Oxfordshire Woodland Group

Steve MacLean of Dovetail Scotland has brought to my attention a number of guides for building using home grown (Scottish) timber for structural, cladding, roof covering and internal fit out and furniture manufacturing work including :-

Borders Planning Guide

This contains good case study examples of timber buildings and advice on the use of different types of timber in building construction.

Designing Housing with Scottish Timber

This short guide prepared by The Forestry Commission provides useful information on the design of stud timber-framed housing.

Timber Cladding

This publication by The Scottish Executive provides a scholarly insight into both the historical and present day use and appropriateness of building using timber and in particular provides case studies and also discusses the use of each type of the main home grown hard and softwood timbers.

Though these guides have been prepared for Scotland, which has a much harsher climate than Oxfordshire, they still provide information on the approach to timber building that designers, planners and buyers will find useful with this applying equally or better to the South Of England where significant softwood plantations exist that are now potentially ready for harvesting and conversion to low embedded energy vernacular buildings.

Regards

Ken Hume

The winter 2015 edition of The Full Circle is now available for download.

This is a stunning edition and highlights the level of support provided to Scottish woodland owners and producers by The Forestry Commision (Scotland).

Ken Hume