We have drawn on traditional log cabin carpentry and mixed it with traditional timber-frame carpentry, to develop the specialist techniques necessary to build timber-framed buildings out of roundwood.
Roundwood is literally tree trunks with the bark stripped off.
Why use Roundwood?
Aesthetics....
Roundwood buildings are unique and beautiful. The poles themselves retain all the beauty of the natural form of the tree. The natural shapes of the poles can be used together to create beautiful structures. No two poles are the same, so every roundwood building is totally unique.
Sustainability....
Timber is a sustainable resource. There is many times less CO2 produced in the production of timber than other building materials such as concrete and steel. Sweet Chestnut is the timber used for most components in the frames of our buildings (see below). Sweet Chestnut woodlands are managed by coppicing; coppicing is the process by which trees are cut down to a stump and then they re-grow, there is not even any need to re-plant. This is a constantly renewable building material.
Strength....
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Studies have shown that roundwood can be 50 percent stronger than square timber (of a comparable size). This is because the inherent strength of the way the tree has grown is utilised, without weakening it by cutting through the grain and natural fibers.
Species used for Roundwood Timber-Framing
Sweet Chestnut - A naturally durable hardwood with very similar properties to Oak. Sweet Chestnut is a perfect timber for roundwood timber framing as it has a very small percentage of sap-wood. In all species of timber, sap-wood is not as durable as heart-wood. Sap-wood is the trees most recent growth rings (around the outside of the tree). This is where all the activity within the tree takes place. As a young tree grows it gets to an age where it starts to turn its inner growth rings into heart-wood, as it no longer needs them for transporting water and food. The age at which a tree starts to produce heart-wood varies from one species to another. Sweet Chestnut starts producing heart-wood at around 3 to 5 years old. This means in a building pole with a diameter of 300mm, there might be 10mm of sap-wood and 290mm of heart-wood.
Larch - One of the most durable softwoods grown in this country. It is ideal for certain components in timber frames that need to be particularly long as it grows very straight, with minimal taper over a long length.
Douglas Fir - Another homegrown softwood that grows straight, with minimal taper. Again, ideal for long straight components in a frame.
Larch - One of the most durable softwoods grown in this country. It is ideal for certain components in timber frames that need to be particularly long as it grows very straight, with minimal taper over a long length.
Douglas Fir - Another homegrown softwood that grows straight, with minimal taper. Again, ideal for long straight components in a frame.
