Hemlock

Hemlock is a great, economical wood for country homes and barns. It is pale in color and naturally richens over time. It looks great rough sawn. Hemlock is very strong, has a long grain and is a renewable resource. It is resistant to rotting and it is also much less expensive than douglas fir for timber frame homes. However, it does have one character flaw: certain stands of hemlock can have a defect called shake. Shake is a delamination between the timber’s growth rings. We order our hemlock shake-free; however, shake will often show up after a timber frame has been up for a year or so. Shake in our frames is generally not a structural problem, but it can make a post & beam frame look rustic.