Post & Beam Warmth

As we head into the part of winter most of us dread, the thought of sitting by the wood stove or fireplace in a timber framed home, just seems to give you that warm feeling. With the end of the holiday season almost over, and the decorations that adorned the posts and beams around the house all put away, it is time to sit back and enjoy the rewards of having a timber home.

Post and Beam

Post and beamwork is a tradition very much alive at Vermont Timber Works in North Springfield Vermont. Our timber frames are hand crafted in our shop, by artisans with over 20 years of post and beam experience. Many of our custom timber frames can be seen by visiting our post and beam website. Simply click on any of the links you see.

Since we are a fully customized manufacturer of heavy timber frames, we can provide your residential or commercial project with a post and beam frame that will exceed your high expectations. Vermont Timber Works focuses only on the timber frame, allowing us to provide unmatched attention to detail. Your timber frame can be shipped and erected nation wide by our crew of skilled craftsmen. Please call us with any questions you may have about your new post and beam house, commercial timber frame, or any heavy timber project you have. 802.886.1917

Post and Beam Homes

Vermont Timber Works is enjoying steady residential and commercial work through the holidays. We are working short weeks for Christmas and the new year. What's on your list?

We offer hand made custom heavy timber frames for any sort of project. We can create the timber frame for your post and beam dream home. Our post and beam artisans have been hand crafting our timber frames for over 20 years. Please take a look at our timber frame website, and learn more about post and beam framing, post and beam homes, and timber framing in general. We hope you have a great holiday, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Timber Barn, Post and Beam House, Timber Framed Offices

There is a lot going on at Vermont Timber Works this November. Our shop is quiet this week as our cutting and raising crew is putting up a timber barn in Rockingham, VT. It's nice to have a job so close to home. While they are gone, the shop is filling up with 3 other orders.

On the floor in the shop are piles of hemlock timbers that are waiting to be laid out for the same customers that we are raising a timber barn frame for now. Thanks to the Blackwoods for their business.

Unloading right this moment are the heavy timbers for some trusses in Massachusetts, and an administrative complex in New Hampshire. Commercial spaces that are timber framed create a warm, professional atmosphere that makes a great first impression on the public. We are working with Combined Energy Systems on Douglas Fir timber trusses for a residence in Westwood, MA. With daylight savings time changing over the weekend, we are burning literally all the daylight we have to hand craft heavy timber frames for our clients. Give us a call and we can start a timber frame for you that will last for generations.

Super Bubble 2008

Vermont Timber Works is still busy hand crafting heavy timber frames for all sorts of commercial buildings and post and beam homes, all over the country. We also still have a few laughs in between sticks.

At the center of this week's physical challenge, is our own Jason Snell whom you may remember from the milk chug that was never to be, (Rick's fault) and other escapades. Super Bubble, is a classic bubble gum in that it is hard at first, and flavorless in seconds. "Hot Toddy" from our finish crew apparently has quite a supply of Super Bubble and was selflessly sharing his abundance. At lunch, Snell mentioned that he began putting a fresh chunk in to the existing wad, every time it lost flavor. This turned out to be pretty frequent.

To make a long story short, Jason was challenged, and then backed out on, for a muffin bet that included 25 pieces chewed for 10 minutes. Naturally, despite the bet being canceled, Jason went ahead with the 25 piece challenge.

Timber Frames and Post and Beam Buildings

If your in the market for a timber frame home, barn, or commercial building, you will not regret calling Vermont Timber Works. We fabricate and erect timber frames of all sizes and shapes all over the country and beyond. Vermont Timber Works has been adding to it's list of satisfied clients for over twenty years.

Our economy is suffering and times are tight for most people. Structures on your property or for your business are the largest investments you are likely to make, and you need something that will last, and hold it's value as much as it can in these uncertain times. Natural heavy timber frames from Vermont Timber Works are investments that you will not regret, and that you can depend on for generations. We provide hand cut, traditionally joined timber frames of the highest quality. While you will generally invest more money into a top quality timber frame than you will in a conventional frame, timber buildings are some of the longest lasting most beautiful structures on the planet.

