Guide

In the world of self-building, timber frame often refers to the method of building walls from wood. At its most basic, lengths of timber and sheathing are assembled to make structural wall panels. In Ireland, the term timber frame most commonly refers to factory made timber frame panels or kits, often sometimes pre insulated, that are then craned into place on site.

In theory, as long as it complies with the relevant standards and regulations, there are no limits to the design possibilities of creating a timber frame home. Even curved walls are possible with some clever detailing. The main limitation is span but, thanks to the addition of steel or engineered timber, can easily be dealt with. This relates to large open plan spaces and clear spans of floors, roofs and walls.

Further limitations set by the various regulations affecting the design and construction of timber frame residential buildings apply to such things as the height of each storey and overall height of the building, fire safety, workmanship, selection of materials, etc.

For the design stage, you would just need to verify whether timber frame construction is in fact the best solution, and indeed the most cost effective, for the house that you want. In general, timber frame construction costs are equivalent to bricks and mortar for a near zero energy building specification.

But don’t despair if your original design was intended for a traditional bricks and mortar construction, as it can be adjusted to suit a timber frame structure. If you have already obtained full planning permission, the type of structure shouldn’t matter as long as the external appearance remains as approved.

About the Selfbuild Timber Frame Guide’s Author

Les O’Donnell is a Chartered Architectural Technologist and structural engineer with over 30 years’ experience designing and supervising the construction of new builds. His practice, Landmark Designs, is based in Co Tyrone. All of the information contained in the guide is for information purposes only; professional guidance must be sought for your own specific project.