Cabin
Greenhouse
Pavilion
The ESMERALDA from Teanaway Millworks
We named this after the Esmeralda Peaks, a nod to the Teanaway Valley that neighbors our home.
Developed with the structural engineers at Foundry and the millers at Teanaway Millworks, the Esmeralda is a heavy timber package built to make high-performance design attainable. Whether you are planning a backyard office, an Accessory Dwelling Unit, or an off-grid cabin, it provides a robust structural framework ready for a local contractor or an ambitious DIY project.
At its core, the Esmeralda is a 16’ x 16’ heavy timber module designed as a scalable building block. Build a single standalone module, or connect multiple modules end-to-end to create the footprint you need.
Inside, timber diagonals placed every 16 feet create a repeating A-frame that naturally organizes the floor plan. Because this timber frame does the heavy lifting, your layout is flexible. Leave it exposed as a durable outdoor pavilion, or enclose it to create a highly insulated, four-season space.
The entire system rests above-grade on helical piles, adapting to steep slopes or wet ground without heavy excavation. This helps preserve your site’s natural state and significantly cut the project's carbon footprint.
The essentials includes:
Precision-milled heavy timber frame
T&G roof sheathing and floor decking
All necessary structural hardware
Optional upgrades include:
Loft framing
Roof over-framing (for overhangs)
Wall sheathing and siding
The timber for every Esmeralda is sourced from Central Washington, primarily from the Teanaway Valley.
Waste-stream sourcing: we utilize beetle-kill logs, fire-thinning clearings, and development harvests. This locks carbon into the heavy timber, storing it safely in your structure for the next century.
Forest health: clearing this dead fuel from the forest floor mitigates local wildfire risks and restores a healthy Ponderosa pine ecosystem.
Pure timber: every post, beam, and board is milled and dried here in the Teanaway Valley, completely free of harsh chemical treatments. At the end of its life, the wood can safely return to the soil.
Trace
CAMP
The Esmeralda system comes pre-engineered for serious snow and seismic loads, making it immediately usable on most properties. But no two sites are exactly the same, and good design solves specific problems efficiently. If the standard layout isn't the perfect fit, we’re here to help.
As the architects behind the design, Trace offers customized space planning, tailored energy modeling, and envelope detailing on an hourly basis to ensure your build is perfectly dialed in for your site.
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8511 Teanaway Road, Cle Elum WA
teanawaymillworks@gmail.com
(509) 859-6461