We focus exclusively on timber frames, ensuring that the skeleton of your new timber home, timber barn, timber roof system, or timber pavilion is the finest quality and as strong as it can be. Please give us a call at 802.886.1917 and let us help you begin with a timber frame that will add value to your property, for the future.

Timber Barn Crew Returns

Our timber frame raising crew is on their way back today from PA. Despite some design changes and field cutting, they are returning on schedule due to what I am sure were long days. The shop has certainly been silent and we are looking forward to having things back to normal.

They have just raised an oak barn measuring 42'X96'. That is a lot of barn. We look forward to posting some photos of this project.

If you are planning on a post and beam barn, or a timber framed home, please give us a call. Vermont Timber Works can help you get started on any size heavy timber project, anywhere in the country. We look forward to hearing from you at 802.886.1917

Timber Frame Barn Raising in Pennsylvania

Our entire shop crew has left for a barn raising in PA. The hand cut oak timber frame left just before they did yesterday, and today they will begin assembling the bents on the ground to be set in place with a crane. Our sales and marketing director Sandy, has arranged for a photographer to capture different stages of this raising on film, and we are looking forward to posting those pictures.

When our timber artisans return, they will continue fabrication on another barn frame in our shop. This one will be rough sawn native hemlock and we will raise it on site in Rockingham, VT. We are working on a post and beam house for the same client now, and I'm sure that a frame so close to home will be a nice change for our timber frame shop crew.

In the mean time at the office, things are very quiet without Dan's crooning and the usual amount of betting and gloating. Our sales team is quoting a pile of projects all around the country including; post and beam barns, post and beam houses, post and beam churches, timber frame shelters, decorative timber beams, timber entries and porte cocheres, heavy timber great room trusses, and many more.

We would like the opportunity to help you with a timber frame. Ours are the highest quality that you will find because our company deals only with the timber itself. We focus on the details of natural timber, and hand cut all of our work to provide our clients with the tightest fitting and most appealing product possible. Our design team and in house engineering department can handle any size project, making your possibilities endless. Call us at 802.886.1917.

This timber framing blog goes on!

Travis, Sandy and others will continue to add to this fabulous timber frame blog that Sue created. Her witt and sense of humor will be missed, & especially the blogs set to music.

Miss you Sue!

Post and Beam Buildings SWEEP UP!

Trailer for sale or rent
Rooms to let...fifty cents.
No phone, no pool, no pets
I ain't got no cigarettes
Ah, but..two hours of pushin' broom
Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room....

Okay...
Maybe not NOW-A-Days....
BUT....
I'm thinking that 3 weeks of pushing broom could put a pretty good dent in a deposit on a Timber Frame!

The Cadillac of Timber Frames.....

Everyone has a wish list....
Face it...

If someone asks if you'd like a Cadillac or a Pacer, which would you choose?
I'm thinking it probably wouldn't be the Pacer, unless of course you are a die hard Wayne's World Fan.

The same goes for the Timber Frame Industry. There are the Cadillacs of Timber Framing, or the Pacers. We, of course, are the Cadillac Dealer.

As we have stated in previous blogs and articles, we pride ourselves in being the top of the line, custom hand crafted quality tradesmen of Fine Heavy Timber Products.
All Trusses, Barns, Homes, Churches, Porte Cocheres, etc. are created through blood sweat and tears, not through milling machines and prefabricated kits.

We may not always come in with the lowest bid, but we are confident that we create the superior product. All Heavy Timber Frames are NOT the same. Just as all automobiles are not the same. Why would you buy the basic floor model with limited features and roll down windows, when you could buy the fully loaded model with all the bells and whistles, and be much more satisfied with your decision?

Bottom line? You get what you pay for!

Drop that Timber Frame and take a BREAK!

It's the Fourth of July Weekend, and although we would LOVE to stay here at Vermont Timber Works and work through the holiday, some of us are forced to part from this establishment to have a little ....ummmmm...FUN!

