Western Timber Frame compares four premium wood species for timber pergolas — covering structural strength, weather resistance, stain compatibility, and limitations. Includes proprietary engineering data and the green vs. kiln-dried truth most companies avoid.
Oak has a reputation. In the Northeast and Midwest, oak-framed barns and farmhouses are part of the architectural DNA — and that history is real. What’s also real: oak is one of the most misapplied species in large outdoor timber construction. Not because it’s a bad wood. Because the properties that make it exceptional for furniture and flooring work against it the moment you ask it to span 16 feet, hold steady through 30 seasons of weather, and carry real structural loads. Here’s what the engineering actually shows.
