Woodhouse understands what’s needed for durable timber frame home design in areas where wind is a serious consideration. 

 

 

Timber frame homes are often built in breathtaking places, along mountain ridges, ocean shorelines, and sweeping landscapes. Along with the stunning views of these dramatic places comes dramatic weather, especially wind. Stiff gales, hurricane-force winds, derechos, and strings of blustery days — high-wind locales demand timber frame home design that strategizes its exposure for a tempest-tough home. But don’t worry. The Woodhouse design process and engineering expertise makes it a breeze.

 

 

The Hercules of Homes

Stories of timber frame homes weathering high-wind storms abound. Woodhouse Regional Project Manager (RPM) for the Southeast, Don Downs, recalls a Woodhouse timber frame office studio outbuilding built on Captiva Island, Florida, across the street from the shore frontage of the Gulf Coast. A hurricane eye went right over the structure, bringing winds upwards of 150 mph.

“After it was all over, the homeowner emailed me and said there wasn’t even a drywall crack,” Don says.

In another instance, Don’s recalls a neighbor whose house was a timber frame, but the attached garage was stick-built. When strong winds blew over a large oak tree near the home, it landed on both.

The house had a few damaged roof shingles. The garage was crushed,” Don remembers. “You can feel pretty comfortable in a timber frame.”

These homes are so durable thanks to two significant elements of timber frame construction: smart siting strategies and seriously sturdy materials.

 

Smart Siting

Because they are situated in such beautiful places, timber frame homes often include lots of glazing elements, the most popular being a panoramic window wall to take advantage of the views. One way to fortify the home is to position it at an angle in which the windows retain the view while reducing their exposure to the full force of the wind. Even just a few degrees can make a big difference.

This is one of many reasons why assessing exposure is crucial. It’s for this reason (among many others!) an RPM or Independent Representative (IR) does a site visit before the design work starts.

“One of the first pieces of research we do before the design draft is to call the county building department and find out the region’s wind zones so we are well-informed,” explains Don.

 

Smart Materials

A frame composed of sturdy pieces of timber rather than hundreds of 2 x 4 lumber stud boards translates into a home tough enough to withstand incredible forces of nature. Without the need for wall studs, timber frames are built with structural insulated panels (SIPs), which are stronger and more energy efficient than the conventional combination of insulation and wall studs.

SIPs used in conjunction with timber framing ensure a tight energy seal. Plus, a selection of savvy finishing materials also helps. A metal roof and flat siding provide a sleek surface for wind to slide over while a shingled-roof or siding gives wind lots of nooks and crannies for gusts to catch and do damage. This is not to say that a wind resistant home cannot have a high roof or larger overhangs, but if it does, it needs to be correctly sited with appropriate materials.

Don says, “It really gets down to engineering. We work in concert with local general contractors (GCs) who have a lot of expertise in the area. We get them involved early and ask them, ‘What finish materials on the exterior do you find with good success rates in this region?’”

 

Stylish Storm-Proofing

Timber frame homes can take on a variety of architectural aesthetics, but a few certain design choices make them even more wind resistant. Take these timeless-but-tough Woodhouse projects for example:

 

Low-pitched roofs like that on this incredible BaliView design in Burdett, NY (above) gives wind less to push against and grab. Hip roofs instead of gabled make it easier for the wind to blow over the top of the house.

 

This custom Woodhouse timber frame in Steamboat Springs, CO (above) employs a low-angle arch for an eye-catching and utterly unique graceful roofline. Narrow overhangs (instead of broad) reduce the amount of space where wind can gather and push up against the overhang.

 

 

Case Study: Building in North Carolina’s High Country

Banner Elk is a popular getaway mountain town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina’s High Country. Like many mountain towns, beautiful views are part of the allure. One Banner Elk resident and Woodhouse custom timber frame client wanted their house built on a mountain ridge. The location affords spectacular views, but mountain ridges are notorious for their powerful winds.

The homeowner’s property was situated in a spot where the wind thunders up the slope and hits the house. Woodhouse worked with local GC, Matthew Montgomery, president of Groundstone Homes, so Woodhouse designers and engineers understood the personality and wind patterns of the site.

“We worked closely with the Woodhouse team, architect, engineer, suppliers, and contractors, to ensure all components of the home were designed and fortified to meet the demands of the homesite,” Matthew says.

While there are certain materials and design elements that fortify a home against wind, designers also factor in the homeowner’s dream. In this case, the homeowner wanted a tall window wall and broad overhangs that punctuate the mountain aesthetic. The roof, however, is not steeply pitched and the windows are a special grade designed to withstand high wind loads.

Matthew explains, “Being at over 5,000 feet of elevation, every component from foundation, structure, windows, siding and roofing were chosen to meet the demands. Timber frame systems have proven to be one of the most durable and wind resistant building systems available.”

 

 

Building Wind Resilience

Want to see just how beautiful a windproof home can be? Browse our timber frame home floor plans, then breeze through our online gallery and see how Woodhouse homes look in the wild. Reach out today for an introductory conversation about your timber frame dream.