'     "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 Valuable Custom Woodcraft Builders Coupon

TURN-KEY CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN BY CUSTOM WOODCRAFT BUILDERS   Custom Woodcraft Builders exclusively designs and builds for the log home and timber frame industry. All we build is log and timber frame homes. Our timber frames are made at home in Indiana in a small shop in Whitestown - all handcraft by long time artisans. Our logs are all bought wholesale direct from the mill with no middleman. From design to turn-key construction, Custom Woodcraft Builders and its team of architects and craftsman will make your timber frame home project a reality. Just added to very bottom of page, information on reclaimed timbers and additional timber frame building details. Please visit our main site : www.customwoodcraftbuilders.com

Now offering Beamery timber frames & trusses being made right here in Indiana. Visit our shop and see your dream being handcrafted before your eyes.

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.

Trusses & Roof Systems Custom Woodcraft Builders also sell trusses direct to builders and architects. EXAMPLES OF TRUSS STYLES  TIMBER FRAME ROOF SYSTEMS Above all, a timber frame roof.

Rooms tucked between timber rafters are fun to sleep in.

Timber frame roof systems and trusses create dramatic cathedral ceilings.

Supported by posts, a timber roof system      shelters a New Hampshire ski lodge by Heartwood Timber Frames.      TIMBER FRAME ROOF SYSTEMS ADD VALUE A timber frame roof system adds value and distinction to your home. ALLOW DESIGN FLEXIBILITY Roof systems are designed and engineered to meet the specifications of your building plan. ARE COST EFFECTIVE Even complex hip and valley joinery is fabricated with speed and efficiency in CWB local shop here in the MIdwest. Components are numbered and ready to install when they arrive at the building site or preassembled based on size and access Roofs for stair towers take many different shapes.

TIMBER FRAME TRUSSES

Timber Trusses can be installed on stress skin panel walls, reinforced stick frame walls or log walls. These trusses and connecting purling were assembled on the ground. They are being installed on 2x6 stick frame walls.

Port Oxford Cedar Trusses Douglas Fir Trusses Two houses demonstrate how timber trusses can help a room to feel cozy and how they can define the well-balanced proportions of a room with a vaulted ceiling.

Trusses and roof systems can be designed to withstand heavy snow loads and span long distances. CWB can pre-cut your roof system. TIMBER FRAME TRUSSES STRONG Trusses are engineered to meet local building codes. ACCURATE Roof components are precut to an exacting standard. EFFICIENT Trusses are easy for builders to assemble and install saving valuable construction time. BEAUTIFUL Timber rafters and timber trusses add natural beauty to any room. Trusses can generally be spaced 16' apart if they are connected by purling spaced 4' on center.

If purling do not fit the design of the house, additional trusses, placed closer together, provide the structure necessary to support the roof. Timber trusses create interest in the formal dining room of a conventionally framed home.

Many wood species to choose from. Pick up or delivery. Installation or drop-off. Structural or decorative. Traditional mortise and tenon joinery. We sell direct to builders and architects as well.

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DEFINITIONS OF COMMON TERMS RELATING TO

LOG OR Timber Frame STRUCTURES

AIR DRIED - stacking wood prior to installation to allow air movement to evaporate moisture for a prescribed period of time

ANGLE BRACE – a structural component, on a slope, used to secure other parts of the structure. May be permanent or temporary.

APEX – the highest point as in the peak of a roof; considered as the point at which an angled line meets the centerline of a round log.

BACKER-ROD – a length of extruded polyethylene rod used for chinking joints. Used as a bond breaker and backing material for additional caulking or chinking material.

BARGE BOARD (BARGE RAFTER) – ornamental or protective board located in the soffit of the gable end.

BASEROUND (BASECOURSE) – the first course of logs in a wall resting on the foundation or

sub floor.

BAY – The space between two timber frame bents.

BEAM – a principal horizontal structural member, used to carry vertical loads.

BEAM POCKET – a notch in a wall prepared to receive the ends of a beam.

BENT – The structural network of timbers, in a wall or truss, making up one cross sectional part

of a timber frame.

