joinery held in place with wooden pegs. Check out our blog post on this topic to learn more.

Heavy timber construction is a building method that uses large, rustic, heavy timbers that are joined together with traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery. While heavy timber construction is a form of timber framing, it specifically refers to larger building structures, not timber frame homes.

Mass timber construction is a framing style that uses large solid wood panels, typically engineered into multiple layers, for wall, floor, and roof construction. This style uses a product called cross-laminated timber (CLT), which consists of layers of lumber that are oriented perpendicular to one another and then glued together to form structural panels. Another product used is glued laminated timber (glulam), composed of individual wood laminations bonded together by moisture-resistant adhesives. These panels provide exceptional strength, dimensional stability, and rigidity. Mass timber is ideal for tall wood buildings, schools, multifamily and hospitality spaces, public and institutional settings, and office and mixed-use buildings.

A timber frame home or commercial timber frame building requires little maintenance and will still be beautiful, structurally sound, and energy efficient 100 years from now.

Timber frame structures are among the most environmentally friendly building types out there. Our timber frames are built with sustainable practices, with timbers that come from well-managed forests, and we also recycle much of the timber waste produced by the manufacturing process. In designing buildings, we use passive techniques to take advantage of the natural climate to maintain thermal comfort, so buildings can be efficiently heated and cooled.