Timber Frame Buildings

All our Timber framed houses and other buildings are designed and manufactured at our factory in Yorkshire. We do not buy components from any other manufacturer. We have become well established with a reliable reputation for the design and manufacture of timber frame buildings. We are fully aware of the importance of completing projects on time to your specifications. Roof truss and timber frames supplied and erected. We are CDM regulations compliant. As we are also a timber merchant with our own sawmill and timber treatment plant we are able to undertake a broader range of components than most of our competitors.

Why choose Shire Timber for your timber frame house or timber frame building?

• We offer high quality, precision, factory made components for timber frame buildings.
• Exceptionally high standards of insulation.
• A considerable reduction on construction time, giving:
  • Reduced site preliminary costs
  • Improved cash flow
  • Rapid customer response
  • Improved profits
• Rapid erection reduces the need for speculative building programmes. You can build quickly 'to order'
• Building sites are easier to maintain and keep tidy
• Snagging and maintenance costs are virtually eliminated due to 'dry' construction.
• Construction is not affected by inclement weather conditions.
• Reduced dead loads allowing reductions in foundation costs and/or allowing marginal sites to be developed.
• Much improved site stock management.
• Reduction in waste due to 'package' deliveries.

The Advantages of Shire Timber Houses and other timber frame buildings

At Shire Timber we offer all the standard advantages of timber frame house construction plus a great deal more.

• We offer a personal friendly service from our highly professional and experienced team.
• We are committed to ensuring that our clients requirements are fulfilled in all areas.
• Our organisational and planning skills guarantee that all projects undertaken run smoothly and efficiently, on schedule and to budget.
• Our experienced design team ensure a fast, reliable service in the design of your building.
• We offer the highest quality materials and service
• We understand that value for money is of prime importance to our clients.

An introduction to Timber Frame Construction.

Timber Frame House Construction, in its present form, has been used throughout the Northern Hemisphere for over a century. It has been widely used in Scotland during the last 50 years and has proven to be both reliable and excellent value for money.

The components, which make up a timber frame building, are manufactured to a high quality and tolerance, in a controlled factory environment. All timbers are kiln dried and treated to protect them from insect attack and decay. Structural timbers are regularised (planed) for accuracy and ease of handling.

Most timber frame houses can be erected to a watertight shell within 48 hours of delivery. The speed of erection is achieved due to the components being substantially completed in the factory and requiring only final assembly on site. Site cutting and fitting is minimal. The building is rapidly made watertight eliminating the ingress of moisture thereby reducing the chance of 'drying out' movement and shrinkage so often seen in traditional buildings. By achieving a watertight and secure shell at an early stage in the construction programme the overall construction period is substantially reduced. All internal trades can progress while the external cladding and site work is completed. Effective site management can reduce a contract programme by up to 50% compared to traditional building methods. It is not uncommon for customers to have houses occupied 5 weeks after the structural frame delivery.

Timber frame buildings have a high thermal efficiency (U-value) which far exceeds that of traditional building materials, and offers up to 70% savings on energy costs. As the Building Regulations are continually revised to improve the thermal efficiency of buildings, the technology is uniquely suited to achieve and improve on the requirements of the regulations. Current Building Regulations require an external wall 'U' value of 0.35W/m2K, current indications say this will reduce even further in the not too distant future. This requirement will be difficult and expensive to achieve using traditional brick and block materials and will also increase the foot print size of the house. The 'U' values achieved by timber frame construction already exceed the requirements of the new Building Regulations at no extra cost and no increase in foot print size. Higher sound insulation is also achieved using timber construction which is of particular benefit in semi-detached and terraced housing. The improved sound insulation is achieved primarily by incorporating a complete structural break between the dwellings thereby removing the possibility of sound transmission through the structure.

Timber frame construction is also environmentally friendly. Raw materials are drawn from renewable resources and not virgin forest. Timber is a natural, non-toxic, organic, recyclable, renewable and biodegradable material. Energy consumption in buildings account for 50% of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions. Very little energy is consumed in the manufacture of a timber frame building.

Timber Frame House Specifications

Preservation
All structural timbers shall be preserved in accordance with BS 5589 (1989) code of practice for preservation of timber.

Stress Grading
All components are to be softwood to stress class 3, as described in BS 4978 (1973) timber grades for structural use.