BEVEL CUT – an angled or sloping cut made on a board, timber, or log

BLIND MORTISE – a mortise that does not extend completely through the piece.

BLIND NAILING – nailing in such a manner that the nail-head does not show on the finished

surface.

BOLT – a threaded metal rod with nuts used to fasten two pieces of wood together.

BORATE (BORAX) – a chemical used for preservation of wood and reduction of sap stain derived from sodium borate.

BOUND WATER (ADSORBED, OR HYGROSCOPIC WATER) – water held hygroscopically

in the cell wall; water in wood below the saturation point.

BUCK (ROUGH BUCK) – a lumber-framed system used to form the opening for a window or

door in a log wall.

BUTT JOINT – a joint made by bring two ends together without overlapping them. The ends are square cut and meet at the cut surface.

CAULKING (SEALANT) – material used to achieve airtight and watertight joinery; sealant that

is differentiated from chinking by its smooth, non-textured appearance.

CHECK (ING) – Appears as a crack in the log or timber and occurs as the wood is seasoning;

separation of wood cells along the grain as a result of uneven shrinkage (differential tension and compression stresses in the wood structure); a natural and unpredictable result of the seasoning

process that generally does not affect the structural integrity of the log or timber.

CHINKING - A synthetic material used to fill the space between logs and consequently

weatherproofs the structure.

COLLAR PURLIN – horizontal, longitudinal beams that support collar ties.

COLLAR TIE (TIE LOG) – a horizontal log or timber between 2 opposing rafters that prevent

sagging and spreading of the roof structure.

COMPRESSION FIT NOTCH – a log notching technique whereby the joint becomes tighter as compressive loads exert force on the notches.

COMPRESSION SPRINGS – springs used in conjunction with lags, screws, or nails that provide additional pressure on the components being joined.

COPE – a notch cut longitudinally in a log, typically on the underside, which conforms to the

contour of the log below

CORBEL – a piece or pieces projecting out from the wall thereby providing support for

subsequent layers, such as girders, arches, or similar horizontal components.

COUNTERFLASHING – a flashing which, when applied over the regular flashing, allows for

settling of the structure and slippage at the flashing connection, while still maintaining a

weatherproof seal.

COURSE OF LOGS (ROUND, LAYER) – One complete layer of logs in the structure’s shape;

raising the height of the walls by one round of logs.

COVE – a shallow round shaped groove cut into the underside of the log.

CROSS-GRAIN – deviation of grain direction from the longitudinal axis of a piece of wood or

from the stem axis in a tree.

CROSS TIE LOG – a horizontal beam spanning the structure and thereby connecting opposite

walls and counteracting roof forces exerted on the walls.

DRAW BORING (DRAW-PINNING) – offsetting holes in a mortise and tenon joint, into which a tapered pin is driven.

DRIFT PIN – a pin that is driven into a hole slightly smaller in diameter than the pins diameter.

DRIP CAP – a flashing installed over openings such as doors and windows in order to divert

water.

DRIP CUT – typically a cut in the underside of a sill log that prevents water from penetrating the sill connection. Also used on the sill of doors and windows

DRY, DRYING (AIR DRIED, KILN DRIED, SEASONED) – the condition or process defining

the moisture content of wood; in lumber grading, having a moisture content of no more than 19%.

EAVE BLOCK (BIRD BLOCKING)– a lumber or timber block that fits between the rafters on

top of the plate to prevent birds from entering the roof space, attic, or airway.

EQUALIBRIUM MOISTURE CONTENT (EMC) – the moisture content eventually attained in wood exposed to a given level of relative humidity and temperature.

FIBER SATURATION POINT – the condition of moisture content where cell walls are fully

saturated but the cell cavities are empty of free water.

FILLER LOGS– short log pieces used to fill gaps between floor joists/beam/floor,

rafters/plate/decking, etc.

FLITCH – a portion of a log sawn on 2 or more faces, commonly on opposite faces, leaving two

waney edges. Also known as the upright leg of a metal connector, or in some cases the plate used

in a connection that is cut into the center of the joint and thus hidden from view.

