For centuries oak has traditionally been the timber of choice when framing due to its availability, structural strength, durability and beauty. The oak tree has assumed a mythical status in our nation’s psyche, not least for providing some of the most enduring and aesthetically satisfying buildings which have survived for centuries – take a leisurely stroll around the local market town of Ludlow for a case in point.
More recently there has been a revival in interest in oak framing which has drawn from the techniques and styles of the past and harmonised with the requirements and new technologies of modern living – the results can be spectacular and connect us deeply to our architectural heritage. It’s hard not to feel good inside an oak framed building!
The oak we use for our larger frames comes directly from a small sawmill in Brittany, the timber being felled no further south than the Loire valley and coming with FSC accreditation.
For smaller jobs or for where clients insist on home grown oak (which incidentally comes at a 20% premium), we use Whitney Sawmills near Hay on Wye. Either way the cost and environmental implications will be explained to you and the choice will be yours.
Whilst we love working with green oak, we encourage people where appropriate to consider the more economic alternatives of using locally sourced larch and douglas fir. These are felled by a local contractor within 10 miles of Castle Ring and then milled here on site using a mobile bandsaw. It feels good to support our local timber industry and rural economy in a sustainable way. Both larch and douglas fir framing can be seen here at Castle Ring alongside green oak.
Our commitment to the environment can be seen by reading the story of our time at Castle Ring where over the course of 14 years we have planted over 35,000 broadleaved trees.
All the frames we build are bespoke. We can assist in the design of your project or work from drawings supplied by yourselves and manufacture the frames at Castle Ring using traditional ’scribe rule‘ carpentry. We then deliver and assemble the frame ready for completion by yourselves or your builder.
We’ll never forget that this is your frame and we’ll work with you to make it feel like your frame, right through the process.
Although we mainly make new structures, we sometimes undertake restoration projects. Please contact us to see if it is something we can help with.