Project Gallery

Miller Residence

CW and Carol Miller had an appreciation for the beauty of custom timber frame homes. They asked their architect to include natural wood elements in the design of their Rist Canyon home. The original plans called for rough-sawn glu-lams, a manufactured product made of many small pieces of wood glued together to form a large beam. We urged the Millers to consider Douglas fir beams instead of a manmade product.

Building the Millers' home with Douglas fir beams allowed us to use traditionally crafted mortise and tenon joinery, instead of bolting on exposed steel plates. The true Douglas fir beams were also less expensive than the glu-lams, and we were able to purchase them with an environmental certification from the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). CSA certification is based on internationally recognized criteria for sustainable forest management that include how and where timber is harvested. We also provided the metal tie rods that replaced most of the bottom chords of the trusses, allowing for more of the spectacular down canyon views.

How did the hybrid timber frame home turn out? Carol says it best.

"CW and I wanted to let you know we are so pleased with the lovely timbers you provided for our hybrid home in Rist Canyon. It was so exciting for us to watch the crane lift the beams and trusses.and to see how it was all so perfectly designed and manufactured when you raised the roof. It is even more rewarding to see that some of the old construction craft still exists."

[read full testimonial]

Location: Larimer County, CO
Architect: DEH Designs, Fort Collins, CO
General Contractor: Stoner Homes, Inc., Fort Collins, CO
Frame Design: Dodgco Colonial Designs, New Boston, NH

Plates and ties in the shop for preassembly.

Plates and ties in the shop for preassembly.

The main timber entry.

Joinery between the great room and hall.

Looking out the dining room.

View out the future front door.  Nice.