Second Time Around
Timber Homes Illustrated – June 2004
Nestled in the woods of North Carolina, this timber frame home is customized to the owner’s desires. Download the article (see below) to learn more!
Engineering a Timber Frame Home Worth Celebrating
Retirement brought Fred and Jean Graf from Wisconsin to six wooded acres on North Carolina’s W. Kerr Scott Reservoir — 700 feet of shoreline, mature trees, and the perfect canvas for the timber frame home Fred had long imagined. A career in mortgage financing, and a client’s refurbished 19th-century barn, had sparked his interest in post-and-beam construction, echoing his Swiss family homestead with its centuries-old mortise-and-tenon joinery.
The couple met Blue Ridge Timberwrights’ Rick McCurdy, visited the Christiansburg shop in Virginia, and ultimately decided to partner with the timber frame builder after attending a Blue Ridge frame-raising in Meadows of Dan, Virginia. The couple’s new home centers on reclaimed Douglas fir timbers sourced from the St. Lawrence Seaway. This icnludes iron from old chains and bolts left distinctive black streaks that the Grafs loved for their history and character.
Blue Ridge engineered a frame with queen-post bents and a common-rafter roof, celebrated inside with a natural finish, local oak cabinetry, a thoughtful pantry, and joinery details that guests can’t help but notice. To visualize the plan, Fred even staked it full-size in their Wisconsin yard and built a small 3-D model before construction began. Ten months later, the couple moved into a glowing, one-of-a-kind home that still takes their breath away
