Just "Checking"....

If you've ever been into a Timber Framed Building, be it a home, a church, a school, etc., you may have noticed the different areas where the frame appears to have CRACKED. This is NOT because the wood species chosen was less than perfect, or because it was damaged during installation. Wood is a natural product, and this process called "checking" is normal, and to be expected.

A "Check" is a long crack that appears as the sap wood of a timber shrinks around the heart wood over time.
Checking is not a structural problem, and usually occurs only on one or two sides of a beam. Oak, however, can have surface checks everywhere, which many people feel add to the beautiful rustic appearance of a timber frame.

Other than the appearance of these "cracks", you may notice that certain areas of the wood seem to be seperating, or pulling away from each other.

Shake is the separation of the rings in a piece of wood that occurs as it dries. The wood can also 'peel' off around the rings, similar to the layers of an onion.

I hope this has helped give you a better understanding of why a Timber frame may appear to be less than perfect, but if it was built by Vermont Timber Works, please rest assured that it is as perfect as can be.

That's Entertainment....

Inside of almost everyone,there is a desire to surround yourself with good friends, good food, good music, and good clean fun. But if you are anything like me, you find yourself wishing you could empty the contents of your home to allow for a large enough area to entertain all of your friends and family at once.

Jack Sands of Dublin, NH, a previous client of Vermont Timber Works had just the right idea: "Why not build a Party Barn"?

This barn was built with Heavy Timbers that weathered outsied of our shop for 6 months to create an antique look. It appears as though the barn has been standing there for years.

While mingling with friends and family, Jack is also surrounded by the beautiful quality craftsmanship of a custom built Timber Frame, a timeless conversation piece of its own.

Now THAT'S Entertainment.

Decorating with a twist.....

It seems that this time of year brings about an innate desire to Decorate...
Cornucopias over-flowing with gourds and festive accents, Giant Globes containing Penguins and waving Santas, Icicle lights on every house for miles.

While in the spirit of decorating, why not adorn your room with something that will remain a conversation piece, year round, for the life of your home?

Decorative Timber Trusses can provide a classic showpiece for any building, while taking the look of the room to a different level- from simple to Chic in one fell swoop.

Recently, VTW installed some Decorative Trusses and some Red Pine Log Beams in a home on Lake Raponda in Southern Vermont. You will notice that the look of the ceiling would have been ordinary without the trusses and Pine Logs, but now- EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS!

Busy Busy!

After a relatively quiet summer here at Vermont Timber Works, the change of the seasons has brought about a change of pace.
Projects are coming out of the WOODWORK. (No pun intended.)

We are currently working on Spruce Camp, a resort lodge at Stowe, VT, Olana Wagon House in Hudson, NY, and a Private Residence in Lake Raponda, VT...to name a few.

Next up, we will erect an outdoor obsevatory building near Boston, MA called the Blue Hills Trailside Museum, and are preparing to ship a project as far as Bermuda.

As busy as we may be, we welcome new projects and the challenge of turning them around ahead of schedule.

Think BIG

Recently, Vermont Timber Works was contracted to build frame for a new ski lodge in Stowe , Vermont. This is going to be a beautiful building, with some massive beams that run continuously through the structure.

I knew that the timbers were going to be large, at a 52' span, of course they would be, but I had no idea that the would look as big as they did when they arrived at our shop.

After seeing what can be done using these timber members, I believe that no idea is too big or too difficult. The resources are there, and we can harness them....

So when you are dreaming up your timber frame, remember to dream big!

Sorry, no KITS.

I had a gentleman ask me yesterday if all of our KITS were exactly the same, or if he could buy a different version.
I was pleased to be able to tell him that Vermont Timber Works does NOT make Timber Kits, but designs, hand cuts and builds every frame from raw materials. We don't use machines to do the work for us.
Each Timber Frame is custom built by the small group of talented craftsmen here at our facility.

Small business, Big results...
Check out the different Frames here: http://www.vermonttimberworks.com

Thinking about a Timber Frame?
Look no further.

Consider This....

Every day, someone, somewhere is dreaming of building a new home, barn, cabin, etc...
But in this present day of having so many options, , the only way to "One-up" any other type of building is to incorporate a Timber Frame into the structure.

Not only does the unique craftmanship give you something to talk about, but adds a level of luxury to ANY project.

Look at the beautiful way to dress up a Great Room, or a Pool House by adding Post and Beam Framing to the mix.

I'm confident that the anyone else would be quite envious....