Summer 2025 TIMBER TALK
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
INDUSTRY NEWS
SPECIAL SECTION: SUMMER LIVING
PAVILIONS
POOL HOUSES
PERGOLAS
PORCHES
INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHT
Jarod Hynson, President of Earth, Turf, & Wood
ASK AN EXPERT
What kind of maintenance is needed for the exterior of a timber structure?
Jedd Miller, Sales Manager of Mid-Atlantic Timberframes, explains.
Summer Living
From pool houses to pavilions, timber is the natural choice for outdoor living spaces. See page 4.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Outdoor Living Trends
In the years since the pandemic kept us all home and isolated, clients have tried to counteract that feeling with outdoor living spaces added to new construction and remodels. They want living rooms and kitchens, with fireplaces, bars, and entertainment centers, outside and under the stars.
Whether as a pergola-covered patio attached to the house or a pool house in the backyard, these living spaces are typically a mix of materials, a blend of stone and natural timber that tie the space to the landscape. Lush greenery and water features are incorporated to enliven the areas further.
Future trends will certainly incorporate smart tech, even more than what we’re seeing now. Automated functionality of appliances, lighting, and effects, as well as sound design, will surely gain in popularity as clients want to enhance their outdoor leisure time with family and friends.
NYC’s Largest Mass Timber Residential Development
Staten Island’s North Shore section will soon be the site of New York City’s largest mass timber residential development. The mixed-income housing is the first publicly awarded project to use mass timber at scale in the northeastern US and will be constructed on two waterfront sites with views of the Manhattan skyline.
Of the 500 units, 25% will be designated as “affordable,” available to households earning between 40% and 80% of the area median income. The development is part of a $400M investment plan to build 2,400 homes and revitalize the area with green infrastructure and public space to meet the city’s housing and sustainability goals. Construction is expected to start in 2027.
SUMMER LIVING
Summer is at its height, and we’re showcasing all that timber framing can do for outdoor living spaces. Nothing captures the essence of outdoor living like timber. It blends nature and structure perfectly, making it the ideal building material for rustic to modern designs, in settings from forests to lawns.
In these pages, you’ll see projects we’ve had the pleasure of crafting timber to create, from pool houses to porches, lakehouses to restaurants, and pavilions to golf course clubhouses.
We hope you find inspiration in this issue for your next outdoor living project.
Mike Banta | General Manager
Mid-Atlantic Timberframes 717.288.2460 ext. 207 mike.banta@matfllc.com
PAVILIONS
Open to let breezes flow through, but covered to provide shelter from sudden summer storms, pavilions offer easy options for warm-weather living. They can be customized for a variety of uses, whether poolside at home, as a commercial structure, or as part of an event space.
Wood, cement, or paver flooring stays protected under timber trusses, creating a perfect gathering spot for dining tables, lounge areas, and dance floors alike. Adding a kitchen, bar, overhead fans, or fireplace gives pavilions even more utility, while dramatic lighting or even heaters can extend their use into chilly summer nights.
POOL HOUSES
So much more than just a place to change clothes or store towels, pool houses can incorporate comfortable lounges, kitchens, bars, bathrooms, and even guest quarters, turning a pool area into a luxury retreat. The exposed beams and custom craftsmanship of the timber play as a contrast to the organic, rhythmic waves of a pool, adding visual interest and heightening the summer experience.
Adding sliding glass doors around its perimeter gives a pool house a longer season of use. Even in cooler months, it can serve as a gathering place to enjoy views of the outside while staying protected from the elements.
Timber Frame Pool House
Shown on this page and the gatefold that follows, this pool house exudes a strong mid-century modern style, marrying rustic timber craftsmanship with sleek modernism to create a subtly refined space for outdoor living. The low-pitched roof keeps the height in a comfortable ratio to its wide stance, with stone hardscaping and greenery grounding the structure into its environment. Natural light is maximized with floor-to-ceiling glass to emphasize its indoor-outdoor connection, creating a seamless transition between both worlds.
PERGOLAS
Timber frame pergolas are a standout feature for enhanced summer outdoor living. Their exposed-beam construction and timeless wood aesthetic add structure and elegance to patios, gardens, and poolside areas.
Offering partial shade without blocking airflow, pergolas filter sunlight onto the area below to create a comfortable retreat on warm days. They effortlessly blend beauty and function while visually defining an outdoor space, whether they’re supporting climbing plants, bracketing a dining area, or anchoring a fire pit lounge. Durable and customizable, timber pergolas suit a variety of backyard styles, from rustic to contemporary.
