Timber is the mainstay of our operation; we are proud to use this ecologically friendly and renewable resource; there are many benefits:
It is an environmentally sustainable material.
Solid timbers create sustainable structures, many examples of those built in the 1100’s can still be seen standing today.
Has high strength to weight ratio.
Timber has superior insulation qualities, reducing the need for electricity or burning fossil fuels.
It has versatility - it is easily moulded and profiled, giving great scope for architectural design.
Aesthetically, it has visual warmth and a variety of character, color and grain texture.
When a timber structure has reached the end of its usefulness, it can be dismantled and the timbers become highly sought after for re-use.
Our Sources of Timber
Reclaimed – The Environmentally Friendly Approach
Trees are salvaged from forests that have been destroyed by forest fires.Once they have been reclaimed, the forest is replanted, allowing it to regenerate.
Structurally, this is a very dry and stable source of wood.The slow process of the bound moisture being drawn from the tree can decrease the amount of checking (splitting) and twisting that can usually occur.
Recycled Timbers – The Most Environmentally Friendly Approach
The magnificent thing about timberframe buildings is their longevity.Even when the useful life of a timberframe building is over, it is still possible to salvage and reuse the individual timbers.Using recycled timbers has the inherent benefit of preserving living trees as well as fulfilling the ‘green’ ethos of reusing.Whether from defunct mill buildings, old barns or old factories, your home will be enhanced by the history and character of the old wood. We have some very good sources of reclaimed timbers.These are brought to the mill, cleaned, de-nailed, cut to required size and then finished.Throughout this process we ensure that the character and history of the pieces are retained, giving your home a visible connection to the past.Larger timbers are more difficult to attain using this option and the process of reclaiming timbers is a time consuming one, meaning the lead-in time will need to be longer and costs will be higher, however the results can be stunning.
Locally Logged Timber The Western Interior of British Columbia is home to an abundance of some of the highest quality timber in the world; B.C’s logging standards are some of the toughest.Miles Homes only uses timber that originates from sustainable and correctly managed forests.We want to ensure that these forest ecosystems maintain their biodiversity, regeneration capacity and vitality.
Timbers from our interior forests are superior to coastal trees for building as they have the advantage of lower moisture content (20-30% moisture contents as compared to 40-50%), and a slower growth rate which results in a timber with tight grain, reducing checking and making the timber more stable.
Miles Homes is thankful to be able to pass on this extraordinary local source to our clients.
Methods of Drying Freshly Harvested Timber
Air Drying - Although a lengthy process, this more natural method involves stacking the over-sized timbers, each layer divided by 4” dunages, the finished stack then covered by protective sheeting.A slow, natural drying process takes place and once this process is complete, the over-sized timbers are planed down to the correct size, removing most of the surface checking and twisting that may have occurred.
Kiln Drying:‘Kiln’- In lumber drying, a kiln is a room or building where temperature, moisture, and the air circulating are controlled to dry wood.The kiln takes only 2-3 weeks to dry timbers.Although it can reduce the amount of shrinkage that occurs within a joint, making the joints tighter, it unfortunately does not guarantee less checking and may even increase checking.
Contact us today about earning equity while you build your dream home.
