Restoring Historical Barn Frames for Modern Living Spaces

There’s something so captivating about historical buildings. Older antique homes each have a unique story to them, and they’ve been enjoyed by countless people. This is why restoring historical barn frames is such an appealing option for New Zealanders who want their new home to have charm.

Antique frames can be revitalised and transformed into modern living spaces, all without losing their unique history. These structures have a timeless appeal and offer the opportunity to create character-filled spaces. When you choose to restore an older barn frame, you’re choosing to keep a little bit of history alive.

What Makes These Historic Home Frames So Unique?

Antique barn frames offer a glimpse into history. The frames we work with at Heritage Timbercraft are often over 200 years old and were hand-hewn and crafted by pioneers and settlers. Each frame is an artefact with its own story and experiences. Depending on where your barn frame is sourced from, it may have been created using specialised crafting methods and traditional tools, like broad axes and adzes. Antique frames are a particularly good choice for those who appreciate skilled crafting methods and historical artistry.

If you choose to buy an antique frame with us then we will share the known history of the barn with you and will also take you on a journey from the frame being dismantled, to it being restored, transported across the world and to it’s final home on your building site where you can watch it being raised and connected again with original oak pegs or trunnels as they were originally known. It is a great experience to participate in and share with your friends and family.

The barn frames we use are typically built with Eastern Hemlock, Oak or Beech wood. North American Eastern Hemlock ages to a lovely warm brown patina and has a classic look for storied barn homes. Oak and Beech, on the other hand, are lighter, stronger and highlight the frame’s hand-hewn texture. All of these options have their charm, and we’ll be happy to discuss the various frames we have available, the kind of wood they’re made of and find the best option for your location and home design.

The Restoration Process: How Antique Frames Are Prepared For Modern Life

Of course, even the most well-preserved barn frames need to be inspected and restored to ensure structural integrity. We carefully assess each barn frame and reinforce areas that may have weakened over time, ensuring that every frame is ready to stand strong and tall for many more years. We only use well-preserved frames that are suitable for restoration and frames that have timber sizes suitable to the unique challenges of winds and earthquakes in NZ.

Once the frames are inspected and reinforced as needed, they will be modified to suit New Zealand’s building code requirements, as well as your specifications. This is to ensure premium safety and functionality. Once your home is complete it will be hard to find a  stronger structure to shelter you and your family. We do everything we can to bring these antique frames into the world of today without taking away their historic charm.

Next, we will develop concept floor plans to visualise potential layouts and uses for the specific barn frame you’ve chosen. Barn frame homes are particularly suited for open floor plan living spaces, which can make the house feel larger and more illuminated.

We collaborate with trustworthy North American suppliers like Heritage Restorations and Ohio Valley Barn Salvage to source beautiful, quality barn frames. We work closely with our partners to consider factors like timber species, size and style. When importing frames from North America, we work meticulously to ensure full compliance with New Zealand’s strict import and building regulations to maintain frame authenticity while meeting local standards. 

Every antique barn frame we work with is important to us. Each one has an individual story, and we are passionate about keeping those stories alive through comprehensive restoration efforts. We are also always on the look out for additional original elements like hay tracks, ladders, barn doors or threshing floor boards to add additional character to your build.

Why Choose Historical Barn Frames For Your New Home?

Why choose a historical barn frame over alternative options? While each new home option has its advantages, here are various reasons why clients choose antique frames for their beautiful new barn homes:

• Unmatched Character And Charm. Imagine stepping into your new home and knowing that it has over two centuries of history attached to it. If those beams could talk, they could tell you story after story of moments of excitement and times of relaxation. Antique frames imbue spaces with warmth, rustic charm and individualism. When you choose a reclaimed frame, you’re helping keep that artefact alive and adding to its own history with new stories and experiences. This makes these barn frames a particularly good choice for clients who love history and character. 
• Sustainability And Heritage Preservation. Reusing and restoring antique timber, rather than using freshly cut timber, has sustainability benefits. Additionally, preserving these barns contributes to the legacy of pioneer artistry, maintaining a tangible connection to the past. 
• Versatile Design Options. Antique frames can be tailored to various architectural styles, and you don’t have to stick with the original style that the frame was used for. You can blend old-world charm with contemporary functionality to enjoy a home that looks cosy and historical while still having modern comforts. As mentioned above, barn frames are also very suitable for open floor living spaces, which are perfect for entertaining, letting in light and improving traffic flow.

Keeping History Alive With Heritage Timbercraft

Bring the past into the future with a stunning new home created with a lovely antique barn frame. If you’d like to know more, consider visiting our Heritage Timbercraft site to read about our antique barn frame restoration process and view images of the gorgeous homes we’ve worked on.

Or, if you’d like some personalised assistance, you can call us on 0273799213 or use our contact page.

Step into history every day with Heritage Timbercraft.