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Steamboat Springs — Daryl Sigler always admired the quality and strength of timber framing -- a building style dating back hundreds of years.

Then he had the opportunity to construct a timber-frame barn with builder Steve Rundquist. Sigler was convinced it was the direction he wanted to go for a new home in Clark.

"It's kind of nice when you're doing something and do it right," he said. "You know it's going to be there for a long time."

The structure

Timber framing involves piecing together cut timbers with basic mortise and tenon joints secured with wooden pegs. The sections are raised into a sturdy skeleton, usually in one day.

"It's kind of like a jigsaw puzzle," said Rundquist, owner of Brewster Timber Frame Company in Bellvue. "You have all the parts, and it comes together as a big solid frame."

The project started with a tractor-trailer full of rough Douglas fir timbers shipped from Oregon. Rundquist, Sig--ler and two others spent two months cutting the joints in a log yard near Fort Collins.

They shipped the timbers to Sigler's lot in Willow Creek Village, where they are fitting the pieces together, fine-tuning joints with chisels and other tools similar to those used by early American builders.

Rundquist, surrounded by timber sections on the snowy job site, said that timbers also could be pre-fit off site -- a big advantage when building in extreme climates.

"Then you can just bring it here and start setting parts up," he said. "It goes really quickly."

Once the basic structure is complete, Rundquist uses insulated panels to enclose the home. The panels have a solid core of insulating foam sandwiched between two layers of strand board. They are energy efficient and easy to install, he said.

The exterior can be covered in stone, stucco or various kinds of siding -- accommodating a variety of styles and designs.

Design and appeal

Although timberwork and timber accents are popular in mountain homes, timber framing has been slow to catch on in the West, despite its natural stylistic fit, Rundquist said.

Most people compare timber frames to log homes.

"It's really a different kind of animal," he said. "It's got the same kind of aesthetics as a log home, though the exterior looks like more of a conventional home."

Although the timbers are exposed within a structure, Rundquist avoids extending them outside the home, which can create air pockets and moisture leaks.

Otherwise, the sky is the limit in terms of design, though Rundquist recommends homeowners work with architects familiar with timber framing, not just timber work.

"An architect that knows the difference would be a good one to work with," he said.

Once raised, the timber frame provides the core strength of the structure, unlike conventional frames, which remain fairly weak until sheeted with plywood, said Mike DuRant, a builder helping with Sigler's project.

"It's its own unit," he said. "You can put anything on the outside, and it will last as long as the wood stays protected. It is strong from Day 1."

Historical timber-frame homes, barns and windmills are a testament to the buildings' durability. Rundquist worked on such structures dating back to the 1630s while learning his trade on the East Coast.

The cost to build a timber-frame home is about the same as constructing a conventionally framed custom home. The average cost for a fairly straightforward design is about $130 to $160 a square foot, Rundquist said.

Material costs generally are fixed, so homeowners have the most control over labor, said Rundquist, who suggests ways to make the process more efficient.

He gets his timbers -- Doug--las fir, white pine and oak -- from mills in the Pacific Northwest, Canada and the East Coast. Douglas fir is common for timber framing in the West because of its availability.

Builders could use Douglas fir found locally for modest structures or cabins. However, residential homes must be made out of timbers of a certain structural grade, DuRant said.

Craftsmanship, planning

Good craftsmanship and a lot of forethought are crucial to having the structure and various elements come together properly, Rundquist said.

The challenging aspect of the process, however, makes the end product all the more satisfying.

"There's a lot of different things you have to pay attention to ... but it's really a lot of fun," he said.

Sigler and his wife, Jeane, won't have to wait long for the most exciting part of building their 3,000-square-foot home. They plan to raise the structure soon after Jan. 1.

House and barn raisings historically are community events. At the end of the process, a pine tree bough is nailed to the highest part of the frame, and a toast is offered as a wish of good luck for the owners.

In the spirit of the tradition, anyone interested in timber framing is welcome to attend the raising of the Sigler home.

"It's neat to have a few people out there that are really interested in it, because it's a little bit unique and a lot of fun," DuRant said.

"And a few extra hands will be very helpful that day," Rundquist added.

For more information about timber framing or attending the raising, call Rundquist at (970) 481-2043.

-- To reach Tamera Manzanares, call 871-4204 or e-mail tmanzanares@steamboatpilot.com