Founded in 2003 in Golden, BC, International Timberframes Inc. is a timber-frame company with its passion in sustainability by working with natural solid wood. Their expertise combines the use of state-of-the-art technologies in design and planning, with traditional hand-cutting skills. Although they are primarily offering full timber-frame packages for homes or commercial application, they also produce and install 100% wood Dowel Laminated Timber (DLT), both cross laminated and stacked.
Owner, Sigi Liebmann, did his timber-frame apprenticeship in 1986 in Switzerland, followed by a Master’s in the field. In 1992, he worked in a company developing DLT for commercial and residential projects. In 1999, he moved to Canada with the goal of bringing his wood expertise to the Canadian market. After several years supporting other timber framing companies in Canada he founded International Timberframes.
The company offers a full range of services and expertise from design, through wood selection, hand-cutting, preparation and installation of natural solid wood. Sigi is excited to see DLT finally being recognised as a beneficial building system in Canada. “We are committed to taking a sustainable approach to our projects and DLT offers not just environmental benefits by way of 100% recyclability, but benefits in health of the occupants and energy efficiency.” Their cross-laminated DLT, which is 3 – 11 layers of wood, stacked on one another at various angles and dowel-pegged together, are great for wall applications. Their stacked DLT panels are great for applications like ceilings. Absolutely no glue is used in the manufacture and installation of DLT – it really is 100% solid wood.
In 2017 the Town of Radium invited contractors from the region to explore ideas for the type of wood (sourced locally) to be used in a new Community Centre. Sigi says, “we proposed stacked DLT for the ceiling panels and roof overhangs. We felt it would be an ideal fit for the modern design of the building and as a public space 100% wood, non-glued DLT is a healthy and sustainable material.”
For more information on International Timberframes you can contact them at [email protected] or check out their website at www.itimberf.com. They have an additional website www.wood100.ca which provides a range of information from technical specifications to general suggestion and advice on building with 100% wood.