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particular project was unusual for North Woods, since it was cubic
in design, rather than the typical peaked look. And that cubic look,
described in the Timber Frame Homes article entitled "Hip to
be Square," required a different kind of approach, with plywood
reinforcements in the walls to make up for the absence of knee braces
that typically are integrated into the frame.
That project
merely highlighted the versatility of North Woods. On most jobs,
they offer customers a "one-stop shop," combining the
timber frame and the accompanying panels, plus windows and exterior
doors from Loewen.
In addition
to timber frame construction, they are also able to build homes
made of their other product, insulated stress skin panels--without
the timber frame. "There's a growing market for stress skin
panel houses," notes Kruse. "You put splines around the
edges of the panels and a rim along the top. Then just put siding
on the outside, Sheetrock on the inside. They're extremely energy-efficient,
as are timber frame homes."
R-Tight Panels
also supplies panels to other timber frame builders--either the
standard, six-inch thick variety with OSB on both sides, or perhaps
"specialty panels" with drywall on one side. Or panels
of different thicknesses, with differing R-values.
With their
commodious fabrication facilities, North Woods and R-Tight Panels
can create all their products indoors, under carefully controlled
conditions. Once cut, all the frames are treated with a penetrating
oil sealer (developed by Kruse using his chemistry background) to
prevent any staining during the raising of the frame, which can
take from a single day to a week--depending on the size of the frame
and weather conditions.
They also offer
a variety of wood species. The cubic house shown in this article
has a hemlock frame. They also offer oak, Douglas fir, white pine,
cedar and even recycled timbers, an idea that appeals to clients
Dave and Elena Worrall, whose New Hampshire timber frame home overlooks
the White Mountains.
"Those beams were recycled Douglas fir, salvaged from a log
boom that sank in the St. Lawrence Seaway," says Kruse. "It
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