Timber frame homes are typically built to be energy efficient. They feature thick walls that are often insulated and have strong nailing surfaces.
The heavy timber beams and trusses work as a unit to carry the floor and roof loads. They do not need load-bearing walls as in conventional stick-framed houses.
1. Open Floor Plan
When you walk into this timber frame home, you’re greeted with a spacious open-concept kitchen, dining and living area that all lead to the beautiful outdoor space. This deck wraps around the entire back of the house allowing you to enjoy the spectacular views that this home has to offer.
This open floor plan allows you to enjoy the natural light that flows throughout the home. This also makes it easy for guests to move through the house when entertaining or enjoying a family movie night.
Timber framing is a complete structural system that uses heavy posts, beams and trusses to create the walls of your house. These trusses and beams work as a unit to carry the load of the floor and roof loads instead of individual wall studs. This means that timber framed homes don’t require load bearing walls and can be built with an open floor plan.
Another great feature of this type of house is that you’ll have plenty of storage space. This is especially important when building a timber frame house on a tight lot where every square foot counts. A timber frame house can be built on a smaller footprint than a stick build or a modular home due to the use of timber trusses.
This timber frame ranch style home is perfect for families that want all of their primary living spaces on one level. The main floor has a large master suite, office, dining room and kitchen that all flow together into the cathedral ceiling great room. Downstairs, there is a recreation room and two bedrooms that are separate from the rest of the home. This layout makes this timber frame ranch style home a great option for retirees or those that don’t like stairs.
2. Cathedral Ceilings
Timber frame great rooms often have cathedral ceilings, which adds a unique architectural feature to these open spaces. These ceilings are often accented with a variety of lighting fixtures including chandeliers. This allows homeowners to create a beautiful focal point in their timber frame great room while also highlighting the hand crafted timbers.
Vaulted ceilings are a great feature in timber frame homes, but they can also be incorporated into non-vaulted spaces as well. In fact, some of our clients choose to use conventional roof trusses instead of timber framing in their great rooms or kitchens because it’s less expensive. While it may not be as visually appealing, it still creates a great room and can be a wonderful choice for those who want the look of a timber frame home but don’t have the budget for a full timber frame house.
Another common feature in timber frame great rooms is a wall of windows, which provides a beautiful natural light source while also bringing the outdoors inside. Using a wall of windows is a great way to take advantage of the view from your timber frame home, especially when positioned on a hill or overlooking a lake or mountain range. Many of our clients also incorporate a vaulted ceiling in their master bedroom, which makes the space feel luxurious and spacious.
A vaulted ceiling can also be used to create a dramatic entrance to a home or a wine cellar. We’ve even seen a timber frame homeowner use a vaulted ceiling to create a master bathroom retreat that feels like a spa. For a more subtle option, consider a barrel vault, which is softer than a traditional cathedral ceiling. This ceiling features a curved, semi-cylindrical arch built under the rafters and is a great option for a timber frame or log home that doesn’t require a high ceiling but needs a little more drama.
3. Plenty of Natural Light
Timber frame homes are renowned for their open interior spaces, and they are also known for their ability to naturally illuminate your home. Because timber framing relies on a variety of trusses and posts rather than conventional wall studs, walls can be removed to create spacious rooms that flow into one another. Often, these areas are filled with walls of windows so you can admire the view and connect with nature in any season.
These windows, known as clerestory windows, are placed high in the ceiling to provide natural light without disrupting the space or creating a visual barrier. Clerestory windows are perfect for catching earlier morning sunlight, as well as softer evening light that filters through during the twilight hours.
The lack of internal load-bearing walls also allows for timber frame structures to include more expansive great rooms with vaulted ceilings and floor to ceiling windows. This gives you the flexibility to design an open floor plan that can be adapted to your family’s needs and lifestyle, whether it’s a kitchen, dining room, home office, or living space.
Timber frame buildings are built using large pieces of timber. They are crafted by highly skilled tradesmen so that each piece fits perfectly together, creating a skeleton for your home. Once the timber frame skeleton is in place, you can add your own choice of construction materials to complete the home. This is what gives each timber frame home its unique look.
Timber frame houses can be constructed with a wide variety of building materials, including log siding, stone, and concrete. Some homeowners choose to stain their timbers, while others prefer the natural wood finish of a bare timber structure. Timbers can be carved, planed, or hand-hewn to achieve the look you desire for your timber frame house.
4. Privacy
Timber frame homes are unique and aesthetically beautiful. They can stand alone, but also compliment a variety of other exterior materials that have nothing to do with the timber framing, giving them a distinct look that is instantly recognizable. Unlike log homes, where the wood is vertical, timber frames are usually crafted from large pieces that are stacked horizontally and fit together using mortise and tenon joinery methods. This creates a skeleton for the house, leaving the walls free to be built using a variety of different materials.
What makes a 2 story timber frame house so unique is the fact that it uses no load bearing walls. Instead, the heavy posts are joined with the beams and trusses to make an enclosure that carries the floor and roof loads. In contrast, a conventional framed home typically has joists that run perpendicular to the walls and these are the load-bearing walls.
The result is a very sturdy and energy efficient home that can easily achieve high R values. Today, most timber frame structures are encapsulated in structural insulated panels (SIPs), a system that uses oriented strand board and a white core of polystyrene, styrofoam or other rigid insulation to form an extremely strong enclosure.
The question of whether or not a timber frame is worth more than a solid masonry home completely ignores almost every metric by which real estate value is established. There are countless variables in play, such as the size and complexity of the design, the quality of workmanship and the quality of materials used. In most cases, a well-constructed timber frame is going to be worth more than a solid masonry home of similar square footage.
5. Energy Efficiency
Timber frame houses are designed to be energy efficient, which means you’ll save on energy costs and leave less of a carbon footprint on the environment. It’s not only the fact that you use less energy, but it’s also that the building style offers better insulation than brick or concrete, which will help keep your house warm during the winter and cool in the summer.
The skeleton of a timber frame house is made up of heavy posts and beams that work as a unit to carry the floor and roof loads. This allows for large open spaces without the need for interior load-bearing walls. This design is what makes timber frame homes so stunning – the result is a light and airy home where windows are easily placed for maximum illumination.
Moreover, the timber frame construction method makes for better soundproofing than a conventional brick structure. The timbers can flex slightly and absorb internal sound waves, making for a comfortable living space free of echoes. This is especially beneficial for commercial buildings like concert venues, breweries, or retirement homes.
As a bonus, timber frame construction is very durable and will resist damage more than brick or concrete structures. They can withstand changes in the earth’s surface, which would cause cracks and other damages in a traditional brick foundation. This durability will also reduce the need for repairs and maintenance over time.