Heritage meets innovation

Words by Jamie Crocker

Revealing the story behind a business that has strength at its heart.

Pond House barn interior

Carpenter Oak embraces the enduring beauty and vigour of traditional timber framing whilst bringing new methods to this time-honoured craft. We spoke with them about their journey from conservation specialists to pioneers of modern oak framing.

Firstly, can you give me a general overview of Carpenter Oak, what you do, your craftsmen and a little of its history.

For nearly four decades, Carpenter Oak has specialised in the bespoke design, handcrafting, and installation of structural timber frames for self-builders, architects and commercial clients across the UK. Every frame we create is unique, designed to reflect each client’s vision and setting.

From first sketch to final raising, our experienced team guides each project with care, creativity and technical precision. We collaborate closely with clients and design professionals, blending traditional craftsmanship with modern thinking to create exceptional timber structures that are both functional and inspiring.

Carpenter Oak began on December 10th, 1987, bringing together architect Roderick James and oak frame specialist Charley Brentnall in Wiltshire. Originally founded as Carpenter Oak & Woodland, the company specialised in conservation, restoring historic timber-framed buildings, including the 14th-century tithe barn at Charlton Court and Windsor Castle’s kitchen roof after the 1992 fire. In 1995, key team members Adam Milton and Paul Kirkup moved to Devon to establish a new yard, constructing Seagull House, the first new-build oak-framed home in Dittisham. This marked our expansion beyond conservation into bespoke timber frame homes and extensions.

Following success at Stirling Castle, carpenters Gordon McDonald and Steve Lawrence established a Scottish yard in Lintrathen, Angus, in 1999. In 2015, the companies reunited under one name and shared vision, bringing together decades of experience and passion for timber framing.

What does it mean to maintain traditional oak framing techniques in an era of modern construction and how do you balance centuries-old craftsmanship with contemporary architectural demands?

Maintaining traditional oak framing techniques is essential to what sets us apart – it’s the heart of our bespoke approach. We’re passionate about these ancient skills and the heritage they carry. Balancing centuries-old techniques with contemporary demands is both a challenge and an opportunity. We push our skilled team to innovate by blending traditional methods with modern processes and materials, creating timber frames that honour the past while working within modern building standards and contemporary architecture.

You mentioned that you use various timbers for construction, oak, Douglas fir, larch, glulam – can you talk through the uses and benefits of each?

Oak is iconic, naturally providing the curves and arches typical of traditional timber framing. Celebrated for its rich honey tones and tactile grain patterns, it weathers to a softer, silvery hue externally. Most clients choose oak as it’s strong, durable, timeless and beautiful.

Douglas fir offers a streamlined, modern look with clean lines and a crisp finish. Its natural orangey-pink hue complements various finishes like whitewash. Often more cost-effective than oak, it’s locally sourced, sustainable, and aligns with environmentally conscious building practices.

Larch is ideal for exterior use due to its high resin content, protecting against decay. Growing plentifully across the UK, it’s locally sourced and sustainable, supporting British forestry while reducing transportation emissions.

Glulam (glue-laminated) timber is engineered from layers of uniform timber bonded with moisture-resistant adhesives. Available in various species, it’s strong, stable and highly predictable. Unlike oak and Douglas fir, it doesn’t develop cracks, maintaining a linear, pristine finish.

Explain the journey of a single oak beam, from forest to finished frame, and what makes Carpenter Oak’s approach to timber selection and preparation unique after 37 years in the industry?

Despite ongoing challenges in the UK hardwood supply, we maintain strong partnerships with trusted European suppliers, particularly in northern France. These relationships ensure a reliable supply of premium-grade European oak from well-managed, sustainable forests.

Once felled, oak is carefully graded and aged for several months before being sawn, then delivered to our Devon and Scotland yards. Our experienced carpenters carry out final grading before transforming each piece into bespoke posts, beams, braces, plates and purlins.

