You are invited to attend a seminar at Heathman Lodge on 4/30/12 to gather ideas about your unique timber style and get a head start on the building process!
Apr
01
Timber Home Living
Check out our ad in Timber Home Living magazine. Readers get a special bonus. Visit http://www.timberhomeliving.com/
Timber Home Living magazine is the ultimate resource for timber framing and post and beam homes.
Feb
24
Portland Spring Home & Garden Show
Visit Arrow Timber today at The Portland Spring Home & Garden Show at The Expo Center!
$10 – General Admission (13yrs and older).
FREE to children 12yrs and under.
Parking is $8 per space.
Jan
29
Surprise – Oh Honey, You Shouldn’t Have!
Surprise – “Oh Honey, You Shouldn’t Have!”
More Smart Reasons to give her a Timber Package
Attention, Guys! A special day is just around the corner…
When was the last time you heard squeals of delight from your better half?
What is it that really makes your sweetheart tick, anyway?
Wouldn’t you give your eye-teeth to hit a home run with her?
You have a daunting task in front of you…
YOU are expected to be original, to get her something she likes (without asking her, of course!) You’ve been together long enough that you should know what she likes and doesn’t like. You need to surprise her, and show your sensitivity in how you prepare, bundle, and present your gift to her.
Now, roses, chocolate, jewelry and cruises are less than creative, have a low ROI, or are only enjoyed for a very short time…
What are you going to do?
Can you imagine a special gift that will put you on Easy Street for many years to come?
What if you could do something so spectacular for this special day that a card referring to your surprise would make her knees go weak again?
How much would that be worth to you?
Can you imagine her telling her friends, “Oh Yes, Jim had this entry remodel done for me, in 2010, for a Special (fill in the blank) gift”?
(What she really means: See how much Jim loves me! He’s such an excellent provider.)
Again, value skyrockets when you consider: 1) the happiness a woman feels when she can improve something which is deeply personal to her, AND the fact that you will get a return on your investment if you ever sell your home. It’s a win-win situation!
What I’m getting at here, guys, is that you can get creative this year with your Sweetheart gifts – by adding timber elements to your home you can accomplish the following:
Read the full article at:
www.arrowtimber.com/articles/surprise/
Dec
24
Mantel Inspiration Is Easier Than You Think!
Mantel Inspiration Is Easier Than You Think!
What does a mantel symbolize? To best answer this question, perhaps a brief digression into the history of mantels is in order. Mantels began to surface and were popular with the European royalty from the Dark Ages to the early 17th century. They became places for self-expression. Some of these mantels were extravagantly ornate. Many would span whole walls and even had sculptures fashioned into them. Around the turn of the 17th century the style turned more to Italian. This marked the end of the lavish appearance. Simple mantels came into vogue about the time pragmatism {began}?? . Since then, styles have fluctuated, sometimes using sculptured corbels, sometimes extremely basic, and have evolved into the basic styles we see for mantels today. Mantels had been used in the past mainly as a place for the family portrait.
Basically, a mantel symbolizes what is close to your heart. Fire and warmth are closely linked with survival… A fire in the kitchen is used for cooking and food prep, which is also necessary for survival. But a fire in the living room means safety, relaxation, leisure, warm conversation with friends, etc. For me this means family time, relaxation at the end of the day, and a late-night place for both concentrating and learning, free from the daily distractions related to work. As far as design goes, I love it when pragmatic solutions are wed to artistic creativity. I prefer having some practical criteria to work with, some type of dilemma to solve and then using artistic creativity to work it out. That said, what does a mantel symbolize for you?
Hopefully you will have the answers to your questions regarding mantels upon finishing this article. You will probably want to pause to visualize your mantel while you read this entire article. Keep a pen handy so you can jot down a note when inspiration flashes through your mind!
To start with, let me give you four examples of mantel styles and how the decision process has unfolded for other clients. This will give you an idea of how many layouts are available and which elements you can use to personalize your mantel.
- Pragmatic
- Western/Lodge
- European
- Contemporary
Pragmatic
Pragmatic style is just a simple mantel to display family heirlooms
For those who want a simple, straightforward mantel, the decision process will include the following questions: What width is needed to place items upon the mantel? What is a desirable mantel height? What are the height and width criteria regarding fire safety? All of which is followed by: How big should our mantel be?
