as seen in: The Sun - April 13, 2002
by Heidi Witherspoon

The air around Tim Meyer’s slice of five acres in Kingston swirls with woodsy aromas: sawdust, citrus coated wood, the sap of tall pines and the verdant, damp earth. In the middle of a cacophony of construction noise is the beginning of his dream house.

It’s not just any house that requires a crane to slowly ease huge, rich beams of custom-cut Douglas fir to men waiting on a skeleton frame three stories up. Beam by beam, the craftsmen guide the wood to joinery, where it’s locked into place without a single nail. It’s a real-life Erector set, a bottom-to-top jigsaw puzzle of posts, beams and trusses.

Welcome to the world of timber framing.

“It’s ironic, because I’ve been a contractor in Kitsap County basically my whole adult life, using conventional stick-frame methods, and then I do the exact opposite for this place, my own home,” Meyer says.

“We have a wonderful computerized tool called a CNC that shaves time by machine cutting the wood, and it yields a reliable measurement.” Coker says. “Not all timber framers use this tool, and there are still those who advocate hand-cutting only. But we’ve seen the benefits, and our craftsmen still check the cuts and have more time to involve themselves in the artistry of constructing the home.”

The construction crew includes wooden boat craftsmen, artisans who are restoring old Victorians and those who really love woodworking in its many forms. They take a lot of pride in building timber-framed homes.

Timber framing is a simple but elegant building system, which uses large wooden posts and beams fitted together with interlocking joinery, then secured with wooden pegs. A post-and-beam framework supports the roof by transferring roof loads to main posts set onto the foundation of the building. The posts eliminate the need for load-bearing interior partition walls.

The result is a strong, self-supporting structure in which heavy timbers frame open living spaces, cathedral ceilings and well-lit rooms.

“That’s the best part about this house, because you’ll open the door and this incredible timber framing will hit you right between the eyes,” Meyer said.

There are a handful of dedicated timber framers in the West Sound region, he says. Each company brings a different style or practice to the craft. Still, all are committed to bringing back a substantial look and feel of wood and natural beauty, Coker says. And it’s one that makes Meyer’s family feel right at home.

He credits his wife, Karen Varnum, with encouraging him to attend a workshop, which sold him on the concept. The two wanted something unconventional for their dream home, he says, and they elected to work with Port Townsend-based Timbercraft Homes after learning more about timber framing.

From the outside, the home will look like many other charming Northwest homes. That’s because only the inside is timber framed. The outside will be finished by Meyer in a stick-frame style. When you open the front door, golden beams of Douglas fir will welcome you with the Old World craftsmanship of mortise and tenon joinery.

According to Kevin Coker of Timbercraft, today’s timber-framed home is the amalgamation of Old World craftsmanship and modern tools and technology.