There’s a reason timber has shaped the landscapes of South Devon for centuries. Strong, beautiful, and full of character, it remains one of the most expressive materials a craftsman can work with. In the South Hams, an area defined by its rolling valleys, heritage homes and rural architecture, traditional timber frame joinery feels right at home.
At Crystal Woods, we’ve spent over 25 years crafting bespoke carpentry, joinery and oak-framed structures from our workshop at Widecombe in the Moor. For homeowners across the South Hams, from Totnes to Kingsbridge, Salcombe to Dartington, our work brings together traditional joinery, local timber knowledge and handcrafted precision.
This is joinery shaped not by machines or mass production, but by hands, tools, experience, and a deep respect for the timber itself.
What Timber Frame Joinery Means to Us
Good timber frame joinery is about more than assembling wood. It’s about understanding how the grain of the wood behaves and moves, how joints age, how oak tightens over time, and how to bring strength, beauty and longevity together with clean, confident craftsmanship.
In the South Hams, where coastal conditions, exposed hillsides and heritage buildings each bring their own demands, that knowledge is paramount.
Our joinery blends:
- Traditional mortise and tenon joints
- Hand-cut oak posts, beams and rafters
- Pegged knee braces for strength and stability
- Sustainably sourced English and European hardwoods
- Hand-finished surfaces, rather than mass-produced kits
This is the same craftsmanship you’ll find across our oak framed gazebos, pergolas, garden structures, doors, gates and bespoke furniture.
Timber Frame Projects We Create in South Hams
Because Crystal Woods offers both crafted carpentry and bespoke joinery, our work covers a broad but connected spectrum. Many projects blend both disciplines, designed, built and installed by the same hands.
Oak-Framed Garden Structures
Timber framing comes into its own outdoors. Our work includes:
- Oak framed gazebos
- Pergolas
- Covered seating areas
- Sheltered outdoor dining spaces
- Garden structures shaped from character oak
Each one is handmade, built around your garden’s terrain, views and existing architecture.
Doors, Gates & Bespoke Joinery
From elegant interior doors to solid oak garden gates, we produce joinery built for durability and detail. Every joint is hand-cut , no shortcuts, no prefabrication.
Furniture & Interior Timberwork
We craft:
- Tables
- Benches
- Worktops
- Shelving
- Stair components
- Built-in furniture
Each piece is made to order, in solid hardwood, using joinery that honours both the wood and the home it’s built for.
Oak Framed Pergolas & Gazebos
These structures combine true timber framing with outdoor craftsmanship. Using oak posts, rafters and knee braces, they create timeless architectural features that settle beautifully into South Hams gardens.
Garden Rooms & Outdoor Spaces
While not listed as “garden rooms” specifically, Crystal Woods regularly builds structures that act as outdoor retreats, oak-framed coverings, sheltered seating, or bespoke timber-framed spaces configured for the garden.
Why Timber Frame Joinery in South Hams Matters
South Hams homes, whether stone cottages, modern barn conversions or Georgian townhouses, share a common thread: they look better with natural materials.Timber frame joinery works so well here because it offers:
Aesthetic harmony
Timber sits comfortably beside slate, render, stone and coastal palettes.
Longevity
Oak and hardwoods age with dignity, greying gently, strengthening as they settle.
Sustainability
Crystal Woods uses sustainably sourced timber, often English hardwoods, carefully selected for character and suitability.
Craft-built durability
Mortise and tenon joinery, pegged braces and hand-finished frames create structural integrity that lasts decades.
Our Process: How We Work With You
Every project begins with a conversation, about your home, your site, your needs, your materials and your ideas.
From there:
Design & Sketching
We help shape your timber frame concept around the proportions and style of your property.
Timber Selection
Boards, posts and beams are chosen individually for grain, character and suitability.
Joinery Crafting
Each joint is hand-cut in our Dartmoor workshop, using traditional joinery methods.
Finishing
Sanding, shaping and oiling bring the timber’s natural character forward.
Installation
We fit the finished work across South Hams with the same precision used in the workshop.
No kits. No shortcuts. No outsourcing.
Just honest timber framing, made properly.
Examples of our Timber Frame Joinery in South Hams:
- Oak framed garden structures
- Oak Decking
- Pergolas
- Gazebos
- Benches and seating
- Timber balustrades
- Bespoke timber gates
- Solid wood countertops
- Timber doors and feature joinery
- Handcrafted furniture
- Architectural timberwork for extension features
Each piece shares the same attention to detail and respect for the timber itself.
FAQs – Timber Frame Joinery in South Hams
Do you work throughout the South Hams?
Yes. We regularly design, craft and install timber frame projects in Totnes, Kingsbridge, Dartmouth, Salcombe, Ivybridge and all surrounding villages.
Do you use traditional joinery methods?
Always. We use hand-cut mortise and tenon joints, pegged knee braces and traditional framing techniques, no mass-produced systems.
Can you help design custom timber structures?
Yes. Every project is bespoke, designed around your home and your landscape.
Do you only work in oak?
Although oak is our primary material, especially for framing, we also work with other hardwoods such as ash, beech, cedar and reclaimed timbers depending on the project.
Do you create small joinery pieces as well as larger structures?
Absolutely, everything from internal doors to outdoor structures, from furniture to complete oak-framed pergolas.
Is your timber sustainably sourced?
Yes. We use responsibly sourced hardwoods, including English oak and locally selected rustic timbers where possible.
Bring Your Timber Frame Project to Life
If you’re looking for timber frame joinery in the South Hams crafted with authenticity and respect for the wood, we’d love to help.
From garden structures to bespoke joinery, every Crystal Woods piece begins with an idea, and ends with something built to last.
Start your timber frame joinery project today.
