Designing With Natural Products To Get Beautiful

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© 2015. The material contained in this continuing education program belongs to Highland Craftsman Inc.. Questions or concerns about the program content need to be addressed with the program instructor.

AIA-BH0601-W

This continuing education program is sponsored and provided to you due to the professional courtesy of:

Highland Craftsmen Inc534 Oak AvenueSpruce Pine, NC 28777828-765-9010sales@barkhouse.comwww.BarkHouse.com

Presented by Highland Craftsmen Inc: B E A U T I F U L

OUTSIDE AND WITHIN™

THE

AT

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The American Institute of Architects –Course No. BH0601-W; LUs- 1.00 - This program qualifies for HSW.

Architect-Forum is a registered provider with The American Institute Of Architects Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to CES Records for AIA members. Certificates Of Completion for non-AIA members available on request. This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA .of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

This course has been design as a structured asynchronous program therefore has been formatted for online use only. Please don’t forget to print your AIA/CES Certificate of Completion. Successful completion is scoring 80% or higher on your final exam. If you wish to print later you can access all certificates from you’re A-F transcript center.

Program DescriptionDesigning with Natural Materials

Raw extrusions from nature call forth a spirit of connection and authenticity. Used in architectural applications, these materials can either proclaim their presence by defining a space and or by the quieting and soothing of one. Either way, they are distinctly evocative.

As alluring as natural materials are, there can be many pitfalls when employing designs that use them because there are few regulatory standards. This can make choosing to work with these materials a leap of faith. Choose only manufacturers and suppliers that are educated in this specific industry and hold their companies to the highest standards. Ensure these companies are capable of working with both designers and builders as to mitigate installation and performance failures.

Learn design fundamentals for natural materials that will give beautiful and lasting results.

Content

• Designing With Natural Materials• Methods That Manipulate and Stabilize Raw

Materials• Natural Product Applications• What Certifications Mean and Why They

Matter in Natural Building• The Importance of Product Service and

Technical Support

Learning Objectives

At the end of this program, participants will be able to:• Describe Ways that Designing With Natural Materials

Varies From Standardized Materials• List Methods That Manipulate and Stabilize Raw

Materials• State Some Applications of Natural Products • Identify Why Certifications Matter in Natural Building• List Three Questions to Ask Every Natural Products

Purveyor

DESIGNING WITH NATURAL

MATERIALS

Material Characteristics and Limitations

With varying species of milled lumber exhibiting great variance in appearance and performance, it only gets more complex when we use nontraditional parts and presentations of these species. For example, techniques for using milled lumber is pretty common knowledge, but working with a 4' wide live edge board requires a totally different application conversation to address issues and stresses not faced with smaller units. Many natural materials being employed today don't even fall under normal marketable products such as working with bark and twigs. So, common industry information and standards may be lacking. Look for suppliers with experience and credentials as to advise on material specific properties and limitations.

If the supplier falls short on information, then other resources such as the USDA Forest Products Lab in Madison Wisconsin can prove to be extremely beneficial.

Conceptualize

Sometimes you need to discard your straight edge. Organic shapes and natural forms bring inspiring and nurturing warmth to a space. Even just a small detail of a forest remnant will always draw the eye and the reach of a hand to touch. The challenge of natural material design has been the site implementation struggles with finding random organic objects to meet functional dimensional requirements. A natural form from the forest can be admired and desired, but to find, size, sort, process, stabilize, and manipulate for application can be quite an arduous journey. A reliable product source should shorten the road with not only providing materials but the expertise for a successful install as well.

Raw Applications

Raw natural material will either bring creative excitement to a project or immense frustration. Using raw natural materials will require some degree of comfort with your installer. Contractors can get quite fussy for having to discard their speed square for free-form intangibles if not given reliable sourcing information and installation guidance. However, they are quick to accept accolades for a unique application if their labor stays within budget.

Pre-worked Materials

Certainly using pre-worked natural materials affords you the freedom to design without the daunting task of sizing and processing supplies. Bark shingles and panels are square, dimensionally uniform, dry and ready to install. Live edge slabs have the unique quality of having milled workable surfaces while still maintaining a "wild side". Laminated barks give an otherwise impossible texture to control the same ease of workability as regular sheets of plywood.

