Timber frame

Timber frame construction builds walls and floors from closely spaced timber studs and joists tied together by sheathing boards. The load is carried by this skeleton of slender members rather than by a solid wall. Insulation fills the cavities between studs, and linings inside and out complete the wall.

Traditional and modern timber frame

Anatolia has a long tradition of timber skeletons filled with brick, stone or mud brick, along with a related technique in which the frame is covered with laths and plastered. Northern Europe has its own half-timbered houses. Modern timber frame uses kiln-dried, often treated timber in standard sections, usually built floor by floor as a platform frame, with OSB or plywood sheathing providing racking strength.

Strengths and weaknesses

• Light, quick to erect and largely a dry process on site.
• Deep stud cavities leave plenty of room for insulation.
• Details for moisture, fire and insects have to be right.
• Vapour control layers and breathable membranes keep the wall build-up healthy.

Because timber is renewable, it features heavily in conversations about low-carbon building. Our article on eco-friendly building materials places timber alongside other options.