What sets us apart? We source the highest-grade European oak available. Our design team holds over 70 years of combined industry experience. Several carpenters have been with us for over 30 years, bringing an intimate understanding of timber and keen grading skills. We continually evolve our knowledge to stay at the forefront.

How has becoming an employee-owned company transformed the way your craftspeople approach their work and what does this model mean for the future of skilled trades in Britain?

Becoming employee-owned has deepened purpose and pride across our entire team. Everyone has a direct stake in company success, bringing shared responsibility, accountability and investment in work quality. Every decision and frame carries the weight of collective ownership.

This model reinforces collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and long-term thinking. Our craftspeople are building a legacy for themselves and their peers, fostering continual learning and excellence where people are empowered to innovate and uphold high standards.

Employee ownership offers a compelling model for Britain’s skilled trades future, showing traditional craftsmanship can thrive when workers have a voice and a meaningful stake in the business. It attracts and retains talent while protecting craft integrity.

Beyond employment, how does Carpenter Oak contribute to local communities, and what role do you see traditional building crafts playing in preserving regional heritage?

Beyond skilled employment, we actively support local communities and preserve traditional craftsmanship. We regularly welcome school groups to our yards, offering hands-on timber framing experiences to inspire the next generation.

We maintain work experience partnerships with local schools, colleges and international universities. Through collaboration with French organisation Compagnons du Devoir, we host one apprentice annually, enriching our craft through a cross-border knowledge exchange.

Carpenter Oak proudly supports FRAME, organised by the Carpenters’ Fellowship, bringing together craftspeople, enthusiasts and learners to share expertise and celebrate timber framing.

In luxury construction, sustainability is increasingly important to discerning clients. How do Carpenter Oak’s practices align with environmental responsibility while maintaining the highest standards of craftsmanship?

All our timber is sourced from sustainable, well-managed woodlands with ‘PEFC’ certification – an internationally recognised forest management standard. Through supporting responsible forestry management, we can confidently say we are contributing to a net environmental benefit in the our use of timber in construction..

What innovations in timber engineering have you introduced that allow for both traditional aesthetics and modern performance standards in your buildings?

We’ve continually refined our approach to designing timber frames, to meet ever improving building standards and the expectations of contemporary architecture. Ensuring high levels of thermal performance is requisite in modern buildings, and we have developed detailing to ensure timber frames can meet these standards. While we love traditional timber to timber jointing, we also use bespoke steelwork to meet particular structural or design challenges.

What distinguishes a Carpenter Oak frame in a contemporary luxury home versus a traditional restoration project, and how do you adapt your approach for each?

The approach is similar, rooted in material understanding. While craft methods and design principles are similar, architecture and how we live has evolved and so have our timber frames.

In contemporary projects, we’re reimagining age-old techniques for modern living, playing with traditional truss forms, possibly incorporating stainless steel ties to lighten aesthetics, and working with large, open spans. It’s a 21st-century take on a medieval craft, with oak frames becoming bold architectural features integrated with glass, steel and manufactured components.

In restoration work, focus shifts to continuity and respect for the existing structure. We work within conservation constraints, using traditional joinery and period-appropriate materials, sometimes salvaging original timber. It’s about strengthening without overshadowing.

In both cases, the timber frame is integral to the identity of a building. Whether restoring history or shaping something new, we adapt methods to context while staying true to the timber framing craft.

For homeowners considering oak framing, what should they understand about the design process and timeline and how do you ensure each project reflects both your craftsmanship standards and their vision?

Through supporting responsible forestry management, we can confidently say we are contributing to a net environmental benefit in the our use of timber in construction.

Once the frame design is finalised, the project gains clarity in aesthetic and function, allowing momentum to build as materials are procured and manufacturing begins. Each frame is meticulously crafted by dedicated carpenters who cut the frame in the workshop and carry out site installation. This approach ensures continuity, a strong sense of ownership and unwavering commitment to excellence. 

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