PORCHES
Nothing epitomizes the ease of summer living quite like a porch. It’s a simple, quiet place to gaze out at the world around us, sheltered under a roof with the convenience of the house just steps away. A timber frame porch is truly a transitional space between indoor and outdoor living.
Whether designed as part of new construction or as a remodel, a porch puts a face on a structure, a point of entry that welcomes guests in style. Gabled porches add a dynamic visual elevation, while extended-roof porches serenely expand the living space in a composed manner reminiscent of porches seen in the S outhern United States.
INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHT
Jarod Hynson | President Earth, Turf, & Wood
Tell us about your company.
We’re a landscape design-build firm that started in 1999. Depending on the season, we have about 20 employees, including a registered landscape architect and a designer. There’s a perception that landscape companies just cut grass and fertilize lawns, but our focus is creating high-end outdoor living areas — “backyard resorts” that turn people’s properties into an experience. We do everything from decks, pavilions, and other structures to pools, outdoor kitchens and fireplaces, lighting and AV systems, and hardscaping and landscaping.
What inspired you to do this kind of work?
I grew up in New Jersey and had a small mowing company. While going to Messiah University, I worked for a different landscape company each summer. Part of the inspiration was that I like working outside. But also, my wife and I have three kids. The world has changed from when we grew up, and my passion is creating spaces on people’s properties where they know where their kids are on Friday nights, safe havens where they can gather with friends and family. To me, it’s personal; it’s invaluable.
Where do you find inspiration?
From my team, who come up with some wild things. Also, my radar is constantly up. For example, my daughter plays soccer at Messiah, and we were tailgating on an embankment there with others. I thought, “Something is missing here.” I put my vision on paper, gave it to Messiah, and now there’s strong interest in putting an outdoor area there.
What’s the most challenging request you’ve received?
We had a homeowner who wanted a fountain built in his backyard, but he also wanted fire to come through the water. We have a quiet saying around the office: “Don’t ever say we can’t do it. We’ll find a way to do it and do it right.” We had to figure out how to do it.
Has Earth, Turf, & Wood won any awards?
Three years ago, we won a couple gold awards from the National Association of Landscape Professionals.
What are your thoughts on designing with timber?
I love it. When people want a patio and pool, I’ll ask, “What are you going to do for shade?” They don’t always think about that. Usually, we’ll then provide a timber shade structure — and if we don’t, the homeowner often has us come back to build one.
What’s the most interesting structure in the world?
Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. To rebuild something like that and make it look like it did [before the 2019 fire] is amazing. It doesn’t even look like it’s new.
Want to be our next Industry Highlight? Email Mike Banta | mike.banta@matfllc.com
Do you have a favorite project?
My wife and I have always vacationed at a resort in the Adirondacks. They asked Earth, Turf, & Wood to do a project there, and I initially said no because it’s far away and in the middle of nowhere. Well, they wore me down, and we’ve now done eight projects for them. We still vacation up there, so I get to experience what we built.
ASK AN EXPERT
What kind of maintenance is needed for the exterior of a timber structure?
Timber frame buildings will stay beautiful, strong, and energy efficient for many generations with proper care and maintenance. There are key steps to follow to ensure exposed beams are protected and keep their beauty and durability.
For exterior beams, weather protection is the main concern. UV rays can fade the wood’s appearance, and rain, snow, and ice may lead to mold, mildew, or even rot. We recommend having the stain applied in a controlled environment before timbers are shipped to the jobsite. This also allows stain to be applied in areas that will be inaccessible after the frame is erected. Reapplying every 2-3 years for exposed wood, or every 5-6 years for rafters and roof elements sheltered from weather and direct sunlight, is ideal.
Jedd Miller | Sales Manager
As a former construction worker, Jedd has an appreciation for the fine craftsmanship and care that Mid-Atlantic Timberframes uses to create quality timber framing. He has spent his sales career building strong relationships with his clients to ensure their projects are fulfilled to their satisfaction.
34 S Vintage Road
Every project is an opportunity to create something extraordinary.
Mid-Atlantic Timberframes is part of the Baüen Unlimited family of custom-build brands. Together, our single purpose is to create the highest-quality structures, components, and materials for the upscale construction market.
For more information about Mid-Atlantic Timberframes, visit matfllc.com.
Discover the Baüen Unlimited family of brands at bauenunlimited.com.