Cabin Creek Timber Frames in Franklin, NC, builds highest quality, hand crafted timber frame buildings which are “green”. Green, in our approach, means quality: sustainability, efficiency, and durability. We design and construct timber frame buildings with structural insulated panels, SIPS, as insulation on walls and roofs. These result in very beautiful buildings-exposed timbers inside, which are very economical structures in heating and cooling efficiency, costing half as much to heat and cool as equally R-rated stickbuilt buildings with fiberglass batt insulation between studs. With SIPS, there is 7% of the airflow through the panel wall compared to that through a stud/fiberglass wall. There is no settling of the foam, unlike fiberglass or blown cellulose, to further degrade the insulating inefficiency. Our frames with SIPS are extremely efficient (green) from the beginning, and are easily fitted with solar, geothermal, graywater, and cistern systems as desired.
In Europe, and to a lesser extent in North America, timber frame buildings have been lived in continuously for hundreds of years. Now that we have better insulation, roofing, flashings, etc., there is no reason buildings constructed here cannot last longer.
Some contractors have used computer numeric control (CNC) cut frames in the past, and have had trouble with initial fit and dimensions due to accumulation of plus/minus tolerance measurements. Other problems are lack of tight joints, and difficult later placement of sheetrock or paneling, due to wear of the cutting machine, and lack of attention to camber of timbers.
Before shipping, our hand cut frames are trial assembled in our shop to insure proper tight fitting joints, accurate dimensions, and ease of overall construction. The frames are locked in proper position before the peg holes are drilled. This means no surprises. They are then taken apart for shipment to the building site.
The frame, tongue and groove, and panels are erected in a very short time, usually less than 3 weeks, providing much faster progress to a dry and insulated structure. Rough window and door openings are cut at the SIPS manufacturer’s factory to reduce onsite waste, and are ready to receive the window and door units. Buildings are then turned over to you for completion.
Written by: Joseph O. Bell, III
Copyright © 2008, Joseph O. Bell, III
All Rights Reserved
CABIN CREEK TIMBER FRAMES
828-369-5899
6624 Georgia Road Franklin, NC 28734
www.cabincreektimberframes.com
[email protected]
Sips.org
Hers or Home Energy Rating System www.energy.ca.gov/HERS/index.html
www.healthybuilthomes.org
Energy Star www.energystar.gov
LEED www.usgbc.org