4 day Traditional Timber Frame Restoration Skills 2025 course - IHBC CPD



  • Understand why timber frame buildings need to breathe
  • Learn about earth as a building material, and get hands on with daub and home-dug clay based mortar and render
  • Get to grips with the lime cycle and how to use hot lime in bricklaying and for repointing and basic lime render
  • Learn how key components of a traditional timber frame work together and how to assess the condition of old timbers
  • Make informed choices when discussing repair schedule
  • Save money by learning how to undertake some repairs yourself, or become more confident instructing your builder

Dates: Tuesday 24th, Wednesday 25th, Thursday 26th and Friday 27th June 2025

Timing: 9.30am-4.00pm

IHBC CPD certificate available

YouTube video

Venue: Orchard Barn, IP14 2LY

Suitable for: Home-owners, Professional Builders, Architects, Surveyors, Conservation Officers


Day 1 Traditional timber framing, including use of traditional carpentry tools to make a mortise and tenon from local green oak

Day 2 Earth and coppice materials as heritage building materials (repairing/reinstating wattle and daub/clay render and mortar)

Day 3 An introduction to using hot lime, including repointing and rendering

Day 4 Traditional timber frame REPAIRS including timber assessment and practical -  undertaking a basic repair

Delivery of theory sessions (mornings) will be in  the main barn - which still functions as an airy barn. Practical sessions (afternoons) will largely be outside in the open air.

2024 price held until 1st January 2025

Timber Frame Restoration Skills course
  Timber Frame Restoration Skills poster


"Excellent course, great value for money with passionate and knowledgeable instructors.      The course is flexible so can be tailored to the needs of those attending it so they get maximum value from it.
 
     Sarah is a welcoming host and the work being done at Orchard Barn is inspiring.               
 I highly recommend this course to any owner of an historic building looking to understand about their asset and how they can maintain it themselves."

Owner of a heritage home Simon Longman


"As an owner of a timber-framed building, I found the timber frame restoration skills course at Orchard Barn very helpful and enjoyable. With the help and guidance from the course tutors and the knowledge they passed on, I was able to decide on what work needed doing, how to do it myself and perhaps more importantly, what I shouldn't do. Orchard Barn is a great environment for what was a productive and comradery week."

Clive Rammell



Restoration skills collage