[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=\u201dnormal\u201d color=\u201d#c40000\u2033][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=\u201d\u201d row_type=\u201drow\u201d use_row_as_full_screen_section=\u201dno\u201d type=\u201dfull_width\u201d angled_section=\u201dno\u201d text_align=\u201dleft\u201d background_image_as_pattern=\u201dwithout_pattern\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1484300631266{padding-left: 5% !important;}\u201d][vc_column css=\u201d.vc_custom_1484301384957{padding-right: 8% !important;}\u201d][vc_accordion active_tab=\u201dfalse\u201d collapsible=\u201dyes\u201d style=\u201daccordion\u201d][vc_accordion_tab title=\u201dIs Ireland too damp for natural materials?\u201d][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dcustom_align\u201d]Humidity is a serious issue when it comes to building in Ireland and care must be taken to accommodate this. Thankfully we have come a long way to understanding the intricacies of moisture levels within the home and this allows us greater flexibility of materials than ever before. Wood thrives in and contributes positively to the same healthy environment that we as people enjoy.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][vc_accordion_tab title=\u201dWhat species of wood should I use for my frame?\u201d][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dcustom_align\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1484300811602{padding-right: 8% !important;}\u201d]A wide variety of woods have been utilised globally for framing and there are too many variants to address here. We prefer\u00a0sourcing local woods unless they are deemed unsuitable for purpose. Oak, spruce, Douglas fir and larch are perfect because they are sufficiently strong and readily available. Take a look at what\u2019s around, traditional frames reflect the local conditions and species which flourish there.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][vc_accordion_tab title=\u201dWill my frame require maintenance?\u201d][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dcustom_align\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1484300820951{padding-right: 8% !important;}\u201d]Not necessarily. Wood kept dry with good airflow need not be maintained with finishes. Some outdoor woods will benefit from oiling, others\u00a0need none. A frame built in damp conditions should be inspected periodically to assess performance.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][vc_accordion_tab title=\u201dWhat about woodworm? \u201c][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dcustom_align\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1484300828881{padding-right: 8% !important;}\u201d]The vast majority of wood in a frame is heartwood and therefore more resistant to insect attack. Wood-boring beetles need a moisture content of around 20% to breed and survive-if your timber is at this level it indicates a more serious dampness problem within the structure. Your frame ought to be no more inclined to rot than your kitchen table and woods like oak, cedar and sweet chestnut are naturally resistant to insect attack. Fortunately for us, Ireland is devoid of termites, though traditional frames continue to be widely utilised in countries where this is an issue.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][vc_accordion_tab title=\u201dWhy do cracks appear in my wood frame and should I be worried? \u201c][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dcustom_align\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1484300836798{padding-right: 8% !important;}\u201d]Cracks, more correctly called checking, is a natural occurrence of the drying out stage as the wood adjusts from its previous environment to its new one. As wood expels moisture from within its cells and shrinks it gains strength and this compensates for any apparent loss of strength as a result of checking. During manufacture of your frame each piece is hand selected for a particular position within the structure based on how it will act as it dries. Finally, it is a matter of taste as to how you feel about these cracks, for they demonstrate the rawness of a natural material which changes over time.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][\/vc_accordion][vc_separator type=\u201dnormal\u201d][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=\u201d\u201d row_type=\u201drow\u201d use_row_as_full_screen_section=\u201dno\u201d type=\u201dfull_width\u201d angled_section=\u201dno\u201d text_align=\u201dleft\u201d background_image_as_pattern=\u201dwithout_pattern\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1484300589144{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 5% !important;}\u201d][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Health, Safety and Environmental Questions<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=\u201dnormal\u201d color=\u201d#c40000\u2033][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=\u201d\u201d row_type=\u201drow\u201d use_row_as_full_screen_section=\u201dno\u201d type=\u201dfull_width\u201d angled_section=\u201dno\u201d text_align=\u201dleft\u201d background_image_as_pattern=\u201dwithout_pattern\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1484300647236{padding-left: 5% !important;}\u201d][vc_column css=\u201d.vc_custom_1484301569013{padding-right: 8% !important;}\u201d][vc_empty_space][vc_accordion active_tab=\u201dfalse\u201d collapsible=\u201dyes\u201d style=\u201daccordion\u201d][vc_accordion_tab title=\u201dIs using timber damaging to the environment? \u201c][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dcustom_align\u201d]Absolutely not. Heavy frames use less resources and trees than modern frames with lower embodied energy levels. They are a unique structural material because they are produced by the power of the sun, exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen and lock up carbon as well as providing cover for flora and fauna. Concrete and steel are large contributors of carbon and greenhouse gases during their production and usually require extra materials to cover their harsh surfaces. Furthermore, choosing wood as a structural material lessens the buildings carbon footprint and increases demand for good management of both clear-fell and continuous coverage forests.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][vc_accordion_tab title=\u201dWhat\u2019s wrong with using concrete? \u201c][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dcustom_align\u201d]Concrete is hugely important as a building material and we are not against its use. It is however, highly damaging to our environment and not without problems of its own when the overall health of a building is taken into consideration. We think it should be used sparingly and that, if we are to build and develop sustainably for the sake of our future generations, any structural system which is grown from seed should be favoured wherever possible.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][vc_accordion_tab title=\u201dWhat\u2019s wrong with using steel?\u201d][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dcustom_align\u201d]Likewise, <\/strong>steel impacts negatively upon the environment and is introducing large volumes of carbon into the atmosphere. Shockingly, it takes the equivalent of 140 tonnes of oak to produce a single tonne of iron. Unlike steel and concrete, wood locks up carbon and has the advantage of leaving a warm, tactile structure. Wood is the complementary material of choice when using materials which are sensitive to moisture such as hemp and straw because it regulates humidity instead of providing a surface where moisture from the air will condense upon it. It can therefore deal better with a problem which can create serious problems relating to dampness and unhealthy mould growth in houses.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][vc_accordion_tab title=\u201dWhat about fire safety?\u201d][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dcustom_align\u201d]Wood burns by charring from outside to inside at an estimable rate without losing structural strength. Heavy beams burn slowly, whereas modern timber frames will lose structural capabilities faster due to their smaller size, steel will lose strength by bending and twisting and concrete will shatter. Consider this, all modern fire doors are made of wood and oak has been used as a heat shield on the nose-cone of space shuttles because it withstands extreme temperatures. This heat shield is 15 centimetres thick, coincidentally the same size as the smallest sized post within a traditional frame.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][\/vc_accordion][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/body><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css_animation=\u201d\u201d row_type=\u201drow\u201d use_row_as_full_screen_section=\u201dno\u201d type=\u201dfull_width\u201d angled_section=\u201dno\u201d text_align=\u201dleft\u201d background_image_as_pattern=\u201dwithout_pattern\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1484300284061{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 5% !important;}\u201d][vc_column width=\u201d5\/6\u2033 css=\u201d.vc_custom_1484299776823{padding-right: 5% !important;}\u201d][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text css=\u201d.vc_custom_1486739357235{padding-right: 8% !important;}\u201d] Here we have answered the most commonly asked timber frame questions. If you don\u2019t find the answer you need feel free to contact us for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"full_width.php","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","content-type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-600","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n