The Latest Design Trend in New Energy Works Timber Frame Projects: Reclaimed Timbers
Farmington, New York (PRWEB) May 31, 2014 -- New Energy Works has seen a marked increase in the use of reclaimed timbers in both residential and commercial timber frame design during Spring of 2014. Currently in the design and engineering phase are two residential homes which will be crafted from reclaimed Douglas fir. Several commercial projects around upstate New York are also incorporating reclaimed timbers bringing additional texture and aesthetic to their spaces.
“Reclaimed wood is a top choice for timber frame projects as it is inherently more stable than fresh cut wood. In addition, the unique history and character in reclaimed timbers is unmatched and clients particularly enjoy the story of their frame,” explains Eric Fraser, Timber Frame Manager at New Energy Works. The antique timbers used by New Energy Works Timberframers are salvaged by their sister company, Pioneer Millworks, from industrial and agricultural structures that have outlived their use and are slated for deconstruction.
Timber Home Living Magazine will be documenting each step in the design/build process for the Olsen family’s reclaimed Douglas fir timber frame home in Austerlitz, NY. Online and print articles will cover the project starting with architectural planning, to the frame raising, to enclosure, to completion. The Douglas fir timbers for this project were reclaimed from dilapidated industrial buildings including Middle Creek and Union Underwear as well as a military facility in Pine Valley NY. New Energy Works anticipates raising the frame for this project in July 2014.
“Reclaimed timbers are part of our culture and history, our team understands antique wood and how to use it to the best of its potential, from our design group, to our engineers, to our joiners and timberwrights. We’re very excited to have the opportunity to share the Olsen family’s home story with a bigger audience,” continues Fraser.
Commercial clients are also telling a story through their structures by incorporating reclaimed wood. Lyons National Bank is opening a new branch in Canandaigua, NY which will feature reclaimed Douglas fir. The Finger Lakes Museum at the Discovery Campus in Branchport, NY will use a mixture of timbers reclaimed from a Wisconsin barn to form a new museum building. The frame will be re-raised by New Energy Works in June 2014. Point of the Bluff Vineyard in Hammondsport, NY is re-using storied timbers reclaimed by New Energy Works from Steamboat Landing in Canandaigua, NY. The re-purposed frame will be raised in late July.
Reclaimed timbers, such as the Douglas fir, can be difficult to source like good antique furniture, and challenging to work with due to existing mortise pockets and old artifacts like nails or bolts. It can, therefore, be up to 20% more expensive than its fresh sawn counterpart. Reclaimed timbers have been drying for generations, and are therefore less likely to move. Signs of previous life such as bolt and nail holes, ferrous staining, and insect trails add to the visual appeal of antique timbers. Typically these timbers are re-sawn to meet the needs of their new home. Hand-hewn surfaces of old agricultural timbers are often left intact, even using original mortise and tenon joinery where the design allows.
New Energy Works Timberframers have been designing and building environmentally responsible timber frames across the USA for nearly 30 years from their facilities in New York and Oregon. Offerings include: Timber Framing (design, engineering, manufacturing, build), Enclosure Systems, Fine Woodworking, Recycled and Sustainable wood products. New Energy Works has two LEED AP staff members, is a member of the US Green Building Council and is FSC Certified.
Megan Dean, New Energy Works, http://newenergyworks.com, +1 (800) 486-0661, [email protected]
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