For the pragmatic types, a mantel is a mantel. They will think about embellishments only if it will serve a practical purpose, such as rounding or easing sharp edges. Corbels will be considered only if they are needed for support. The style question is simplified to “What dimensions will feel right for the fireplace and the room?” Just a simple solid mantel.
Western/Lodge
Western Lodge style w/ native american influence
Read the full article at:
www.arrowtimber.com/articles/mantel-inspiration/
Oct
02
Where Should You Draw the Line For Timber Decor in Your Home?
Where Should You Draw the Line For Timber Decor in Your Home?
A Full Timber Frame vs. A Hybrid Timber Frame System… or just Small Accents?
Stop. Clean slate.
The difference between a full timber frame and a hybrid timber frame is simply the number of decor decisions you will be exposed to.
A Full Timber Frame:
Dictates that exposed beams are part of the home decor in every corner of your home, narrowing the breadth/scope of decor decisions you must make.
A Hybrid Timber Frame:
is a combination of timber framing and conventional framing, which expands the number of design possibilities and combinations for your home… which means more… (shudder)… decisions!
Decisions mean thinking. Thinking means mistakes. Mistakes mean PAIN… Ouch! This assumption is the key reason some people are reluctant to strive for the home and atmosphere which gives them joy and comfort every time they come home. A joy that does not swiftly fade away. A joy they can pass on to their guests, family, and friends. A better perspective is to use a mindset and system to have a fun and rewarding decision-making process.
Here are some questions I’ve heard which will highlight the decision process homeowners often face using a hybrid system to customize their home.
“If we are going to have timbers in the great room, shouldn’t we have some in the kitchen also?”
“Don’t you think that it’s a bit odd to have timbers only in front of the garage?”
“Do you think that it’s worth adding corbels to the front gable ends? Should we add them to the back also?”
“How do we create a clean break from the timber area, to the more conventional area of our home?”
“It seems like we should go ahead and add beams to the end of the hallway, don’t you think?”
You will also wonder about how your decisions will impact the feel of your home. It is an inherent part of the building process. The following points hopefully will serve as guidelines to keep your decision-making fun and easy.
Timber Decor Tips And Guidelines…
So You Can Decide Where To Draw The Line
To Post or Not to Post:
Read the full article at:
www.arrowtimber.com/articles/where-do-you-draw-the-line/
Aug
02
How to Quickly Create Your Timber Design Master Plan
How to Quickly Create Your Timber Design Master Plan
Imagine This…
Three weeks from now, you have a special team assembled around your kitchen table. Sketch pads, portfolios, color swatches, and laptops are spread out and ready to engage in creating this Timber Design Master Plan to transform for the area of your choosing. Your entry. Your kitchen. Your outdoor living area. The stage is set. The thrill is beginning. They are ready… Are you?
You can anticipate seeing the different results and ideas that this highly focused effort will produce for you. Different ideas. New combinations. Fun surprises.
Here is How to Prepare:
Simply follow these steps.
Step 1: Request weeks #1, #2, #5, and #7 of the Timber Planning Guide e-Course:
(Week 1 deals with what you may want)
(Week 2 deals with who you are)
(Week 5 deals with atmosphere and lifestyle)
(Week 7 deals with timber styles)
Print out the PDFs and follow the instructions. Time is of the essence! Set aside two short time slots for five days.
Step 2: Send me pictures, sketches, and rough dimensions of the area you would like to concentrate on. Also include:
- the things you dislike about the existing space
- the activities the space is used for
- what you would like to achieve with your new design
I will distribute pertinent information to the appropriate team members. Also send your completed e-course sections as you finish them. This makes life easier for me and you… you get to avoid the hassle of “polishing a package” and I get the convenience of absorbing your information in smaller pieces at a time!
