Newlyweds in Michigan want to build their own timber frame home. Budget and schedule are top priorities for the couple and before a final decision is made, they decide to tour a prefab factory.
The DentonsShawn and Tricia Denton are moving out of the renter’s world and into their first home. They’ve decided to build on nine acres overlooking Lake Michigan (figure A) and their dream is a Japanese style timber frame (figure B). The couple explores their options on a visit to Riverbend’s Timber Frame Design Center and factory. Instead of choosing a floor plan from a catalog, the Denton’s go with a custom design (figure C).
Frank Baker offers them a tour of the factory to check out prefab on the inside. A stop at the panel shop uncovers how SIPS will make their home energy efficient. Structural insulated panels (SIPS) have a solid foam core that prevents air movement through the walls. This increases the home’s r-value or insulation value, cutting future heating and cooling bills (figure D).
Tricia and Shawn move on to the cutting station where machines cut timbers to precise measurements for each frame (figure E). Then, the factory team assembles the bents ahead of time to ensure an exact fit on the home site (figure F). Impressed with the combination of old world craftsmanship (figure G) and modern technology, the Dentons give the go ahead for their two-story, twenty-five hundred square foot timber frame home.
RESOURCES :
Riverbend of Chesapeake
Telephone: 1-301-990-6044
FMS Construction
Website: www.fmsconstructiontc.com
Riverbend Timber Framing, Inc.
Website: www.riverbendtf.com
GUESTS :
Al Cobb
Panelwrights, LLC
Telephone: 1-304-876-0265
Website: www.panelwrights.com
Charlie Byrd
Intellistructures, Inc.
Telephone: 1-540-569-6617
Website: www.intellistructures.com
Maxwell Davies
Wellspring Construction
| 
)
)
)
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2005/07/27/dasr105_2fd_e.jpg",350,450))
)
)
)