Panelized Systems

The quickest and simplest solution to natural material applications is the design and use of pre-made panels. With a large available selection of species, varying textures , colors, and patterns give endless opportunities for rich organic design. Whether using stock solutions or having panels custom made-to-fit, the unknowns faced with working raw or even pre-worked materials is vastly reduced or even eliminated. While some panelized systems can be easily trimmed to fit, others require fairly tight jobsite measurements. Still, with proper advance planning, a professional manufacturer can produce these custom fit in a fraction of the time it would take an onsite crew to attempt to fabricate.

Surface Manipulations and Finishes

Sawing, planing, or sanding surfaces offer further manipulations of the original texture. Most woodworkers are familiar with angle of sawcut in determining direction of lumber grade and grain. However, we can also remove layers and expose growth rings in less common parts of wood. Bark, burl, or limbs and roots, can provide even more mysterious depths of character.

FinishesIn addition to surface manipulation, topical applications and finishes can also distinctly change appearance. Gold, silver, and copper leaf along with colored epoxies or hammered metals can be worked into checks, voids and crevices for an eye-catching jump from the grain. Paints, stains and varying sheens of clear finish can either enhance existing texture or change its identity altogether.

Finishes and topical applications can be added to distinctly change the character of the material. These images show an example of unpainted and painted bark materials.

METHODS FOR MANIPULATION

AND STABILIZATION

Kiln Drying-The use of mechanical drying is the quickest and most reliable way of removing water from organic material. The removal of water from material is critical to stabilize and thus minimize material movement. Water inflates organic cells and thus material shrinks when it is removed. While "air drying" is a slow but stable way to dry material, it can only get the moisture content down to local ambient conditions. So, material "air dried" in a humid environment is going to significantly shrink if sent to a low humidity location.

Properly kiln dried and stored materials can keep moisture contents low. Better to shrink in the kiln than on the job. While some products such as hardwood flooring require environmental equalization before being successfully installed, others such as bark shingles need to stay as dry as possible until the day they're used. This helps reduce large lateral joint shrinkage after installation. Moisture is also critical to the life process of unwanted insects, microbes, mold and fungi and must be minimized to maximize their prevention. Acceptable material moisture content in materials will vary with species and intended use.

Heat Sterilization -Mold ,fungi, and boring insects are common but potentially destructive issues with organic material. They can lead to product staining, damage and decay. Any wood material can have these pests safely eliminated through dry kiln heat treating and without the use of chemical biocides. Sterilization is often a normal end process in kiln drying but can be achieved quickly in a kiln if the object is not to finish dry the product. This is a common scenario with wood pallet sanitizing.

Wood Sterilization according to the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 15) occurs when the product reaches and holds a core temperature of 133 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. This temperature kills existing mold, fungi, and insects. It is not a permanent sanitary measure as site conditions, or improper storage and handling, can result in re-infection. However, material cannot be accepted without risk unless this measure has been taken. Check with your supplier about chances and opportunities for pest re-infection as to determine whether the finished product requires preventative measures.

Fire Rated WallsProperly graded and processed poplar bark can achieve an E-84 Flame and Smoke Spread rating of Class B. When code standards require a higher rating, there are basically four methods of approach. First, there are a number of sprayable surface treatments for interior and exterior applications, each claiming Class A results. Bear in mind that no Class A result of a spray treatment is guaranteed without specific lab testing for the post treated product. The next technique involves pressure injecting a Class A chemical into cell fibers in the same manner as pressure treating lumber. While this can be an effective means of driving treatment much deeper than a surface spray, differing species cellular structures and densities will vary the depth of acceptance. This process can also result in changing the product color, irreversible swelling, and movement of original dimensions. So, with natural form materials, it can be a good solution for twigs and logs, but not so much for bark shingles. The third technique involves manufactured layering of a product that bonds organic combustible material to a Class A substrate. This is a relatively new technique with a lot of promise. The last method is the simplest and most common for exteriors which is ensuring a sufficient fire rated substrate system prior to organic material installation.

Storage and HandlingAfter a material is properly manufactured, distribution and jobsite handling can be critical to product performance. Ensure the material source gives proper guidelines for the storage, handling, and installation of their product and that these are followed all the way through project completion. Improperly storage and handling of material can result in moisture saturation, phytosanitary failures, as well as irreversible warping, cupping, and other damage. For example, the surface area of a bark shingle is vastly greater on the cork face than the cambium side. So, an improperly site stored shingle subjected to temperature and humidity changes will rapidly expand on the cork side leading to potentially harmful cupping.

