Timber Frame at Temple Sugar Bush

Temple Sugar Bush hired us this spring to build a timber frame dinning hall and gift shop. After producing detailed timber shop drawings, Mark Duffe from Gibson Timber Frames managed the job. Over the summer, we cut all the timber joinery at our shop in Harrowsmith, and recently raised the frame in Ferguson Falls, Lanark County.

This T-shaped timber frame covers over 3500 sqft and is made from 10 x 10 white pine timber. With principle rafters and vaulted ceilings, this is an impressive building to be in. When you enter the frame, you will be sheltered by a ceiling, and be visually invited into the ‘great room’ dinning hall area, where the peak reaches 30’. There will be a stone fireplace in the gable end: a perfect complement to any timber frame. Expertly designed by Michael Neelin of River Song Design this timber frame blends classic timber frame lines and the Lanark countryside. Surrounded by Temple’s sugar maples this is a beautiful site to visit.

This frame took approximately 3 months to cut at the shop and 1-month on site to raise. We used a 35-ton crane to raise the frame over three different days, and a 44’ extending forklift to help assemble and install some of the smaller pieces. The large valley rafters presented the joinery challenge that we were happy to take on. It is amazing that a building of such large proportions can have such an elegant feel.

The sugar bush is open next spring for tours and the dinning hall will be operational later in 2006. The dining hall will be used for a maple theme restaurant and rented as a hall for weddings and receptions. From Perth - Take Highway 7 North towards Ottawa. Turn left on Ferguson Falls road, about 10 minutes from Perth. Travel down Ferguson Falls Rd for ~5minutes, go through Ferguson Falls, and you will find Temple’s Sugar Bush on the right.

Contact Al Pixley at 539-2711 of Gibson Timber Frames for any timber frame plans you may have. www.gibsontimberframes.com