Riverbend Timber Framing got its start when Frank Baker bought land on the bend of the River Raisin in Blissfield, Michigan. The first Riverbend structure, a reproduction of a sixteenth-century gambrel barn that eventually became the Riverbend timber shop, was cut and raised on the site in the summer of 1979. The Baker house followed shortly after, and soon Riverbend was cutting joinery for timber frames across the country.

As the timber frame industry experienced a renaissance, structural insulating panels (SIPs) were becoming the preferred enclosure system. By incorporating SIPs into its timber frame homes, Riverbend became a leader in the “hybrid” design movement – one that uses structural timbers in main living areas, and panels alone in other parts of the house. It became evident that timber framing and SIPs was a great marriage, producing super-insulated structures while consuming fewer natural resources than stick built homes.

In 1990 Riverbend created Midwest Panel Systems to manufacture and market SIP structures. Soon afterward Midwest Panels became affiliated with Insulspan to produce SIPs under the Insulspan trademark. Midwest Panels acquired Insulspan in 1998, and Insulspan soon grew to become the #1 brand in SIPs as documented by Professional Builder Magazine. In 2004, Riverbend and Insulspan merged with PFB Corporation, manufacturer of the panels’ EPS foam, creating expanded opportunities for the companies.

Riverbend Timber Framing is now one of the nation’s oldest and most accomplished designers and suppliers of timber frames. With approximately 2,000 structures, including homes, restaurants, offices, churches, clubhouses and pavilions to our credit, Riverbend’s primary goal is still simple: to make your timber frame building experience a pleasure from beginning to end.