Lakeland Oak Timber Framing
In our workshop at Lowther near Penrith, Lakeland Oak offer a design and build service, specialising in the traditional method of construction of green oak timber framed buildings.
With 20 years experience in the field, having done projects for the National Trust, English Heritage and many individual architects Steve May formed the company back in 2002.
Working nationally we have done jobs as far a field as Jersey, Somerset, Scotland , Lancashire and even Cumbria in the last year.
Using traditional joints we build both contemporary and vernacular style buildings. Our projects range from whole barn style houses, roof structures, half timber framed houses down to sunrooms with more intricate roof detailing.
Traditional Carpentry
The skills of the carpenter in oak framing is paramount to the integrity of the finished oak framed building. All joints are chosen for their structural qualities by the master carpenter in their use at each junction. Many of these are tried and tested over hundreds of years.
Timber being a natural material can have many flaws not obvious to the untrained eye. Our highly experienced team of carpenters have a good understanding of grading the timber when it is first inspected on arrival to our framing yard.
The greenoak is sourced from sawmills who understand our requirements. We may specify for the timber be ordered box heart, halved or slabbed depending on their component part or with a natural deflection to allow us to shape bends which follow the grain.
Sustainability
Wood is a sustainable material when sourced from managed woodlands. It consumes large amounts of CO2 in its growing which stays embodied within the timber until it decays or is burnt.
An oak framed building is capable of lasting 300 - 500 years assuming the integrity of the structure is not compromised. In this timescale the frame may be hidden or re-exposed depending on the fashion of the times.
At Lakeland Oak, our aim is to create no waste products: Our sawdust is used for turkeys, our off cuts are used to make the pegs that hold our buildings together and the anything left is used for firewood.