Rough (Hand) Hewn Timber

Rough hewn timber and hand hewn timber are synonymous terms for rough beams that have been hand worked with an adz and slick. It has a great antique look, and we do it in our shop the old fashioned way - by hand. The timbers can be left raw to richen on their own, or dark stains can be applied to bring out the beautiful grain and variations in the wood.

Smooth Timber - S4S Douglas Fir

Douglas fir that has been planed smooth and finished with polyurethane is one of the most elegant finishes. The color of the wood is brought out and preserved giving a highly finished look.

Rough Sawn Timber

Rough sawn timbers look great in barns and barn homes. They have a wonderful rustic appearance.

Semi-Sanded Timber

Rough sawn timber that is semi sanded with a belt sander is a great finish also. Most of the roughness is removed so the beams don't have splinters or collect dust. The character of the saw marks is preserved and is brought out of the timber by applying a dark stain.

Pickled White Timber

Pickling timber (applying a semi-solid white stain) is nice because it gives the frame French country look while allowing the natural grain and knots in the wood to be seen.

Weathered Wood Beams

The beams shown on the left were sawn from second growth hemlock logs and weathered in our yard. The result is a post and beam frame that looks antique, but is actually cut from a new sustainable resource.

Antique Timbers

Antique beams recovered from old barns and railway trestles can be reworked and recut to fit into new timber frame project. They are expensive, but beautiful.

Glulam Arched Timbers

Natural timber beams have several limitations. First, they are generally straight. Second, they "check" or crack as the wood dries out and shrinks. Both limitations are considered beautiful and are desired by many interior designers. For people who do not care for the checking, or who want long graceful curved beams, glulam timbers are an option. Layers of one inch boards are laid up and glued together to form a beam - the result is stable, does not check, and is very strong.

The photo to the left shows glue laminated arches being used along with natural timber.

Glulam Timbers with Steel Plate Connections

When glue laminated timbers are used with steel gusset plates, extraordinarily strong trusses can be built that cover long spans.

Douglas Fir Finishes

Click on the the link above to see douglas fir timbers with a variety of stains and finishes.

Pine Wood Finishes

Click on the the link above to see pine beams with a variety of stains and finishes.

Hemlock Timber

Click on the the link above to see native hemlock timbers with a variety of stains and finishes.

Oak Timber Finish

Another wood that we work with is oak. Either red, white, or mixed oak can be specified. Many people love its look and strength, although is prone to checking, surface checking and twisting.

Timber Defects

Timber is a natural product, and as such, has a number of defects which are to be expected. Shake is a delamination along the growth rings. Checking occurs as the beam shrinks and cracks. Click on the link above to learn more about timber defects.