FLITCH PLATE (KNIFEPLATE) – a metal plate cut into the center of a log or timber

connections, bolted to the components, in order to provide additional shear and tension strength.

FLY RAFTER – the end rafter on a roof overhang, typically on a gable end, that is supported by

the ridge, trimmer, and lookout rafters.

GIRDER – a horizontal beam carrying floor joists.

GIRT – a horizontal timber connecting 2 posts. Traditionally used for attaching vertical sheathing.

GRADING – a process used to determine the volume and quality of logs, lumber, and timbers.

GRAIN (DIRECTION) -- The direction of the long axis of the dominant longitudinal cells or

fibers in a log, timber, or board.

GREEN (LOGS) – freshly cut and unseasoned wood (logs); having moisture content in excess of 19%.

GUSSET – the connectors used on truss work that provide strength to the joints. May be plywood, metal, boards, or other materials of equal strength.

GUY WIRE – an anchored cable acting as a brace.

HANDCRAFTED LOG SYSTEMS – the craft of producing a structure from logs.

HEAD – the term used to describe the remaining upper portion of log at a notch. When the notch

has been cut into the log, approximately ½ way through the cross section of the log, the remaining part (head) protrudes above the intersecting log.

HEADER – the horizontal member that spans over the top of an opening.

HOUSED MORTISE – a recessed mortise where bearing is provided for the entire tenoned

member

HYGROSCOPICITY – the ability of a substance to adsorb and desorb water.

KEYWAY –refers to the groove cut in the end grain at the side of a door or window opening. A

wood or metal spline (key) is inserted to stabilize the wall sections around the opening.

KILN-DRY WOOD – wood dried to constant weight in an oven maintained at temperatures of

101 to 105 degrees Celsius.

KING POST – as part of a truss, the vertical post that extends from a horizontal member (chord,

joist, girt, etc.) to the peak; connected with the principal rafters.

KNEE BRACE – a diagonal brace, typically at a 45-degree angle between a post and a beam.

KNEEWALL (PONY WALL) – a short wall section; typically above the 2nd floor ending with a roof plate. At times used to define the sides of room built within the roof cavity. May also apply to wall section framed on a stepped foundation wall.

KNOT – a portion of a branch overgrown by the expanding girth of the bole or a larger branch;

that area of the tree’s stem that a branch grows out of; on smooth and planed surfaces appears as a hard round or oval shaped section.

LAP – a place or part where one log crosses over another.

LATHE – in log building a lathe type machine may be used for rough peeling of the bark or in the case of machine-cut logs to shape the log to its finished form.

LOG – A section cut from a tree after it has been felled that is appropriately modified for

placement in a wall, floor, or roof assembly. Graded as an un-sawn round timber.

LOG FACED SYSTEMS (LOG SIDING) – A wood member or assembly of wood members of

any shape or thickness attached to conventionally framed or masonry walls for the purpose of

providing an aesthetic and weather-resisting barrier, including but not limited to log siding, halflogs and non-load supporting full logs.

LOG WALL – An assembly of individual structural-logs for use as an exterior or interior load

bearing wall, shear wall, or non-load bearing wall.

LOG STRUCTURE – A type of construction whose primary structural elements are formed by a system of structural-logs supporting floor and / or roof systems.

LOG-TO-LOG INTERFACE -- The joint formed between logs when stacked or when butted

end-to-end (butt joint).

LONGITUDINAL (GRAIN) – parallel to the stem axis of the tree or branches, therefore

describing the axial direction of the dominant cell structure; along the grain. (any plane cut parallel to the grain direction of wood. It may be radial, tangential or an intermediate grain.

MEAN DIAMETER (MID-SPAN DIAMETER) – the diameter of a log at the approximate center in length. Typically determined by measuring the diameter at each end of the log, adding them together and dividing by 2.

MILDEW (MOLD) – a fungal growth on wood taking place at or near the surface.

MILLED LOG SYSTEMS – Producing a structure with solid wood timbers machined to uniform dimension.

