The Sweetgrass Joinery Company

The Sweetgrass Joinery Company is a small family owned business located in northeast Ohio, just east of Cleveland.

Since 2001, I've been designing and crafting"bench-made" timber-frames one at a time on our small family farm in Geauga County. I believe that historically based, traditional, heavy timber carpentry is truly a handicraft, firmly rooted in the past, yet uniquely adaptable
to today's architecture. It is this premise that guides me
through each of my projects, large and small, fancy or plain.

My approach is balanced, principled, and faithful to the craft. My frames are fully structural and differ little from vernacular timber-work of 200 years ago.

From my perspective, the means by which we arrive at the end product is just as important as the end-product itself.

My patterns, methods of work, and choice of materials arise from both
Early American and Northern European traditions. I prefer and encourage the use of locally grown and harvested sources of wood, and often incorporate timber harvested from the building site.

I make a concerted effort to practice a way of design & building that is balanced, principled, and faithful to the craft.

My timber-work is fully structural and differs little from the vernacular timber carpentry of 200 years ago. I use traditional mortise & tenon joinery secured with riven wooden pegs and wedges. Sometimes, the old ways simply remain the best ways.

From my point of view, the process is just as important as the product. I work solo, taking on one job at a time. My pace is slow. This gives way to consistent craftsmanship with a keen attention to detail, through & through. Hopefully, you’ll find my work to be well worth the wait.

Please look over this sampling of my labor and don’t hesitate to write or call with your questions. I have been so fortunate to have had the opportunity to design and craft such an array of timber-frames for so many wonderful friends over the past years. Perhaps you will consider me when the time comes. I look forward to meeting you and working with you.