Building on tradition
Time-served methods create contemporary spaces at Yorkshire Oak Frames
The workshop at Yorkshire Oak Frames is a place of contrasts: a hive of activity where the most traditional materials and methods of construction are employed in a process which has created stunning and innovative timber-framed buildings.
This has been so since director Adam Walker established the business in 2008, building on his prior experience working in forestry and timber management which gave him an instinctive understanding of the qualities of wood – and specifically the English oak in which the company specialises.
“It has been a process of organic growth since then, ” says Adam. “Taking on bigger projects, recruiting more staff but never losing sight of our principles or compromising on quality.”
One way in which that quality is maintained is through Yorkshire Oak Frames having its own sawmill, so there is no need to rely on timber supplied by third parties. “This allows us to dictate the quality of our work by being in charge from the tree through to the final installation, ” says Adam.
There company now employs 10 people, based around a workshop team
and an installation team. Many, like Adam, have a background in timber which, he believes, gives them a feel for working with it.
“All staff are trained in-house, starting as apprentices, ” says Adam. “This approach allows them to grow into our ethos as well as providing all the necessary skills.
Adam is an enthusiastic advocate of the
eco-credentials of green oak. “As well as sequestering and locking up atmospheric carbon for the lifetime of the building, the production process from felling to final structure releases much less CO2 than other building methods.”
All oak used by the company is sourced from FSC or PEFC-certified woodlands, an assurance of high environmental standards and sustainability.