MOISTURE CONTENT – the weight of water in the cell walls and cavities of wood, expressed

as a percentage of oven-dry weight.

MOISTURE METER – an instrument used for the determination of moisture content in wood by measuring the resistance to electric current between 2 probes.

MORTISE – a square or rectangular notch, slot, or hole cut into a structure component that will

accept a corresponding tenon.

MORTISE AND TENON (M&T) – a joint which a projection (tenon) on one end of a piece is

inserted into a notch, slot or hole (mortise) on another piece.

NOTCH – The term refers to the cutting of a log or timber in such a manner that it can accept

another log or timber intersecting it at an angle. Types include:

BLIND – a notch that typically extends only halfway into the receiving member;

BOXED LAPPED – a notch with level and square surfaces cut into each piece;

DOVETAIL – a corner notch or joint with sloping surfaces shaped so that it forces the joint

together and adds strength. A shaped tenon that fits into a corresponding mortise;

HALF DOVETAIL – a variation of the dovetail notch with only one sloping side;

HALF-LAP – a notch where ½ the wood is taken from each piece and the seats are

horizontal and the sides are vertical. MITERED LAPPED – notch that has a 45 degree slope

on the sides and a level surfaces on the lap;

ROUND – a rounded semi-circle shape on the underside of the log that exactly fits the

contour of the log below;

SADDLE – a V-shaped notch that fits over the shaped surface of the log below. Typically

the lower piece is triangular shaped by removing the sapwood from the log

SHEEP’S HEAD – a locking notch with sloping sides cut out of each piece. The locking

joint is not seen after the pieces are fit;

SQUARE (LOCK, DOUBLE-SCRIBED) – a notch that has the identical appearance

outside as a round or saddle notch, but the interior has a square lap joint accomplished by

marking both upper and lower pieces and used for the retention of wood and strength.

OAKUM – hemp fiber matting that is used in log building as an insulating material available as

oiled or un-oiled.

OUTRIGGER BEAM – a beam beyond or outside of the exterior wall that becomes the roof

plate. Typically the supports are the overhang or projection of gable and corresponding cross

walls.

PEG– a 1” or larger, wooden dowel, typically made of Oak; also P.E.G., or Polyethylene Glycol – used as an immersion bath for wood pieces. The bound water in the cells is replaced with P.E.G. thus allowing the wood to maintain its size and shape without checking or cracking.

PIN – a small peg. TYPES: Drift pin, Shear pin, etc.

PLATE (LOG) – the top wall log, beam, outrigger, etc. that supports the lower end of the roofs diaphragm

PRE-CUT LOG KIT – typically a machine cut log package wherein the all the logs are cut to

length, notched, drilled and packaged ready for assembly. At times the term may also refer to a

handcrafted package, when the structure is built off site and then dismantled and transported to the final site.

PURLIN – Horizontal roof beams, typically located between the plate and the ridge. Used to

provide mid-span support for the rafters.

RELATIVE HUMIDITY – the ratio of the amount of water vapor present in the air to that which the air would hold at saturation at the same temperature. Usually expressed as a percent.

SADDLE the shape cut into the head of a log in preparation for notching.

SCARF –the cuts made on the sides of a log, at the location of a notch, as the receiving portion of a Saddle Notch.

SCARF JOINT – a joint made when notching and lapping two timbers.

SEALANT -- A non-hardening resilient material used to fill and/or seal joints (where movement is expected) to prevent the passage of liquids, solids, gases, insects, or sound between two substrates so as to provide a weather-tight seal. This includes caulking, chinking, and preformed tapes (uncured or partially cured).

SAWN ROUND TIMBER BEAMS – Round timbers that are shaved or sawn along one side,

normally loaded on their flat surface and stressed primarily in bending.

SEASONED (SEASONING) -- the act of drying wood to the extent that the moisture content has reached equilibrium with the outdoor atmospheric humidity.

SETTLEMENT – The reduction in overall height of a log wall due to compaction after

construction due to loading and / or shrinkage of individual structural-logs as they dry.