Read the full article at:
www.arrowtimber.com/articles/timber-design-master-plan/
Jul
12
Timber Truss Design Styles
Timber Truss Design Styles and How to Find Your Unique Truss
Finding your unique truss style is both rewarding and fun. It will have a very large impact on how your timber space feels. As you move through the process of getting your timbered living space, you may notice more insight into your style preferences. You’ll also notice that building practicality will influence your truss design.
Which is why it is good/important for you to know that your original idea will probably change as you gather more information and talk with your friends about what you intend to do… Because you plan to enjoy you timber living space with your acquaintances also, and in many ways they know us better than we know ourselves. The following timber truss style descriptions have been combined with tips on how to increase either the strength or the elegance factor so you can make your timber truss unique!
- Simple Truss
- King Truss
- Queen Truss
- Scissor Truss
- Mono Truss
- Hammer Beam Truss
- Cruck Truss
- Multi-Web Truss
- Parallel Cord Scissor Truss
- Lane Truss
- Glue-Lam Modern Truss
- Gambrel Truss
- Compression Ring Truss
Simple Truss
The simple truss examples shown here really is a lesson in simple elegance. If you are the type of person who is un-pretentious and straight forward this may capture your personality well.
Simple Truss
The no frills solution this truss presents is ideal in many situations, especially as a second act. Behind a more ornate hammer beam front truss for example. As you can see the size of the simple truss is limited to the load bearing capacity of its member- this means your typical truss span will max out around 30′.
King Truss
The king truss is probably the most common used style of exposed timber trusses… There is an explanation for this- Timeless Geometric Beauty! A cross cultural gem that can really be adapted to fit any style arched bottom timbers and curved webs dial up the elegance factor and are commonly used.
King Truss
A common mistake you’ll want to avoid if you choose a king truss style, is positioning the angle of the webs 90 degrees or perpendicular to the sloped/top beams. This is a mistake repeated often, probably because it seems easy and natural to align the webs at right angles to the top cords, but it really kills the balance- the center of the truss will appear pinched or cramped, especially so with the lower pitched trusses. I believe it is better to align the webs by eye to achieve the best balance- the same principal applies when your are deciding how much arch to apply or how much to raise the bottom member if your criteria so dictates- you will be working with factors such as wall height, room volume , truss spacing and roof slope to arrive at the best decision for your situation.
Queen Truss
What is special about a queen truss? The most significant aspect is the kind of style it lends itself to.
Queen Truss
Think craftsmen or style, this special truss design also balances well if you have a tall space to fill. Lastly, the queen truss allows for display or storage space. One particular client planned to display an old large canoe. Naturally resting in the rectangular “storage space,” created by the spread out queen posts.
Read the full article at:
www.arrowtimber.com/articles/truss-design/
Jul
05
7 Reasons You Should Build Green
7 Reasons You Should Build Green
Building Green is no longer a Luxury, it’s a SAVINGS!
Joe and Karen had a few surprises over the winter holidays. Happily they found out they were pregnant, a welcome addition to the family. They also received their heating bill for the cold snap earlier in the month. “Ow!” a startled Joe moaned to Karen: “We’ve got to do something about this situation: the house is old, it will soon be too small and the heating and cooling is eating us up.” “This carpet is really dirty, I just can’t get it clean” lamented Karen. “Well, we could either fix up this house, there’s that unused yard space that we could expand into, or maybe we could build a new home, one that really works for us. We need to think about our families and community future,” continued Karen.
“Sounds like we need some help with these ideas, and to learn more about our options”, concluded Joe. “And, we have to stay within our budget!” “So began their exploration into the world of building “green”.
Joe and Karen ended up at my office where we discussed the major benefits of building green and addressed some of their concerns. “We’ve been talking, and the big picture of this project is whatever we do, it has to work for us in the 21st century: energy efficient, healthy, local and cost effective. It’s time to focus on what a home should do for us as a family, community, nation and globe.”
This story is very similar to some past clients’ situations. So what is green building and why should a family do it?
- Green building is a method of building that goes beyond the looks and square footage of the project and takes into account energy efficiency, the environmental impacts of building and more advanced design ideas. There are many reasons to incorporate the ideas of green building from personal budget to health issues to climate change. Green can mean something different to every person and comes in many shades, so part of the process is to decide the priorities of the project. Many elements of the process don’t have to add to the cost; they just need to be thought of in a different way and brought in earlier.