Installation GuidesAlways follow the installation guidelines provided by the manufacturer. Every product has material specific quirks and issues and no one should know them better than the source. If their guides do not cover the installation of your particular application, then you should contact their technical support department for advisement. Never assume similar materials behave the same, especially with organics.

Longevity and MaintenanceYou should ask your manufacturer how the materials of choice for a particular application weather. In harsh conditions such as southern exposures, wind driven rain and snow, or in hot arid climates, some natural materials will perform beautifully, and others will not. Bark shingles have proven to last 100 years in certain applications. Understanding the properties of a particular material allows us to make best judgments for use. Let's take for example the debate of using tree trunks and logs on exteriors. Logs dry from the outside in, so this creates stress cracks. The bark cylinder dries and shrinks and can separate easily from the trunk aided by the cracks. If you're trying to keep the bark intact on an exterior log application, it will require preventative fastening. Nailing or stapling the quick-to-dry bark to the log will hold it in place while and after the log's internal slow drying occurs. However, this is only practical if the logs aren't exposed to direct weather which just simply erodes the bark in unfastened areas. If you're using peeled material, U.V. graying and mold will rapidly affect its appearance. Can you accept that or will you suggest a maintenance routine to protect the original color? What are you and the client willing to tolerate or prevent? Always inquire to the provider about recommended materials for a design idea and ensure that you have been provided enough performance information for lasting project success .

APPLICATIONS

WALL COVERINGSNatural wall coverings can be for exterior or interior application. When designed and manufactured properly, they can perform in high moisture or high heat environments, passing the most rigorous building and fire codes. When properly specified, maintenance can be minimal as well. Poplar bark exterior wall coverings for example can last up to 80 years, maintenance free.

Products may be shingles, laminated or entire unbroken bark panels. Working with a manufacturer that understands the variances and limitations of the materials is a must for long term success.

YELLOW POPLAR

Shingles

Laminates

Exterior and Interior Application

Poplar Bark Panels-Parson’s New School For Design

Large, poplar bark panels were chosen as a focal point into an intergradation of three dissociated buildings called the Quad at Parson’s New School For Design in NY. The natural material for this space had to relate to a multitude of differing materials and tie the spaces together.

-Parson’s New School For Design

Poplar Bark Shingles Bonded to Class A Substrate -Chicago University Child Care Center

Poplar bark shingles tie the inside and outside spaces together beautifully. The material in this photo has Cradle to Cradle Gold and Silver Certifications and has passed CA VOC standards. These are important aspects relating to Material Health and Safety.

Poplar Bark Shingles 16” Exposure -Private Residence, Tahoe

Poplar Bark Shingles 11” Exposure -Private Residence, WNC

-Bass Pro Shops

-Private Residence, Charlotte

-Private residence, Berkley

Traditional Corner Treatments are Overlapped. This Application Was Mitered.

Water Tight Lamination – Poplar Bark Panels – Seattle Boat House

This harsh marine environment required these poplar bark panels to interlock and be epoxy laminated to an exterior rated substrate.

Detail Showing Butt Joint Drip Edge

Poplar Bark Panels Improve Sound Absorption – N Korea Coffee Shop

The cork surface of poplar bark has ridges and valleys. The amplitude varies according to specified thickness and grade of the material. This creates an “egg-carton” effect and provides noticeable acoustical benefits.

Butt Joint Application

-VIP Lounge, Denver Bronco’s

-Anythink Library, Thornton CO

Alternating Overlap Corner Application

-MTN Living Dream Home

Poplar Bark Shingles Withstand Weather Extremes From Wet Snow to Dry Heat-Private Residence Blowing Rock, NC

SANDED YELLOW POPLARLaminates I Interior Application

Poplar Bark Shingles Premium Grade, Sanded and Butted

YELLOW BIRCH

Laminates I Interior Application

WHITE PINE

Laminates I Interior Application

WHITE BIRCH

Laminates I Interior Application

-Dentist Office, Golden CO

-Marriott Lobby

FIRE CHERRY

Laminates I Interior Application

ACCESSORIESA full line of accessories helps complete a natural design. Accessories may include moldings, decorative and support posts, handrails, giant wooden slabs, etc. These items should always have a discerning eye for tight joints and precise specifications. Natural should not mean compromised in their configuration or finish.

