Barn wood and steel, an ancestral and evolving combination.
It is well known that wood is a building material of ancestral use present since the origins of civilization. This noble material has resistances and behaviors that are directly related to the orientation and shape of its fibers.
In addition to being an organic and natural material, it has all the beauty and imperfections of living nature.
At Signature SGL, each piece of barn wood furniture is crafted with the utmost care to offer style, quality and a timeless industrial touch through the use of steel.
It is possible that the early contributions of steel to barn wood structures came from facilitating connections. Wood, by its nature, must materialize or “build” its connections and joints.
Like all prefabricated elements, the wood is sized in the desired sections and then connected or assembled with the other elements that participate in the structure.
Starting with fasteners, then based on systems of fittings or planks, barn wood can materialize the connection of different elements or members of the structure or cladding from the material itself.
Wrought iron
It is here that the function of iron appears for the first time, and later that of steel. Cast iron or wrought iron nails are the first known connectors.
The industrial revolution led to the development of steel and the industrialization of nails, which dramatically lowered the price of these connectors and made connections much easier. The industrial revolution has also made it possible to resize parts and reduce sections.
This has led to various forms, types and systems of steel connections for wood, an evolution that has not yet stopped and is reflected in the development of the latest metal connectors, serrated, bolted, exposed or concealed, available on the market.
But there are other contributions of steel in structures besides “joining,” and among these, perhaps the most important is the use of steel as a tensile member.
Stretched barn wood structures have allowed solutions and performances in which the weight (apparent and real) of the structures has been reduced, a new and complementary aesthetic and language.
In many of these cases, the steel struts, turnbuckles and connectors are visible. In others, the structural contribution of steel is hidden.
Examples of SGL Signature projects illustrating this collaboration between barn wood and steel structures: A unique selection of wood and metal furniture available in our SGL store.
Thanks for reading! We hope this article has helped you!
To find out more about our products, contact us at 581-990-3635 or by e-mail at [email protected]. We’ll be happy to advise you and, above all, create your project.
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