Insights
Technical guides, specification notes and project commentary from our team and our engineering partners.
Featured · Engineering 25 Sep 2026 · 6 min read
A practical guide to keeping moisture out, allowing drying and protecting insulation with the right breather membrane, vapour control layer and windtight details.
Read the article →Engineering 16 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
A practical guide to timber fastener spacing: why edge and end distances matter, where the rules come from, and how to get them right using datasheets and a free calculator. Engineering-led insight from TimbA Systems.
Engineering 9 Jun 2026 · 4 min read
A breather membrane is cheap to buy and easy to get wrong. What it does in a timber frame wall, how to choose the right vapour-open grade, and how to install it continuous and the right way round so the structure stays dry.
Engineering 9 Jun 2026 · 5 min read
Every structural timber building in the UK is designed to Eurocode 5. A plain-English guide to what the code is, the strength and serviceability checks it demands, why timber is designed differently to steel, and where connections and as...
Engineering 9 Jun 2026 · 4 min read
Most timber connections carry load down; hold-downs and tensile plates stop the structure lifting or tipping over. What connector plates and hold-downs do, how they resist uplift and overturning, and how they are designed and fixed to Eu...
Engineering 9 Jun 2026 · 4 min read
A joist hanger carries a big responsibility in a small piece of metal. How to choose between face-fixed, concealed, and top-flange timber joist hangers, size them correctly, and install them for full rated capacity.
Engineering 9 Jun 2026 · 6 min read
CLT panels rarely fail; the connections do the work. A UK engineer's guide to designing cross-laminated timber connections to Eurocode 5, the role of ETAs, and the detailing that controls cost and programme.
Engineering 9 Jun 2026 · 4 min read
The TimbA Fastener Calculator works out how many screws, dowels, and anchors each Rothoblaas connector needs, with quantities pulled from official datasheets, rounded to box quantities, and ready to add straight to your basket.
Engineering 2 Jun 2026 · 6 min read
Structural timber screws carry real load, so the right choice matters. A clear UK guide to fully versus partially threaded, sizing, coatings, and certification, from TimbA's engineering team.
Engineering 24 May 2026 · 4 min read
A clear guide to cross laminated timber (CLT): how it is made, its structural advantages, and how CLT panels are connected. Engineering-led insight from TimbA Systems.