Giant Wooden Slabs

-Coldwater Creek

Poplar Moldings

Creating tight fitting joints from rounded materials can pose a multitude of issues. Work with a manufacturer that understands the complexities of this process and has field experience.

Bark Intact Black Locust Handrails

Rhododendron Handrail

Twigs and Poles

PANELIZED SYSTEMSPanelized systems make design fun, and ease issues with installation. The manufacturer completes a majority of the work, so that the designer can readily view a standardized section and know what the final product will look like.

Panels may come in different size and material configurations. These may include 2’x2’ or 3’x3’ or 2’x12’ pre-built sections. Materials may vary widely from different species of bark to different twigs or poles. As always, it may be possible to customize the panel materials or sizes, but ask the manufacturer about the limitations.

Some examples follow.

Maple TwigWith

White Birch Bark

Fire Cherry Bark With

Poplar Poles

White Pine Bark With

Peeled Black Locust Hanger Poles

Yellow Poplar Bark With

Yellow Poplar Poles

CUSTOM FABRICATION

Not every purveyor of natural materials will have the capacity or expertise to do custom fabrication work. It is beneficial to inquire about the capacity for this service when building a relationship and choosing a company to work with over time.

CERTIFICATIONSAND TESTING

Natural building products are largely unregulated. Work with a company that has taken the time and effort to employ third party certifications as to give yourself and your client verification of quality. Certifications can relate to product sustainability, company engagement, product sourcing or manufacturing processes. Always ask for copies of these certifications and for any product testing results.

CERTIFICATIONS

Cradle to Cradle

Cradle to Cradle Certification provides a company with a means to tangibly and credibly measure achievement in environmentally-intelligent design and helps customers purchase and specify products that are pursuing a broader definition of quality.This means using environmentally safe and healthy materials; design for material reutilization, such as recycling or composting; the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency; efficient use of water, and maximum water quality associated with production; and instituting strategies for social responsibility.

B CorpB Corporations meet comprehensive and transparent social and environmental performance standards and uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B Corporations are unlike traditional responsible businesses because they institutionalize stakeholder interests and build a collective voice through the power of a unifying brand.Highland Craftsmen Inc not only achieved a B Corp certification, but we exceeded the minimal score significantly and have been audited and verified by the B Corp staff.

Chain of CustodyCertification of the management practices by a reputable certifying body means that forests are managed sustainably. Once a forest is certified it is important to be able to trace the products that come from it throughout the supply chain to ensure that any claims on the origin of the product are credible and verifiable. This is called Chain of Custody. CoC tracks the flow of certified wood through the supply chain and across borders through each successive stage – including processing, transformation and manufacturing – all the way to the final product. This ensures that the end-user maintains the power of their purchase in contributing to sustainable forestry.

SERVICE AND SUPPORTAlways follow the installation guidelines provided by the manufacturer or supplier. Every product has material specific quirks and issues and no one should know them better than the source.

If their guides do not cover the installation of your particular application, then you should contact their technical support department for advisement. Never assume similar materials behave the same, especially with organics.

Four Questions You Should Ask A Purveyor of Natural Materials:

1. Have you had product performance issues or call-backs and why? Know the limitations as well as the features of the product you're using.

2. Can you meet timelines? Natural materials require enormous time and effort to source, size, grade, and manipulate.

3. Is this the total professional focus of your company and for how long? Anyone can sell anything as this is an unregulated market. Know the company that you're working with.

4. Can your company do custom fabrications? Even the best contractors are going to face enormous challenges with first time introductions to the complexities of applying organic shapes. Have the product company SERVICE design and build the application to your specifications to ensure the contractor has an easy install.

CONCLUSIONUsing natural products in design can be a legacy statement resulting in a more intimate customer connection to the space. Sourcing project specific organics can be challenging, but the designer and builder should never have to compromise quality in the process. Product manufacturing and stabilization methods vary widely. Still, product designers and manufacturers should be competent in all aspects of product delivery. Careful screening and selection of qualified companies ensures a successful bespoke project that should be truly beautiful and timeless.

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Highland Craftsmen Inc534 Oak Avenue

Spruce Pine, NC 28777828-765-9010

sales@barkhouse.com

www.BarkHouse.com

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© 2014. The material contained in this continu education program belongs to Garaventa Ltd.. or concerns about the program content need t addressed with the program instructor.

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