Timber Selection For Post And Beam Construction

Post and beam construction is a certain method of construction that has been used to build countless beautiful homes and buildings worldwide. When you take naturally strong timber and use it to make a home using a smart frame design, you end up with a gorgeous home that anyone would love to live in.

When building any kind of structure, household or not, making the right choices throughout the entire building process is paramount. It’s not enough to just have a good design; you also need diligent workers, an effective plan and – of course! – excellent timber. After all, robust natural timber has a big role in making your home strong and beautiful.

Not all wood is the same, and some types are better for your eventual New Zealand home. So, how do you know what to choose?

What Is Post And Beam Construction?

First, you should understand what exactly this type of construction is. This is a construction method that utilises vertical posts and horizontal beams, hence its name, to create a framework for your structure. Once this strong framework is completed, walls or Insulated panels can be ‘placed’ on the frame and secured.

This construction method is often used to create magnificent homes with large, open spaces in the interior.

This construction style can have plenty of benefits when you use high-quality timber in your structure. Timber post and beam construction has the following advantages:

• Timber Is A Natural Material. Timber is a natural material that is a very safe option. Timber is non-toxic, doesn’t leak chemicals and is safe to touch. Plus, it has a natural beauty that’s hard to replicate.
• Timber Is Sustainable. Wood is a sustainable material that comes from the earth. It’s a renewable resource, so you can feel good in your new home.
• Timber Is A Natural Insulator. Wood has natural insulating properties, meaning you can cut monthly heating and cooling costs while staying comfortable. This is particularly relevant when without a timber portal system steel portals would be used which have poor insulation properties and often have to penetrate the building envelope causing thermal bridging, transferring the cold from outside to the interior of your home.
• Timber Is Easy To Work With. Timber has been used for thousands of years to build all types of wondrous structures. If your builders are talented and you have a good plan, your high-quality home can be built in a relatively quick amount of time when you use the post and beam construction method. 

What You Can Do To Get The Best Timber For Your Home’s Construction

As mentioned above, there are plenty of different types of wood and timber, and certain types may be better for your situation. Using the wrong type of wood can result in poor results, so making the right choice is crucial!

A few things that you should consider as you select for timber are:

Timber Availability. As a general rule of thumb, the more available the timber the more cost effective. Timber grown locally can also save on freight costs. Saying that we tend to find that timber grown in the South Island or cooler areas is better quality and generally worth the extra cost of freight.

The Cost Of Your Materials. It’s always smart to pay attention to your expenses and available funds when working on a building project. Be sure to select timber you can afford for your project while keeping other costs in mind. If you have a set budget, you can discuss your best options with your timber seller, and they can help you select the best possible choice for your situation. Australian Hardwoods are beautiful but can be more that 3 times the cost of locally milled timber

Your Timber’s Strength. Wood has different types of durability, flexibility and strength depending on the kind of tree it came from. It’s vital that you select the appropriate timber for the different parts of your post and beam construction project. So, clever builders will often use different types of wood for different parts of the home’s plan.

For example, oak is very hard and strong, but it has a tendency to twist and crack. So, it’s often used to create pegs and smaller parts. Douglas fir and Macrocarpa, on the other hand, are stable and often used for posts and beams. Heart Macrocarpa is durable and is most suited for exterior timbers.

The Look You are Going For. Each species has a different grain and colour so this is often a deciding point for clients. Saying that we have a wide range of oils and stains that can be added after manufacture to get the look you are after.

The Professionals You Will Work With. One sure way to get reliable timber is to work with reliable professional timber suppliers, builders and craftspeople. These experts can help you with your build every step along the way.

You can even make your building process more straightforward by opting for a kit-set process.

Have Your Beautiful New Dream Home Built In New Zealand

If you want your marvellous new home to be beautiful, strong and long-lasting, one smart thing you can do is to work with our team at Heritage Timbercraft. We help New Zealanders build homes that are welcoming and visually stunning with the strong and dependable timber we provide.

If you have any questions or are ready to start the process, we invite you to contact our team through our site or by calling 027 3799213.

Speak with us at Heritage Timbercraft to utilise the best timber and innovative post and beam construction to build your lovely new home.