Previously regarded as the material of housebuilders only, timber-frame has established itself as an efficient jack-of-all-trades writes Philip O’Mahony of the Irish Timber Frame Manufacturers Association

While timber-frame is now a recognised and well-established off-site
construction method, market conditions in the Celtic tiger era dictated that it was primarily used to meet the demand for housing, whether that demand was for housing developments or came from the self-build sector.

But what is perhaps less well known is that the industry has quietly been carving a place for itself in the non-domestic dwellings sector. The versatility of timber-frame means that it can be designed to meet many diverse demands.

Last year members of the Irish Timber Frame Manufacturers Association became involved in a range of projects which included schools, nursing
homes, hospitals, sports halls, shops and offices. Other customers were more adventurous, with timber-frame being their construction method of choice for a waste management facility, a bowling pavilion and an equestrian centre.

Castel Gardens is a purpose-built retirement village near Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. The scheme, which incorporates 54 individual houses, a day-care centre and a 69 bedroom retirement/ nursing home, was not originally planned as a timber-frame development.

But the decision to switch to timber-frame, supplied by The Timber Frame Company in Wexford, not only reduced the delivery time of the project but brought a number of additional advantages, particularly in terms of energy efficiency and low maintenance.

While visitors to the Kildare Village Retail outlet, situated off the M7 just outside Kildare town, are dazzled by the array of luxury and designer goods on offer they cannot also fail to be impressed by the design quality of the whole scheme.

Timber-frame had its part to play here too with the kits for eight of the outlets supplied by Kenmare Timber Frame. According to Shelagh O’Sullivan, the company’s managing director, speed of build and flexibility were of the essence.

“With heavy penalties for over runs on construction time, it was vitally important for the timber-frame supplier to be able to fit in with the requirements of everyone involved as the project progressed,” she said.

Nicky Stafford of Ramstown Developments in Gorey, Co Wexford is a man who knows a thing or two about the adaptability of timber frame. With a number of commercial projects under his belt, including a restaurant and shops, he has found build speed and quality of manufacture
to be major selling points.