SHRINKAGE – change in dimension due to the loss of moisture content below the fiber

saturation point, expressed numerically as a percentage of green dimension.

SHRINKAGE PANEL – the finish material used to cover the settling space above windows,

doors, interior partitions, etc.

SILL LOG – the first log of a wall, typically sitting on the foundation or floor frame.

SPLINE – a piece placed in slot cuts, grooves, dados, etc. to strengthen joints between two

components. Made of wood or metal. In Log Building spline's are typically used in openings to

stabilize wall sections.

STRUCTURAL-LOG – Wood members of any shape or size normally stacked horizontally or

laid-up vertically to form solid-wood (log) walls in any structure or used for other load supporting members including beams, joists, rafters, girders, columns and truss members that have been visually or mechanically stress graded and grade marked or certified to grade by an accredited inspection agency. This may include members that are glued laminated, edge-glued, and/or finger jointed.

THROUGH-BOLTS (THRU-BOLT) – a threaded metal rod, extending the full height of a wall,

fastened at each end with nuts and washers. Used to provide rigidity, and the ability to tighten a

wall section as settling occurs. Compression springs may also be used to adjust for settling.

TIMBER FRAME – the methods of joining large timbers into a braced structural frame. At times referred to as Post and Beam construction.

WALL-LOGS – Wood members, referred to as wall-logs, which are normally stacked

horizontally or laid-up vertically to form a load-bearing, solid-wood wall in any building. These

structural members can vary greatly in dimension and section profile, and they can also be used as beams, joists, etc. and do not have to be used as wall components.

Custom Woodcraft Builders has partnered with the long time timber framers of The Beamery based in Whitestown Indiana. Custom Woodcraft Builders is the exclusive whole seller the The Beamery frames which are sold all over the country. All frames are handcrafted by our local artisans creating only the finest traditional mortise and tenon joinery from a variety of wood species. All lumber/logs are purchased wholesale and milled ourselves in our lumber yard. We design, build and erect our frames. Custom Woodcraft Builders also offers complete turn-key construction and general contracting of the entire project. Our crews travel have erected frames from Montana to Vermont.

Our frames are not just handcrafted by talented carpenters, but also designed, engineered, installed by skilled craftsman, environmental engineers and licensed architects. With Custom Woodcraft Builders and The Beamery, your plans and ideas are not just reviewed by 'some guy at a desk'. All key personal involved on our team have the formal education as well as the hands on building knowledge. The same person that started consulting on your project in the planning and price quoting stage is also in the shop making the mortise and tenon joinery and then onsite supervising the building process. At each and every step of the way, someone with over 20 years of hands on timber frame experience is on top of your project.

Our master framer is David Watters and has been in this industry for 23 years. Since he received a historical barn book at 8 years of age and proceeded to make a model timber frame bride at 14, David was hooked on timber framing. All of his jobs through high school and college were framing and cabinet making. He even used SIP panels on a remodel job in high school. David has an Environmental Design BA from the University of Colorado with an emphasis in architecture in 1984. Over the years from working in Colorado, Arkansas, Indiana or New Hampshire, David Watters has designed and built over 30 timber frame homes, one national recognized brew pub in the Ozarks (Ozark Brewing Company), scores of architectural trusses and entry facades even a historical covered bridge project in Park Co. Indiana. Experience, service and attention to detail prevail when Custom Woodcraft Builders and The Beamery on the job.

Another reason to choose Custom Woodcraft Builders to design and build your timber frame home is that there are no secrets and our overhead is low. If you want to 'see with your own eyes' the logs for your structure, the timbers being cut, the guys actually making the mortise and tenon joinery for your great room - no problem. We are all locally owned and operated in central Indiana and your more than welcome watch and photograph your dream home becoming a reality. There is no fancy office or far off factory that needs paid for, just hard-working skilled local craftsman. We have shopped timber frame plans to many other many other framers across the country. Our prices are the best - period.

Let us earn your business. Feel free to contact us to visit our operation - Email here

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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!
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. Contact Custom Woodcraft Builders today!