by Gregory Banse, Vermont Frames & Foam Laminates of Vermont
The year 1976 was filled with historic events, the most noteworthy being the 200 th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It was also the year Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak launched their first product, the Apple I, bringing computer technology to everyday consumers.
NASA’s Viking 1 became the first spacecraft to successfully land on Mars, transmitting the first color photographs of the Martian surface, and the supersonic Concorde jetliner began its first commercial passenger flights, revolutionizing transatlantic travel.
1976 was also the year Vermont Frames was founded in a shed at Clifford Lumber in Hinesburg, to bring a very old technology of timber framing into the modern age. Timber framing is the ancient art and science of building wooden structures from large beams using all-wooden mortise and tenon joinery.
In the 1980’s the company was relocated just down the road to Starksboro where it remains today. Fifty years on, Vermont Frames will open the doors of its Starksboro campus to the public on July 11, 2026, to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
“It will be a celebration focused on the craft of timber framing and all the people who have devoted a chapter of their lives to making these homes for generations of people to enjoy,” Kevin Moyer, who acquired Vermont Frames in 2022, said.
Moyer, a former Marine Corps logistics officer, had a long-standing interest in timber-frame houses. “I wanted to build a timber-frame home for myself. I love this way of building for the long-term, and I’ve always wanted to run a manufacturing business. It was a beautiful blend of two things I love, and I’m honored to have been entrusted with the legacy of this wonderful company,” he said.
Over the years, in response to clients’ needs for a modern sheathing and insulation system to enclose their timber frames, the company expanded to include a structural insulated panels (SIPs) division, that operates as Foam Laminates of Vermont. SIPs are produced at the manufacturing plant in Starksboro and transported to the building site, installation ready.
Since 1976, the business has built some 2,000 timber frames and grown to 29 employees. “We’ve been adding new apprentices to keep this craft alive and pass on the wisdom of the older generations of timber framers. We have a lot of great projects ongoing and are grateful to have a dedicated and passionate team of highly talented craftsmen and craftswomen who handcraft these incredible structures,” Moyer said.
Over the past 50 years, the company has designed, handcrafted, and installed some 2,000-plus timber-frame homes and barns across over 30 states in the US, many in Canada, and even one in Spain.
“I’d like to grow our manufacturing and design spaces so that we can more easily keep up with the demand for our timber frames and SIPs,” Moyer said. “That will mean a larger commercial space, hopefully somewhere in Addison County.”
The public is invited to join the celebration on Saturday, July 11, 10 am to 4 pm, at the company’s headquarters, 22 Varney Hill Road in Starksboro, to meet Vermont Frames’ staff, learn about timber frames, and watch a demonstration of timber-frame cutting. There will be live Celtic music by Rowan, magic by Marko the Magician, face painting, corn hole, and more. Food and drink will be available by Lucky Star Catering and Stone Corral, which will also bring its mobile “draft horse,” a custom, converted horse trailer.
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Vermont Business Magazine