Design and Building Process:
Just as the early builders did, Brunswick Timber Frames uses housed mortise and tenon joinery along with multiple timber braces, large tie beams and long plates to ensure a solid and strong frame that can withstand heavy loads. The pegs we use to connect each joint are made by us from hand riven billets of oak. By splitting out the pegs by hand only the straight grain pegs are chosen. This results in a very strong peg. We draw bore our peg holes which guarantees a tight fit when the pegs are driven.
The majority of our frames are made of eastern white pine, however other species we use are hemlock, red oak, and white oak, all of which are harvested locally. No short cuts are taken with our frames. Each joint is carefully laid out and cut, ensuring a tight fit when the frame is assembled.
At Brunswick Timber Frames we can also assist you in designing a custom frame. Once the design and drawing phases are completed a timber frame engineer will approve and stamp the plans.
Once you select your frame, we work closely with local sawmills in obtaining the best timbers possible. This starts with picking the best logs. Our larger frames include timbers that are over 30 feet long. These timbers originate from an exceptional log. Through our network of loggers and sawmills we are able to obtain these timbers which ultimately make a very traditional and strong frame.
When the timbers are delivered to our shop we begin the joinery process. We use both traditional hand tools and modern power tools to complete the joinery. Once completed, the frame components are delivered to your building site where it is assembled and erected.
Building The Dutch Barn was produced for the National Barn Alliance to help inform NY teachers and educators whose classrooms will be raising a small scale wooden Dutch barn model — about the building techniques called timber framing as well as the history and unique qualities of the Dutch barn. In 2013 Brunswick Timber Frames collaborated with the National Barn Alliance by producing the small scale barn in this video.
Brunswick Timber Frames, Inc. 