APPROACH

Timber and Earth focuses on craftsmanship with a high attention to detail. We believe in supporting local businesses and sourcing materials sustainably.

Timber and Earth does not do quick construction with pre-fab materials. Though our building process may take longer, we are often able to offer our services at a similar rate to our competitors. By using simple designs, less processed materials and salvaged or reclaimed products, we are able to put more of our cost towards labor and less towards materials.

Sustainability

We approach construction with an awareness of the industries larger impacts and believe building sustainably starts with the materials.

Timber and Earth primarily uses rough cut lumber from local mills that focus on sustainable forestry. Using minimally processed, natural materials that are locally abundant reduces impacts due to extraction, manufacturing and transportation.

Where the design allows we use salvaged or reclaimed materials such as doors and windows.

Where manufactured products are necessary we attempt to source our materials from local manufacturers, with high recycled content, low-embodied energy, and high durability. We roof our structures with metal roof panels from a local manufacturer. These panels are made with recycled content and are 100% recyclable at the end of their life-cycle. They last 2-4 times longer than asphalt shingles, are more energy efficient - reflecting more heat than they absorb, are non-combustable and won’t leach or off-gas.

Why Rough Cut

As mentioned, we build with locally milled lumber. This is generally rough cut post and beam framing and board and batten siding. It is purchased from local mills that tend to source their logs from salvage trees such as fire-kill, standing dead, and beetle-kill; or through other sustainable management strategies.

In addition to sustainability, rough cut timbers create a beautiful rustic aesthetic. This lumber is fully dimensional adding a stouter appearance and increased strength.

Conventional lumber is planed down from its rough cut size. A conventional 2x6s actual dimensions are 1.5in x 5.5in. If we frame your roof with 2x6 rafters, you actually get 1.45 times as much wood supporting your roof with rough cut lumber than with conventional.

Using rough lumber also creates the opportunity to build with trees cut from your own property. Timber and Earth has relationships with a variety of mills, some of which are mobile and can mill lumber on site.