The Rural Voice, 1993-08, Page 39Guild has participated
in other projects such
as building homes for
Habitat for Humanity.
Thistlewood Tim-
ber Frame Homes are
constructed like the
frames of traditional
barns, with posts,
beams, and braces.
"The frames are
similar, but we use
mainly white pine for
the framing. The
interior of the home is
not wood; it is not like
a log house. In fact, I
am reluctant to say
log. A timber frame
house is not a log
house. There is a
difference!"
The first step in
building the timber
frame home is to
develop and draw up
the custom plan or
design. "Some people
are very specific and
come to us with a
floor plan already
drawn up," states
Murray. "Other
clients give us the
basic information
such as how many
bedrooms, or whether
or not to have a den or
office, etc. Many
people are working at
home nowadays and
include plans for an
office and equip-
ment."
"We can develop
specialized custom
designs for clients,"
he continues. "We work with
structural engineers and produce our
own blueprints. We know the system
well enough to be in control of the
design."
"We try and make the house fit the
site. It's important to make the two
fit together, so we always try to see
the site first."
The second step is to make any
changes to the design and finalize the
plans. "For example, we check the
arrangement of the windows and the
view. Sometimes we rearrange
rooms according to the view. Some
Scott Murray (above left) learned his craft restoring buildings at the Ontario
Agricultural Museum. The old-fashioned post and beam construction is
illustrated by a framing sample (above right). The shop (below) is kept busy
year round.
plans take two weeks to finalize;
some take two years. Everyone has a
different approach."
The third step is to choose the
materials and figure the costs, such
as transportation, to determine the
final costs. If the home is being built
nearby, Thistlewood can act as
general contractor and co-ordinate
the entire project. When the jobs are
far away, other contractors that are
more local are called in to do the
work. The company does work in
Quebec as well as in Ontario and
receives inquiries from the United
States and Japan.
The fourth step
is to produce the
timber frames in
the shop. "We buy
squared timbers
and do any re -
cutting that is
required. The
clients have a
choice of woods
such as oak, ash,
fir, or white pine,"
states Murray.
"We also use
recycled wood.
There is a good
quality of older
wood available."
Thistlewood
encourages and
promotes recycling
wood. "We give
out tree seedlings
to our clients so
that they can
replant the trees
that made their
home. We also
give out seedlings
as part of our
displays at home
shows. We act-
ively encourage
people to plant
trees," he con-
tinues.
"Thistlewood
utilizes every part
of the tree used for
our timber frames.
After the timber is
sawn from the log,
excess wood is
used for floor
boards and trim.
Scraps become
firewood, and wood shavings provide
livestock bedding."
The fifth step is to raise the frame.
Sometimes other contractors finish
the rest of the work. The entire
process usually takes four to five
months from start to finish.
For insulation, Thistlewood uses
"stress skin panels" — a panel with
three layers: drywall for interior
walls; a styrofoam layer/inner core;
and a wood sheathing for the
exterior walls. The inner walls are
drywall between the timber framing.
"These are new techniques for
AUGUST 1993 35