Don't get me wrong, it's ALWAYS fun here at VTW, but there are those times when we have to leave behind the piles of Heavy Timber that fill the shop....put away the Tools of the Timber Framing Trade....Stop thinking about Trusses and Joinery, and simply walk away.

This is one of those times.

Of course we will be thinking NONSTOP about myriad of projects that await our return while we are away for the long weekend. The Timber Barns and Great Room Trusses, the Residential projects and Commercial projects that need to be completed.....How will we be able to relax, knowing that all of these timber frames need our attention?

Okay- maybe that's going a little too far...
But remember...
We are a dedicated bunch...
When it's NOT the Fourth of July!

Have a safe and Happy Holiday weekend!
From your friends at Vermont Timber Works

The VTW Timber Framer's Pledge....

I pledge allegiance to the adze and to the chisel too...

I pledge my loyalty to the Lull and to the Log Hog Screw.

I dedicate myself completely to building timber frames,

and to the trusses and to the blueprints, and to the architects from which they came.

I'll build timber barns and timber homes, timber churches too....

Timber framing is a way of life, and to it I'll stand true.

I will not be distracted, ever focused I'll remain...Oh...Hey...Is that Jason's new scooter? Wow...Travis got a new dirtbike? Is it time for lunch? Oh...Wait...where was I?

I will not be distracted.... Hey you guys....The truck's here....

These are a few of my favorite "Heavy Timber" Things.....

(To be sung to the infamous tune from The Sound of Music, of course)

Ready?

Sawdust on T-shirts and Splinters in waiting,

Break room discussions on who we are dating,

Boxers with drool bubbles and Poodles that bark,

Applying the stain color...oh NO...it's too dark.....

Truckloads of Timbers and projects with deadlines,

Demanding contractors and approximate lead times,

Trusses with Arches and Full Timber Frames,

Watching the shop boys at the lunchtime baseball games.....

When the Saw breaks,

When the truck's late,

When I'm feeling SAD...

I simply remember my FAVORITE things,

and then I don't feel so bad.

Writing Proposals that are due in 5 minutes,

Keeping commercial projects inside budgetary limits,

Floor plans and blueprints that have no clear details,

Sending out samples and returning e-mails......

Picking up telephones that never stop ringing,

The smell of the Minwax and Dan's Cherubic singing,

Residential projects and barns of Red Oak,

Pellet stoves that back up and fill the office with smoke.....

When the check's late,

When the plotter's down,

when the Bosses are Mad......

I simply remember my FAVORITE things.....

and then I don't Feeeeeelllllll Sooooooooo Baaaaadddddd!

Summer Homes...Summer Timber Frames...Summer NOT!

Warm weather is on the horizon, and everyone is anxious for school to be over and for summer vacations to commence. But where are you going to vacation this year?

Are you at the point where you just want to invest in a summer home so that every year you can pack up the kids and the dog and spend the summer months in your home away from home?

This picture is of the Jones residence in Stratton, VT. This is their VT Retreat. Shouldn't you have one of your own?

This is a Douglas Fir Timber Frame with Cathedral Ceilings. Imagine watching your kids out of these big windows, while sipping iced tea and staying cool inside?

Vermont Timber Works realizes that a house is not a home unless it's built to suit your personal style. We have timber trusses that suit every style, from classic king post trusses, to modified hammer beam trusses- and if we haven't built the truss style that suits YOU...it doesn't mean that we CAN'T!

Perhaps you want to spruce up an existing house by incorporating some heavy timber accents, or add some decorative great room trusses- either way, there's only one place to go when considering a Heavy Timber project-Vermont Timber Works in North Springfield, VT.

Make us your first stop this summer.

6 Flags can wait!

So- You want a Timber Frame Barn?

Whether you are considering a Post and Beam Barn for your livestock, or for your classic car collection, there is only one place to go to ensure the right Timber Frame for your needs.

That's RIGHT! Vermont Timber Works.

Here at VTW we understand that everyone has their own personal aesthetic tastes, and that's okay. We are happy to custom build a timber frame to suit the most finicky buyer.

