These Washington Builders Are Leading The Mass Timber Construction Boom

Mass timber construction, where wood is layered to create a strong and more sustainable building material, is gaining in popularity—and the abundant forests of the Pacific Northwest are helping make it the epicenter of the movement. Bellingham-based Cascade Joinery is leading the charge as one of the region’s preeminent producers of timberwork for buildings of all shapes and sizes. LUXE sat down with co-owner and managing principal John Miller to learn more.

How did Cascade Joinery start?

The Joinery started in 1990 in a dairy barn in Everson, Washington, doing timberwork, mostly for custom homes. Since then, we’ve added architectural design and general contracting to our services, and for the last 15 years our focus has been solely on heavy timberwork of all kinds.

What are some favorite recent projects?

We have been doing a lot of work on Orcas Island, finishing two homes there last year. We also recently completed a traditional timber frame for a community park in Lynden, Washington, which is being constructed by volunteers. Working with nonprofit organizations on these sorts of community buildings is so rewarding.

Why is mass timber a growing movement?

We’ve been involved with mass timber buildings since the beginning. Our first big timber building was the Cultural Center at Washington State University, completed in 2017. There is a lot of learning going on for these building types, but I think there’s potential for mass timber buildings to be more cost effective than traditional concrete-and-steel structures. Plus, people love being in a building with exposed wood. It just feels better.