Tag Archives: bespoke

Handcrafted Cleftwood fence and gate

Handcrafted fence frames and gate

Handcrafted wooden frames and gate

Handcrafted rustic frames and gate made from Sweet Chestnut wood

The design challenge was to create a unique semi open divide between the edge of the driveway into a garden. This particular garden has a South-Westerly aspect, with rolling Devon hills beyond. The customer wanted something specially designed to enhance their garden, be handcrafted and unique.  After considering a few options a design was agreed that involved creating two sculptural wooden frames either side of a central gate. This was to be handcrafted in durable Sweet Chestnut wood. Curved cleft pickets of various lengths were fitted in small groups to the bottom rails. Two pieces of Sweet Chestnut branch wood were stripped of bark and incorporated into each frame.

Bespoke designed gate

Handcrafted Cleft Rustic gate

Bespoke Cleft gate made using Sweet Chestnut wood

A bespoke three foot by six foot lightweight gate was designed to fit with the cleft wood frames. The lower section of the gate followed the theme using curved pickets. For the upper section a piece if mirror cleft Sweet Chestnut branch wood was morticed and tenoned into the gate frame. The gate was hung with galvanised hook and eye hinges.

The finished Design

Bepoke fence and gate decorated with lights

The finished fence frames and gate, decorated with exterior lights

A curved link piece was added to join left side frame to the side of their house. The frames were decorated with exterior lights for the Christmas period. The customer plans on adding wire netting to the back of the frames to deter their Persian cats from escaping to the lane from the enclosed garden. Fortunately their cats aren’t agile climbers.

Designing and installing bespoke handcrafted garden items is what we specialise in. We work with our customers to create something different. Please browse through some of our other projects for examples of our work.

To discuss your design requirements please call on 01409 281549 or email to info@wealdenheartwood.co.uk

Contemporary fence – Japanese garden

Bespoke Contemporary fence

This project involved designing a contemporary fence to replace a Leyland Cypress hedge that bordered a mature Japanese garden. It was important to create a stylish backdrop to this garden that allowed airflow through the fence. The design incorporated horizontal slats in the upper half of the frame and vertical “Hit and Miss” slats below.

Contemporary bespoke fence for Japanese garden

Bespoke fence for Japanese garden

The customer wanted a low maintenance fence that would age gradually by the weather. Western Red Cedar was selected as a suitable timber for this purpose. The wood was sourced locally from Devon. The timber was primarily milled using a mobile sawmill before finishing off the panels and slats in the workshop.

Preparation

Cleared conifer hedge

Leyland Cypress hedge removed and ready for bespoke fence to be erected on perimeter of Japanese garden

The hedge was removed including the stumps to leave a clear line before installing the post and rail frame.

Installation

Custom morticed posts were used, which enabled the rails to be slotted through the centre of the posts. This gives a much better finish compared to fitting the rails to the outside of the posts. The infill panels were made in advance and these slot into the upper bays of the frame.

Bespoke slatted fence build

Contemporary fence under construction for a Japanese garden

Finished Fence

Capping was used to add a stylish finish to the contemporary fence panels and vertical slats. This also provides added protection to the fence.

Contemporary bespoke fence for Japanese garden

Front inside view of bespoke fence for Japanese garden

Outside the Japanese garden the fence line continues with full height vertical “Hit and Miss” slats to the end of the run.

Western Red Cedar "Hit and miss" fence

Vertical “Hit and Miss” slatted fence in Western Red Cedar

The gate has a quality double rim cylinder lock fitted to enable it to be locked from either side.

Contemporary style fence in Western Red Cedar

Front view of bespoke fence in Western red cedar

To discuss your design requirements please call on 01409 281549 or email to info@wealdenheartwood.co.uk

Update – Garden Completed

Here are some photos of the completed Japanese garden.

Japanese garden

Japanese garden with contemporary slated fence

Japanese garden

Japanese garden with contemporary slated fence

Oak Planters for the Country Living Fair

Bespoke Oak Planters

I was recently commissioned to design and make bespoke Oak planters for the Lucy Summers feature garden at the Country Living Fair at The London Business Design Centre, which runs from Wednesday 18th March until Sunday 22nd March.

Oak planters at Country Living Fair

Lucy Summers feature garden Country Living Fair

My planters are handcrafted using locally sourced Oak from Devon and have been used as corner pieces to frame the overall design, as seen in the picture above.

Below, this is how they looked before delivery to the show.

Bespoke designed Oak planters

Bespoke designed Oak planters

Crafted Mini Yurts

In comparison with a large full sized yurt, a mini yurt is light weight, easy to assemble, highly portable and takes up less space when pitched. Crafted from hardwood timber locally sourced from Devon woods, these small yurts are designed for a variety of uses for both children and adults. A seven foot yurt can sleep two adults and are a great alternative to ordinary tents.

Mini yurt

Mini yurt by the estuary at Tregunna, Cornwall

Mini yurt

Our small yurt on show in the gardens at Coombe Trenchard

For more information please see website page about mini yurts.

Stairs and Fencing in Cleft Sweet Chestnut

Rustic Stairs

This project involved working jointly with another company Quay Carpentry. The brief for their customer was to craft components to meet their outdoor stairs design, which would link a terrace and have fencing along the top of the terrace. The timber suited for the rustic look was Sweet Chestnut. After discussing design options with Quay Carpentry the individual components were crafted for them.

Crafting the Components

We planked the stair strings by cleaving from large rounds of Sweet Chestnut rather than milling. This was important for the stair string turn because cleaving naturally follows the grain, compared to sawing that cuts through the fibres. This helped with the next stage of processing, which involved steam bending and setting on a former to obtain the desired shape. Also, the handrail for the stair turn was steam bent and set on a former after steaming for a couple of hours. This can seen in the preceding photo, which shows the handrail in the former after steaming.

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We crafted two individual rustic gates. One would be used for the top of the stairs and the other along the fence line. These are shown in the next two photos.

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Each of the stair treads were cleaved from large rounds, similar to how the stair strings were produced. We split the newel posts, fencing posts and rails etc. from smaller rounds of Sweet Chestnut. The hand tools used were axe, froe, splitting wedges, draw knife, spoke shave, bit and brace.

Installed Stairs, Gates and Fencing

After the components were delivered to the customer, Quay Carpentry completed the installation. The result of finished work can be seen in the last photo.

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Our customer was very pleased with the end result that produced a unique rustic look that is perfect for its function and rural setting.

Rustic Chestnut Gates and Fencing

Rustic Chestnut Gates

Here are some examples of bespoke Sweet Chestnut gates and fencing that can be handmade to order. Sweet Chestnut is coppiced sustainably from woodland, which provides a regular supply of quality wood to create naturally durable products. The wood is used green i.e. not kiln dried after removing the bark and much of the sapwood. Various green woodworking tools are used, such as a froe, draw knife, twybil, axe. These are used to shape the Chestnut gates and fencing into the finished pieces.

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Natural shapes, bends and twists in the wood are incorporated into finished product to create distinct one off pieces.

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Products can be made in a range sizes, shapes and styles, so you can let you imagination run wild…

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What’s more coppiced woodland has a positive outcome for biodiversity, therefore by buying any wood products sourced from any coppiced woodlands directly supports future habitat management as well as the rural economy.

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There is always a good stock of Sweet Chestnut available in various sizes and lengths, so if you require something specially made to order or need to source some materials for your own green woodworking project, then we are happy to discuss your requirements. See our page for Timber and Coppice Products