Distressed Timbers

We feature our heavy timber truss projects on a regular basis but we also  provide heavy timbers associated with our trusses as well as whole house loose timber and rafter packages.

Many of our customers and their clients desire reclaimed timbers for their  projects but the associated cost, the limitations in available sizes and proportions and the difficulty of assembling consistent groupings in specific rooms make using antique timbers problematic on many jobs.

Fortunately, we now have the capability of applying mechanically distressed finishes to our kiln dried trusses and timbers which successfully replicate century old textures such as axe hewn barn timbers and circular sawn mill timbers. Applied with state of the art machinery, our textures are applied uniformly and at a fraction of the cost of hand applied distressing. We can also supply timbers as planed smooth or hand sanded.

The images below show the range of textures available to include hand hewn, circular sawn, and wire brushed. These finished can be applied in layers such as wire brushing over hewn or circular sawn for no additional cost. We ca also have a rustic adzing applied to corners if requested. Most images are of our Eastern White Pine but Douglas Fir and Alaska Yellow Cedar are options as well.

Hand Hewn with Wire Brushing

Circular Sawn with Wire Brushing

Wire Brushing Only

We would appreciate the opportunity to enhance your project with these unique finishes. Please send us PDF’s of your plans or a material list and we will quickly provide you with a turn-key quote.

Hand Sanded Examples

Although we have been producing our E-letters for several years we wanted to provide a general overview of our products. If you have an interest in any specific product types or species, just let us know and we will forward additional information, images, samples, etc.

Just to re-cap our history, we started our business in 2005 with the launch of Texas Architectural Timbers. Creating this company was a result of my frustration as a designer in sourcing better quality and wider varieties of timbers for my residential projects. Apparently other architects and builders felt the same frustration for we have continued to grow and expand both our product offerings and geographical coverage culminating in the creation of our second company, Southern Panel & Decking, in the Summer of 2012.

Over the years our completed project list has grown from only high end residential projects to now include commercial and institutional projects such as lodges, botanical gardens, churches, wedding venues, assisted living complexes, retail centers, office buildings and academic campuses. (more…)

Obviously we are big fans of timber trusses and timber frames as architectural elements and appreciate the impact they can have on our customers’ projects. With a background in Custom Residential Architecture we can also assist in design, detail, joinery solutions and timber proportions if needed.

This article is an attempt to give an overview of facts about timber trusses and timber frames and to recap the choices you have in designs, materials and finishes. 

We are pleased to announce that we now have the capability of fabricating traditional mortised and pegged timber truss and timber frames from antique materials such as hand hewn barn timbers or Long Leaf Pine mill timbers. We are currently in the production phase for an Antique Hewn Oak Timber Frame Dining Hall for a Hunting Ranch west of San Antonio. Renderings are below.

There are two main types of joinery in trusses: the more common steel plated assembly and the traditional mortised and pegged assembly. Most of our truss projects are true mortised or mortised/steel hybrids but we can certainly fabricate traditional steel plated trusses if that is the look that is desired.

While we have the capability of manufacturing complete Residential and Commercial Timber Frame Packages, we also enjoy working with our customers on smaller timber framed structures such as Pavilions, Cabanas, and Pergolas as well as partial timber frame assemblies integrated into traditional stick framed structures.

One common misconception is that timber trusses can only be used as decorative components. Although we supply many projects where our trusses are purely decorative, we have fabricated structural trusses up to 40′-0″ in length with steel plates and up to 32′-0″ in length with mortised connections. Our longest non-structural trusses delivered were 48’-0” in length. These are not maximum possible sizes, just the largest for us to date. Some of our structural trusses are pictured below.

The photo above shows a recent installation in one of our ranch projects. These unique timbers were sawn or hewn to function as heavy floor joists in 100 year old barns. Because they were laid flat, only the wide faces were “dressed” leaving the original log surface on the sides. Advantages resulting from their function is that when turned vertically they have virtually no wane and because they were not part of main timber frame they have little or no mortise pocketing. This material lends itself well to “elegant rustic” styles.

A wonderful choice for more informal projects, beams can be used flat as originally intended (at right) or set vertically to play up their irregular appearance as in photo above. Sizes on larger timbers are 8″ (+/-) thick and 12″ up to 14″ wide. Smaller beams are available 8″ (+/-) thick and approx 10″ wide.

The timbers at right are decked with Eastern White Pine slabs which we can provide as straight edge or bark edge in widths up to 24″. It doesn’t get more authentic than that!

As you can see in photos below we have access to a great selection and can satisfy fairly long lengths. Again, these are all 100 year old Oak and are sold pressure washed to patina finish, de-nailed, treated for insects and kiln dried (on lengths up to 20′-0″). Please contact us with any inquiries.

New Kiln Dried Eastern White Pine Timbers milled to your specifications

New Kiln Dried Douglas Fir Timbers – #1 and Select Grades. KD Southern Yellow Pine also available at very competitive pricing.

Factory milled decorative cuts and finishes are available on Kiln Dried Products
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Hardwood Flooring

Available in black walnut, cherry, red oak, white oak, and maple varieties. Available in character grades as well as select.

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