Journal

Notes from the shop.

On real timber, the craft, and the process. Written for the designers, architects, and builders we work with.

What a box beam actually is, how it goes together, and why designers keep specifying it over solid timber.

The five things we need to price a beam accurately, and the drawing notes that save everyone a round of questions.

Nail holes, checks, saw marks, and sun: what the surface of old timber tells you, and how to spec the right amount of character.

Heavy timber looks without the structural load: why the shop exists, and when a hollow beam is the smarter drawing.

Why the beam, the floor, and the trim should be finished as one decision, and how to get there without a matching lottery.

Cedar, white oak, Douglas fir, and poplar: how a species gets chosen, and why the finish follows it.

What a door schedule actually decides, why the hardware belongs on it, and how to hand the whole thing off as one package.

A tongue-and-groove ceiling looks simple from below. The decisions that make it read right happen before the first board goes up.

A mantel is one piece of wood doing a whole room’s worth of work. How to size it, what character to look for, and what to send us.