The fern and the homestead

Fern for the green things that grow in the shade of a yard. Stead for a homestead. Fernstead is where those two meet — the part of a home that lives outdoors.

Why we started

If you want a cat enclosure, a chicken coop or a covered raised bed that will still be square in five years, you have had two options: pay a carpenter several thousand dollars, or buy a flat-pack that arrives warped, unlabelled and two screws short.

We build the middle. Our structures come out of our own woodworking factory, where the same frame system, the same kiln-dried fir and the same finishes run across every product line. That is why a Fernstead catio, coop and raised bed look like they belong in the same yard.

What we insist on

Kiln-dried solid fir. Never particle board with a printed wood wrap. Wood that has been dried properly does not twist through its first wet season.

19-gauge galvanized hardware cloth. Not poultry netting. Netting keeps birds in. It does not keep raccoons out, and every keeper learns that the hard way.

A pitched metal roof with an overhang. Asphalt felt over thin plywood is cheap to ship and starts leaking in year two.

An assembly experience that ends well. Every panel is laser-marked. The printed manual is full colour, one step per page, with a QR code to a build video. Every part has a letter, and every letter appears on the page where you need it.

Backed after the sale

If a part is missing or arrives damaged, we ship you a replacement free for 90 days — no return required, no argument. The frame and hardware carry a two-year warranty. Write to [email protected] and a person answers within one business day.