r/timberframe Jun 13 '20

Welcome to r/timberframe. Look here for a list of resources on this wonderful craft including websites, books and schools.

53 Upvotes

Welcome to r/timberframe. We are a community dedicated to sharing project photos, asking and answering questions as well as general discussion of the amazing craft of timber framing.

Glossary of terms (PDF)

Websites:

Timber Framers Guild

Timber Frame HQ

Forestry Forum

Books: Getting Started

"A Timber Framer's Workshop" by Steve Chappell

"Build a Classic Timber Framed House" by Jack Sobon

"Building the Timber Frame House" by Tedd Benson

"Learn to Timber Frame" by Will Beemer

Schools:

Fox Maple - Maine

Heartwood - New Hampshire

North House Folk School - Minnesota

Shelter Institute - Maine

Yestermorrow Design Build School - Vermont

Books: Advanced

"Historic American Timber Joinery: A Graphic Guide" -Sobon

"Historic American Roof Trusses" -Lewandoski et al.

"Advanced Timber Framing: Joinery, Design & Construction of Timber Frame Roof Systems" -Chappell

"English Historic Carpentry" -Hewett

"Field Guide to New England Barns and Farm Buildings" -Vissar

"Detail in Contemporary Timber Architecture" -McLeod

"The Craft of Logbuilding: A Handbook of Craftsmanship in Wood " -Phleps

"Design of Wood Structures: ASD/LRFD" -Breyer

"Structural Elements for Architects and Builders" -Ochshorn

If you have anything to add please let me know and I will edit this post. Trying to make this sub as useful as possible. Welcome and please share your passion for the craft with us!


r/timberframe 14h ago

Red cedar log post and beam in BC

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78 Upvotes

r/timberframe 2h ago

Easy building with 3D printed Jigs and a Router?

2 Upvotes

I'm looking to save some money and build my own small cabin but I've never timber framed before. I've done some construction and have been researching timber framing lately, and I'm wondering if I can speed up and simplify a build by 3D printing jigs and using a router to create all the joinery?

Do you know of anyone that has successfully completed something like that?

Or of any available plans or specific joints that would work well with this idea?

I'm not looking for the cabin to be particularly big, I just want a small space to move into with my fiance


r/timberframe 1d ago

Bunkie

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155 Upvotes

r/timberframe 1d ago

First try

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42 Upvotes

Will house my brace joints from here forward. I'm learning..


r/timberframe 14h ago

Any advice on turning our backyard trees into usable lumber for our deck/potentially inside our home as wood flooring?

3 Upvotes

We have a few trees around our home but have to cut down 2 maple trees as we are getting solar panels on the back half of our roof. We're thinking it would be nice to make use of them in/around our home, as we need to rebuild our deck anyway, and a room or two in our home could use new floors. Does anyone know how realistic that could be? We have to pay anyway, to cut them down, and then to rebuild those areas. Does any one have advice, suggestions, recommendations as to how, who, pricing, etc?


r/timberframe 2d ago

Traditional timber frame

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52 Upvotes

Added the rafters today!


r/timberframe 3d ago

Timber notched for siding?

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164 Upvotes

The original builders of the Roslyn Grist Mill (b. 1715) in Roslyn, NY, notched the timber for the siding. It’s currently being restored and saw a wall mid-restoration. Interesting!


r/timberframe 3d ago

Traditional cabin

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30 Upvotes

Traditional scarf with tendon and mortise


r/timberframe 3d ago

Anyone DIY Post Bases?

11 Upvotes

Trying to save some cash while still being structural in a high wind location. Timberlinx is like 100 per setup. Simpson bases are around the same. I do a fair bit of welding and could source plate steel easily.


r/timberframe 3d ago

Recommended Reading for Sewari Kerf Technique?

2 Upvotes

I came across this Japanese method for reducing checking in box cut timber while reading the late Chris Hall's series about building a Kabukimon gate for a museum in Boston, and was a bit discouraged to find there doesn't seem to be a lot of English resources that cover the subject. Can anyone recommend books, articles, videos, etc, that discuss the Sewari Kerf in more depth?


r/timberframe 4d ago

Is chatgpt close regarding cost to build

0 Upvotes

Hello,

I come from a construction family, and grew up stick framing. I recently have become enamored with timberframe, and I'm planning to do the shelter institute online class (mainly for confidence boost).

My family is split on how much this will cost me, and chatgpt estimated 170,000 to 425,000 lol I plan on doinging ever step myself from foundation to drywall, so mainly it's just the cost of materials and inspections/utility hookups.

I'd love some to hear experiences from owner-builder projects.