Fixings
All structural fixings to be galvanised or rust protected..

Soleplates
Soleplates are supplied loose in random lengths preservative treated. To be fixed using "Bat" or similar galvanised soleplate anchors, spacing of nails to be determined by engineers calculations, usually at 1200 mm centres.

External Panels
Timber frame panels comprise of top and bottom rails, with studs at centres to be determined by structural engineer. Rails are fixed to studs with at least 2 No 90 mm long (minimum) nails, offset to reduce the risk of splitting. Openings have lintels supported on cripple studs (sizes of lintels to be determined by structural engineer). The number of cripple studs to be determined by structural engineer. All external panels require sheathing of 7.5 mm Vanerply, 9.5 mm thick CDX plywood, 9 mm OSB board or 15 mm Bitvent fixed with 3 mm diameter nails at least 50 mm long placed at 150 mm centres around the edge of each sheet and at 300 mm centres internally. Tear proof breather membrane to BS 4016 (1972) prefixed to the external face of the sheathing (except Bitvent) with nylon tape to indicate stud positions, with 100 mm horizontal laps and 150 mm vertical laps.

Non-Load Bearing Internal Panels
Non-Load bearing panels to comprise top and bottom rails, with studs at centres to be determined by structural engineer. Rails are to be fixed to studs with at least 2 No 90 mm long (minimum) nails, offset to reduce risk of splitting.

Load Bearing Internal Panels
Load bearing internal panels are to comprise top and bottom rails, with studs at centres to be determined by structural engineer. Rails are to be fixed to studs with at least 2 No 90 mm long (minimum) nails, offset to reduce the risk of splitting. Panels should have noggins (dwangs) fixed centrally between studs. Openings to have lintels supported on cripple studs (size of lintels to be determined structural engineer). The number of cripple studs to be determined by structural engineer.

In certain cases it may be necessary to fix sheathing to the panel for racking purposes.

Partywall Panels
Manufactured as internal load bearing panels but with Netlon, plywood or 25 x 100 mm sawn diagonal bracing fixed as necessary to provide racking stability.

Extra Studs
Additional studs are provided at all junctions and below trimmers, beams and girders etc.

Intermediate Floors
The structural design is carried out in accordance with the requirements of BS 5268 part 2 (1996) and takes into account loading specified in BS 6399. All joists are of size, grade and centres to comply with Building Regulations.

Roof Components
Roof Components to be manufactured in accordance with BS 5268 Part 2 (1996), and BS 5268 Part 3 (1996) by our in house truss manufacturer, including all necessary drawings and calculations.

Spandrel Panels
Manufactured as external/internal panels to match roof profile.

Cavity Barriers
Cavity barriers shall be fixed around all openings, comprising 50 x 50 mm treated softwood battens with DPC fixed to the face of the abutting brickwork. Cavities to be closed using 50 x 50 mm nom treated softwood cavity closers. 50 x 50 mm preservative treated softwood fire checks to be fitted at all changes of direction and at 10mts maximum centres also at every floor level

Energy and the environment

There is an increasing concern regarding the environment. Global warming, caused by the build up of 'greenhouse' gases such as CO₂, is one of the most serious threats our planet has ever faced. Most people and organisations are now well aware of the importance of saving energy in the running costs of buildings but what consideration has been given to how much energy is used by the individual materials that go into their construction?

The Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA) has published a report which has revealed some startling facts about the amount of energy required to produce individual building components. Research into a 'Green Building' examined the energy impact of buildings on the environment by comparing the individual elements. It took into account all elements from mining of the original materials, felling the timber and all stages of manufacture right through to the product leaving the factory gates. The resulting total of energy used expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh), being the same units used on electricity and gas bills, is known as the Product Energy Requirement or PER. Refer to illustration overleaf.

In today's more energy conscious world, timber frame construction methods offer an option which is not only more time and cost effective, but is also more energy efficient. Compared to alternative building materials such as steel, aluminium or concrete, timber requires very little energy to produce, creates no harmful waste and is, above all, the only natural renewable resource.

ALL timber used by Shire Timber Ltd is obtained from sustainable managed resources where reforestation programmes ensure that more trees are planted than are felled. New trees actually produce more oxygen than do old trees and also absorb more carbon dioxide thereby helping to create a cleaner and environmentally better world in which to live.