Our outstanding ability to custom craft timber trusses

and our attention to detail separate us from the other Timber framers who claim to be the best: But don't listen to them, as we ALL know who gets the Gold Star.

Call us here at VTW for your complimentary Estimate and Timber Framing advice. We're looking forward to working with you.

Timber Framed Churches

The Bethlehem Monastery in Barhamsville, Virginia is just one example of the Timber Framed Churches we've done at Vermont Timber Works.

If you'd like to see more, please check out our website at: http://www.vermonttimberworks.com/.

All Timber Frames are Not Created Equal....

Who says that all Timber Frames are the same?

Obviously, whoever they are, they have not been to, or heard of Vermont Timber Works.

The range of Post and Beam buildings we have fabricated and erected is vast.

We have done jobs that call for ONE fireplace mantle, to jobs which call for several 52' double chorded trusses for an octagonal ski resort lodge. This job in Stowe, VT is definitely one of a kind.

Vermont Timber Works is dedicated to being a Top Notch Timber Framer. We don't "Carbon Copy" our frames, and we hand craft all of our timbers, right down to the mortise and tenon joinery. There are no big machines that do the work for us. Just a small crew of skilled workers who love what they do!

Building a Timber Frame-

At Vermont Timber Works, we get calls every day from people who are interested in building with Heavy Timber.

Some clients want to start from the ground up and build an entire Timber Framed House, or a Post and Beam Barn, while others just want to add some Great Room Trusses to an existing home, or to add some Decorative Timber Beams to another room in their house. We also get calls from commercial builders looking to erect church, library, hotel, and many other types of frames.

There are so many different factors that determine which route is the right one for each individual request, that it sometimes takes several conversations to determine which truss style or Timber Frame suits the client best.

We consider ourselves to be a "Higher End", Custom Timber Frame Company. If you are looking for a hand crafted, quality frame, we are the place for you. If you are looking for a basic "Kit Frame", we are NOT.

Spend some time browsing the website that our Vice President dedicates himself to. His hard work has ensured that our company's profile remains at the top of the list.

Can Heavy Timber Trusses really FLY?

Well,
YES! They CAN!
With the help of a crane and a skilled crew, that is.

.Vermont Timber Works worked on these Heavy Timber Trusses for Spruce Camp, a Lodge in Stowe, VT, along with Engelberth Construction Co. to create this wonderfully designed building.

With its octagonal shape and Douglas Fir Timbers, steel connectors and a giant steel column in the middle, it really is quite a sight.

No..not a bird...not a plane...
Flying Timber Trusses?....YES!

Custom Timber Frame Kitchens and Great Rooms...

There are many clients out there who have at one point dreamt of building a Timber Frame Home, but have to put that dream on hold, as they have just purchased, or are not ready to sell the home that they are currently dwelling in.

Take Heart....
I have some Great News!

Vermont Timber Works is known for fabricating complete Timber Frames, Heavy Timber Trusses, Post and Beam Barns, Church Trusses, and Many other commercial projects. But we are also known for our attention to the smaller residential timber projects that come our way.

If you would like to add the timber frame concept to your home, why not start with just one or two rooms?

A few Great Room Trusses,

or perhaps some decorative kitchen timbers

would make a world of difference for your living space.

Call us today for a free estimate.
Don't put your dreams on hold any longer!
http://www.vermonttimberworks.com/

Timber Framing in Vermont....

Although our business name is Vermont Timber Works, we are not privy to any particilar state when it comes to creating Post and Beam Buildings.

We have not only shipped our Trusses and Heavy Timbers to states as far away as Florida, Texas, and Missouri, but have traveled with the crew to erect those frames on site.

However, we DO love our home state, and we are exceptionally proud of some of the projects that we've done here in Vermont.

For instance, there's the Southern Vermont Welcome Center just inside of the Massachusetts border on Interstate 91 North.

And don't foget Vermont Teddy Bear Factory in Charlotte, VT. We used Heavy Timber Douglas Fir Trusses with Steel Connectors.

Naturally, Teddy Bears are sold separately!

These are only a few of the Vermont Projects that we've done. Check out our "Frames to See" link on our web page.