T I M B E R – F R A M E S

~for~

HOUSES · ADDITIONS · BARNS · SUGARHOUSES · PORCHES · CABINS · PAVILIONS

& other

W O O D C R Æ F T

of all needs and uses, both sacred and profane

I LIVE BY THE WORK OF MY HANDS.

The Sweetgrass Joinery Company Ltd. sprouted in the mid-spring of 2001. What began as a cottage industry on a small family farm in Geauga County, Ohio, remains steadfast to this day. Twenty-three years and counting, I still design and craft traditional “bench made” timber frames one at a time in my little shop at the corner of a hay meadow, near the edge of a mostly sugar-maple woods.

Traditioned-based heavy timber carpentry is truly a handicraft, deeply rooted in the past, yet remains relevant and uniquely adaptable to a modern functionalism and aesthetic. It is timeless. This simple premise, amongst others, guides my hands and heart through each project, be it large or small, fancy or plain.

My patterns of design, methods of work, and choice of materials arise from and are heavily influenced by the long-standing building traditions of the forest cultures of Western & Northern Europe. I prefer and often recommend the use of locally grown and harvested sources of wood and, if possible, integrate trees selected and harvested from the building site.

I MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO PRACTICE A WAY OF DESIGN AND BUILDING THAT IS BALANCED, PRINCIPLED, & UNFEIGNED

My timberwork is fully structural and differs little from the vernacular timber carpentry of 200+ years ago. I use mortise & tenon and lapped joinery secured with riven wooden pegs and wedges. Quite often, the old ways remain the best ways.

I work alone in the quiet, taking only one job at a time. My pace is glacially slow, methodical, and unabashedly pre-industrial. These rather aberrant attributes allow me to offer up my unbroken attention to both you and the work at hand. Hopefully, you’ll find my offering worthy of the wait and the investment.

Please look over this sampling of some 23 years of labor – the work of my hands and my heart. I have been truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to design and craft such a wide array of timber-frames over the past years. Perhaps you will consider me when the time comes. I look forward to meeting you and working with you, God willing.

With Gratitude,

maker