Sackville Oak Frames is a small team of dedicated and experienced craftsmen. We are involved at every stage of the process.
With a real passion for oak frame construction, we create and build both traditional and contemporary oak framed buildings.
Each oak frame begins with a layout of ‘imaginary planes’ – vertical elevations, cross frames and floor levels. Every beam is carefully selected and graded for its intended use. We then lay out the frame from a lofted plan, stack it, and scribe each joint ready for cutting.
Joints are individually hand-cut and fitted. Each frame section is then dry-fitted to ensure precision. Mortise and tenon joints are draw-bored. This means the peg hole in the mortise is slightly offset from the tenon. When the oak peg is driven through, it pulls the joint tight under pressure, creating a strong, secure fit.
Every beam is marked to show its exact position in the frame. The section is dismantled and stored, then the next imaginary plane begins. This continues until the full oak frame is completed and every joint has been dry assembled.
Once the frame is built, each beam is jet-washed to remove wax, pencil marks, and dust. We then treat the oak with oxalic acid to remove tannin stains, followed by a final rinse to remove any residue.
This careful process means your oak frame arrives on site clean and stain-free avoiding the need for costly, messy sandblasting.
