Episode Details

Robin Johnson sits down with Christopher Kentish and Oliver Reimann, the co-founders of Frontier Oak, a bespoke green oak timber framing company based in Sussex. Chris came to the craft after a career in film production, introduced to it through his father-in-law's green oak company. Ollie, who studied advertising and marketing and met Chris at the age of 13, joined him in 2018 after working in production and photography. Together they have built Frontier Oak from the ground up, taking on everything from residential extensions, orangeries, and garden rooms to three-bay garages and contemporary pottery studios. Their ethos is straightforward: 100% bespoke, fully handcrafted, and managed end-to-end from groundworks to final finish.

In this episode they talk honestly about what it takes to run a small craft business, why they refuse CNC machines, how they handle green oak's unique challenges, what the future of timber framing looks like, and why they are planning to take on apprentices to keep the craft alive.

Key Topics Covered

1. What green oak timber framing actually involves and why it has been done the same way for hundreds of years
2. How Chris and Ollie each found their way into the trade from completely unrelated careers
3. The bread and butter of Frontier Oak's work: residential extensions, orangeries, garden rooms and standalone buildings
4. Why green oak clients are a different type of customer and what drives them to choose timber over brick and mortar
5. The environmental case for green oak construction and the barriers to using fully sustainable building materials
6. The technical challenge of working with green oak: movement, tolerances, pre-fitting frames and getting them to site fast
7. How CAD design fits into a traditional craft workflow without compromising the handmade approach
8. Plans for oak framing workshops and apprenticeships, and the responsibility of passing the craft to the next generation
9. The unwritten rules around apprentices in traditional trades like thatching and farriery

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Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

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Key Moments:

00:00 Robin introduces Chris an