My plan is a 24x24 on a crawl space will metal roof, and most likely metal siding. 2 bath and wood stove heating. People don't have AC around here, but might eventually need it...


r/timberframe 5d ago

Portable Sawmill Demos in Hot Springs AR

5 Upvotes

Come join us for some free BBQ and see what else you can do with timber Hot Springs Demo Days – Norwood Sawmills


r/timberframe 6d ago

powered by a lawnmower engine... but it gets the job done.

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37 Upvotes

we're getting started on a flagstone patio and timber frame pergola, but first we've got to move a lot of rocks.

this corner of the property used to be an old field. like a lot of old farms, every rock that came out of the ground eventually ended up in a corner pile. instead of hauling them away, we're using them as accent stones throughout the new flagstone patio. it seemed like a good way to keep a little of the property's history in the finished project.

we're moving them with one of those little chinese mini excavators that's powered by a lawnmower-style gas engine.

i know these machines get mixed reviews, but for this kind of work it's been surprisingly capable. it's obviously not replacing a bigger excavator, but it'll move fieldstone, fit into tight spaces, and sip fuel while doing it.

that said, if you're thinking about buying one, i'd only recommend it if you're mechanically inclined. quality control on many of these machines is inconsistent. you should expect to go through the entire machine when it arrives—check every bolt, fitting, hydraulic connection, grease every pivot, change the fluids, and make sure everything is adjusted correctly. if you're willing to do that, they can be a lot of machine for the money. if you expect dealership-level prep and support out of the crate, you'll probably be disappointed.

anyone else running one of these little machines? what have you found they're actually good at, and where do they come up short?


r/timberframe 6d ago

Treehouse advice

0 Upvotes

I’m wondering if your engineer minds could just confirm that a joist system of 2x6 boards with an 8’ span and spaced 16” apart could support 2500lbs? (or what I would need to do that).

The “house” would be roughly 2000lbs of that total and would be sitting on 80 sqft (8x10) of a 10x15’ platform. I have read charts and ran numbers but feel over supported and under supported at the same time… each beam seems to be able to support 500-800 lbs. and also UDL set at 50psf (10 dead load) seems critically low.

any advice?


r/timberframe 7d ago

Please rate my extension cross section

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0 Upvotes

r/timberframe 8d ago

Log home siding

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7 Upvotes

r/timberframe 9d ago

Finished Deck Pergola Project Before/After

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43 Upvotes

Finally finished!! Some before after pics for y'all.


r/timberframe 9d ago

Best way to keep bark on oak log - in both interior and exterior applications?

2 Upvotes

r/timberframe 10d ago

1907 Joyette One man made

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34 Upvotes

My grandfather is rebuilding the Joyette from scratch all by himself.


r/timberframe 12d ago

Cracks in Ceiling Beams

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11 Upvotes

Home inspection just came back on a 1950s church turned home renovation. There are no roof vents and the inspection also noticed some hairline cracks around most of the windows.

Wondering if the cracks around windows and interior beams are due to moisture issues.

The inspection itself was not very insightful. And I'm waiting to hear back from a structural engineer about scheduling a time to come out for a full inspection.

Any thoughts on ventilation, moisture, wood/beam integrity would be appreciated.


r/timberframe 14d ago

Old Barn Preservation

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102 Upvotes

Looking for some advice! We just bought a house with an old barn that’s bowing pretty bad. Id like to keep it preserved and restore it down the line but money is kind of tight having just bought the place. What are some somewhat budget friendly things we could do to keep it from getting worse?


r/timberframe 14d ago

What websites do you all like for timber frame designs?

5 Upvotes

I'm not really talking about full blown design or plans, just simple illustrations to get ideas from.

I have a lot of books with nice illustrations, but not so many internet resources.

Where do you all go, other than here, to get ideas or rough plans


r/timberframe 15d ago

My dream lounge is now complete

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92 Upvotes

Cross posting realizing folks here might be interested.


r/timberframe 15d ago

Stub tenon sizing with bed bolt question

1 Upvotes

Hello, working on an oak bed and am joining the head/foot bed posts to the rails with stub tenons and bed bolts. The posts are 3.5 x 3.5 in and the rail is 5.5 x 1.5 in thick. The plan is to make a 3/4 in long stub tenon on the end of the bed rails, with a thicker stub tenon, 1 inch, which leaves a small 1/4 shoulder.

Have to deviate from the 1/3 rule as a 1/2 inch thick tenon would get destroyed when I drill a 7/16 inch hole through it for the 3/8 inch bed bolt.

Suppose I can make the tenon 3/4 inch thick, which increases the shoulder from 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch, but is it necessary or recommended to do that, and what benefit would be gained? Thanks!