- What are the main aspects of GREEN BUILDING? Expanding on these concepts we find that there are ways to save money and have a greener project.
1. INTEGRATED DESIGN: By designing a project with a focus on the customer’s needs, building a home that is modest in size and has a room for multiple functions is a big benefit. By bringing in the subcontractors and suppliers early in the project and having them suggest ways of being more efficient, a more integrated and effective building can be put together and still be very livable. Integration also incorporates the concept of community. How does the project fit into the neighborhood, transportation, and resources? This process does require time and some cost in design, but that cost can usually be recouped during construction. This is true both for new construction and for renovation/addition projects.
2. SITE/BUILDING ORIENTATION: When laying out a building on the site it is important to factor in the energy from the sun. Sometimes this is free heat, other times it translates to cooling costs. The same can be said about rain and runoff on the site. By designing a building to respond to these elements, performance can be enhanced and long term costs reduced. Roof orientation can lead to the opportunity for energy production, as another example.
3. ENVELOPE: The physical parts of the exterior of the building come into play. The shape of the building: how the walls, floors and roof are built, combined with the size and position of the windows, roof overhangs and insulation, all come into play and have a significant impact on the building’s energy needs. A heavy timber structure can help disentangle the insulation system from the structural components, thereby improving the performance and enhancing the natural beauty of the space.
4. ENERGY, WATER and SYSTEMS: By designing a more efficient shell and orientation, the demand for heating and cooling should be greatly reduced. This leads to smaller heating and cooling systems, and therefore reduces upfront costs, along with lower operating costs. Keeping the heating system within the insulated envelope can save 15-20% of heat. Lighting can be designed to use less electricity. How water is managed in a building is becoming a very important and complicated process. From a basic use standpoint, reducing the needs of a household can save money. On a nationwide level the average use per person is 70 gallons per day. By careful selection of fixtures, showers, toilets, washing machines and landscaping, this can be reduced by up to 50%, thereby reducing the costs of buying and disposing of water. On a more detailed level, managing water vapor in the building and walls is extremely important to the health of the family as well as to the long term durability of the home.
Right now there are tax incentives for energy efficient homes and components; some federal programs offer up to $2000.00, and there are others that can recoup 30% of some costs. There are state incentives for power generation, between 12 cents to over 50 cents per KWH.
Read the full article at:
www.arrowtimber.com/articles/7-reasons-you-should-build-green/
Jun
23
Creating the Perfect Home Atmosphere
Tips for Creating the Perfect Home Atmosphere
Creating a signature atmosphere in your home using timbers is sort of like choosing a clothing outfit… you have the outfit itself and then you have the accessories, which control and personalize the entire appearance; Initial Style! The factors you will use for creating the big picture are:
A. Room and house shape, depth, height, and width.
B. Timber size, spacing, and orientation in relation to each other. You’ll need to ask yourself very fundamental questions regarding the use of your living space and basic preferences in your taste.
Cozy and homey, artistic and contemporary, tall and elegant, low and expansive, and massive and rustic are some examples of different styles.
For a cozy and homey atmosphere, the initial outline of the house should fit snugly with its surroundings, tucked in trees or against a hillside, for example. Low inviting porches are another great way to convey this feeling. The beams are sized and oriented accordingly, so they feel close to the touch. A sheetrock ceiling should have the timbers closely spaced. With wood paneling or decking on the ceiling, spacing is no longer critical because the wood ceiling conveys coziness and warmth.
An artistic and contemporary home has many options. The initial outline should avoid shapes that are completely traditional. Or at least it should have some visual surprises, such as a cable suspended entryway. Beam size for this style as well as spacing and orientation, should have twists here and there, but not excessively as total irregularity then becomes the prevailing theme and conveys a different atmosphere than artistic and contemporary.
What if your chosen style isn’t perfectly consistent inside and out like the above examples?
No big deal… I myself prefer a little consistency throughout, but enjoy the visual change of different combinations I’ve encountered.
Read the full article at:
www.arrowtimber.com/articles/creating-the-perfect-home-atmosphere/
