A fast-growing new timber building company based in Cambridge is supplying clients across the country with sustainably-built garden rooms which employ West Fraser’s SterlingOSB Zero as a primary material for fabricating the main structure and interior partitions.
Okopod was established four years ago by James Home to manufacture stylish, high quality timber pods which can be used as home offices, additional semi-outdoor spaces or simply as a bolthole to sit and enjoy nature.
With two or three installation teams constantly on the road, Okopod now boasts satisfied customers from the South Coast and East Anglia up to Liverpool and Chester; with the order book continuing to grow. And as their Instagram posts show, the finished product would grace any garden or outdoor space, while the efficiency of the fabrication process also means there won’t be months of waiting to enjoy the benefits.
Tim Ireland, CEO, explains, “The company was only set up in 2019 but we are seeing demand growing rapidly and are delivering over 100 garden rooms or annexes a year now; very much focusing on build quality and our environmental impact.
“We are delighted with the 18mm SterlingOSB Zero as a material and feel it adds value to our product from the perspective of its sustainability. We are both comfortable and confident in working with SterlingOSB Zero and have never had any issue with the tolerance or performance. As well as the external wall panels, the SterlingOSB Zero is used to build the floors and the roof assembly which features 100mm of insulation with an OSB soffit and top surface to take the waterproof membrane.
“To keep growing the business, we are also looking at offering other structures such as car ports while, logically, the next step in terms of production would be to adopt CNC technology. And that is another area where the quality and dimensional accuracy of SterlingOSB could be a real benefit.”
SterlingOSB Zero is available in a range of sizes and thicknesses up to 22mm as well as a T&G version ideal for flooring and decking applications. The high-performance panel product, free of added formaldehyde, has also earned BBA approval and meets the requirements of NHBC Technical.