Home<\/b><\/a> \u25ba Timber Tech<\/a><\/p>\n When preparing to build a heavy timber system, one of the first\u00a0and most important decisions to make is wood species selection<\/a>. Different species of wood work better in different environments. Selecting the proper timber species is essential to creating the ideal timber solution for your project.Here are a few timber species and their characteristics that are most commonly used in designs by Harmony Timberworks:<\/p>\n Uses: <\/strong>Beams, posts, and porch construction in a Timber frame home.<\/p>\n Appearance:<\/strong> Cypress sapwood is narrow and nearly white. Heartwood colors range from light yellowish brown to dark brownish red, brown, or chocolate.<\/p>\n Strength:<\/strong> Moderately heavy, moderately strong, moderately hard, and highly resistant to heartwood decay.<\/p>\n Douglas Fir is used more often than any other timber species at Harmony Timberworks. Douglas Fir offers a variety of different\u00a0grade\u00a0selections and sizes, which fits the needs of many project configurations. Douglas Fir is not recommended for use on exposed exterior\u00a0applications unless treated with an appropriate weatherproof coating, such as Sikkens. Local\u00a0building code officials should be\u00a0consulted\u00a0prior to selecting Douglas Fir for exterior use.<\/p>\n Western Red Cedar is recognized for its superior performance in exterior projects. Cedar has natural rot resistance, which allows for a\u00a0timber system to be used in an exterior application without the use of Pressure Treated lumber. Time to acquire Cedar can be considerable\u00a0when very large dimensions are required. Cedar\u00a0has a higher cost than Fir, however this\u00a0species is just as machine-friendly as\u00a0Douglas Fir,\u00a0and will not add shop labor costs, making Cedar a wise choice for exterior use.<\/p>\n White Oak has comparable strength properties to that of Douglas Fir. However, Oak has a look all its own. Oak timbers are commercially\u00a0less available and have a slightly higher cost than Fir. Oak is noticeably heavier than most timber species. Added weight and\u00a0the effects of\u00a0its tannic acid on our machinery give Oak added shop cost. The tannic acid in Oak also means that careful consideration must be taken\u00a0regarding steel joinery<\/a>. Tannic Acid will deteriorate and rust\u00a0untreated steel. Oak, upon contact with untreated steel will discolor quickly\u00a0and considerably.<\/p>\n White Pine has one of the lowest costs per board foot of all timber species that we cut at Harmony Timberworks. White Pine is also readily available. White pine has less strength and is not as machine friendly as Fir. In addition, the plentiful sap of White Pine will requires a bit more shop time and will result in added costs. White pine is recommended for retrofit timber systems<\/a>.<\/p>\n Yellow Pine is extremely strong. In some cases, it is able to resist the same loading as that of Douglas Fir. Yellow Pine timbers typically have high sap content. Structurally, this sap has no impact on the timber system. This sap gums up machinery and tooling leading to additional shop time and cost. In addition, Yellow Pine has a tendency to grow mold if it has not been kiln dried. We suggest kiln drying to minimize this characteristic when working with Yellow Pine.<\/p>\n The species we have just reviewed are a few of the species we can cut at Harmony Timberworks. Please keep in mind that species selection is one of the most important decisions you will make for your timber project. Each selection should be based on location, application, loading, timeframe, aesthetics and cost. In conclusion, the value of your timber system should not be measured solely by cost, but also as a measure strength, beauty, and longevity.<\/p>\nSpecies Selection<\/h3>\n
Cypress<\/h4>\n
Douglas Fir<\/h4>\n
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Western Red Cedar<\/h4>\n
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White Oak<\/h4>\n
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White Pine<\/h4>\n
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Yellow Pine<\/h4>\n
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Species in Review<\/h4>\n