CPD Programmes

Professional CPD in Timber Framing and Construction

Developing the way that architects and engineers understand both the role and potential of timber framing in today’s building design and construction

At Carpenter Oak, collaboration is at the heart of our ethos. We believe in sharing knowledge across the profession, fostering strong relationships, and working in unison to deliver ambitious, high-quality timber frame projects. This philosophy underpins our commitment to supporting the architectural community through our CPD programmes.

As the UK’s leading experts in timber frame construction and timber engineering, we deliver CPD sessions that offer an authoritative overview of timber framing, combining deep technical knowledge with the practical insight gained from decades of experience across both contemporary and historic projects.

Our programme explores key core topics while aligning closely with the RIBA curriculum. Each session equips architects with practical guidance, strategic insights, and design inspiration for specifying and integrating timber structures across a wide variety of projects. By sharing our expertise in working with both green and engineered timbers, we support professionals in deepening their knowledge of sustainable, high-performance timber construction.

To arrange a CPD session with Carpenter Oak, get in touch with our team.

A yellow crane lifts into place the oak frame of a timber boathouse on loch ness with a curved roof during construction

Technical drawings of a large house made from glulam timber

A computer aided sketch design of a timber structure

On a construction site an oak frame being wrapped in SIPs structurally insulated panels

Heavy crane performing a lift during solar canopy assembly at the Earth Centre, Doncaster

Carpenter Oak's CPD programme

Designed for professionals involved in, or evaluating, structural timber frames, this one-hour CPD offers a comprehensive overview of timber framing and illustrates how timber can provide effective structural solutions across diverse building projects.

Core Topics Covered:

From traditional timber frames to advanced engineered solutions, this session includes:

Working with traditional green timbers and traditional jointing
Working with engineered timbers and mechanical connections
Classification and specification of timber frames
Example case studies

Relevance to RIBA CPD Curriculum: Design, Construction and Technology

Specification and materials
Data-driven and digital design
Offsite construction and modern methods of construction

Timber Workshop CPD

This CPD invites architects, students, and industry professionals to an immersive, behind-the-scenes experience of our timber-framing workshops. Participants will take a guided tour of the yard and workshops, see frames being cut firsthand, and enjoy 1:1 time with our skilled carpenters and team followed by Carpenter Oak's CPD programme.

This session provides a unique opportunity to meet the people behind the frame and gain insight into our methods, processes, and workshop operations.

A complex octagonal oak roof structure outside some workshops in a carpentry yard

A group of people on a tour in a timber framing workshop

An oak frame wedding barn during handcrafted construction in a workshop

Presenters

Our presenters’ informal yet well-structured style provides an ideal forum for discussion and debate and attendees are encouraged to raise questions and issues relating to their projects.

Fergus Stuart carpenter oak scotland portrait

Experience, Craft, and Collaboration

Carpenter Oak is the UK’s leading specialist in timber frame construction, with nearly 40 years’ experience working alongside architects to deliver innovative, sustainable, and inspiring timber structures. Founded in 1987, we have grown from a small timber-frame repair and conservation practice into the country’s foremost producer of bespoke timber frames.

We champion timber as both a sustainable material and a design medium of exceptional flexibility. Our services span the full project lifecycle - from concept design and timber engineering through to manufacture, specialist glazing, and expert installation - giving architects confidence that their vision will be realised with precision and craft.

Our collaborative approach is central to what we do. We excel at working in partnership with architects and other professionals, seamlessly integrating timber with a wide variety of materials, project scales and typologies, from the most modest of residential projects to large scale commercial developments.

In 2003, we established a dedicated timber engineering division to address complex and technically demanding projects. Today, our unique combination of design expertise, advanced engineering, and decades of practical experience positions us as the UK’s leading authority on timber structures.

As an employee-owned company, we foster a highly motivated and collaborative team. This shared ownership drives a culture of innovation, collaboration, and craft, ensuring architects and engineers have a trusted partner committed to realising bold and ambitious designs.