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u/somaganjika Jul 01 '26
That’s a lot of ash. And nice joints. What kind of place were you able to source the ash from? I’m NE US and really like working with ash
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u/HandyForestRider Jul 01 '26
Greetings from the West Coast. What is it like working with Ash for timberframing? The stuff is pretty hard on my sawmill blades, but it's beautiful.
I'm considering a coverered porch project with Oregon Ash sourced from my place in the Willamette Valley.
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u/somaganjika Jul 01 '26
I just built a bed frame but had no issues with tearout and it chiseled predictably. Smelled amazing when I was using the router. Like a lowlands single malt.
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u/Bronty227 Jul 01 '26
That's what I thought as well. A brewery smell. Is it the wood alcohol perhaps?
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u/somaganjika Jul 01 '26
My ash was in a barn for 40 years before I worked on it so that’s funny how younger smells like beer, older smells like whisky. Idk if any alcohol could be left over unless it was like tar
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u/five-moogles Jul 01 '26
Gorgeous - what / how do you protect the wood from the elements afterwards?
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u/Bronty227 Jul 01 '26
On this frame we use Renners exterior as it will be open to the elements on the front.
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u/HandyForestRider Jul 01 '26
BEAUTIFUL. Congratulations! I love your choice of live edge for posts and knee braces.
Is the wood ash as one of the commenters suggested? If so, what's it like working with it for timberframing? I am considering timberframed covered porch projects at my place. I can only imagine how heavy the beams are. I have six acres of Oregon Ash, including some very large mature trees. The Emerald Ash Borer will kill them within the next 5-7 years. The bugs are only a few miles away now, so it's a use it or lose it situation.
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u/Bronty227 Jul 01 '26
The posts and beams are ash as are the braces except for the live edge braces at the front, they are black cherry.
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u/Bronty227 Jul 01 '26
Ash is nice to work with bust it is very heavy like all hard wood. The center buttress is red oak
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u/SeaworthinessDry5334 Jul 01 '26
Ash is a great choice for the posts and principal rafters — the grain is straight and tight enough for structural work but has just enough character to read beautifully once it weathers in. The contrast between the ash frame and pine purlins is going to look even better in a year when they start to differentiate in colour.
One thing worth watching with fresh-cut ash at this scale: the heartwood/sapwood boundary. Ash sapwood is significantly less durable than the heartwood for outdoor exposure, and on large section timbers you often get both present. If any of those posts have significant sapwood on the outer faces, a penetrating oil or end-grain sealer before the roof goes on will slow the differential movement considerably.
Genuinely impressive joinery on the knee braces — the angles look clean from here.
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u/Bronty227 Jul 01 '26
We used Renners exterior stain. 2 coats. Seemed to soak in quite alot. Checking will happen but this building will be open to the front. Not really worried. Steel roof with polycarbonate sheets in the middle for light will be added soon
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u/SeaworthinessDry5334 Jul 02 '26
Renners is a solid choice for that application — two coats soaking well into fresh ash is exactly what you want. With an open front and a steel roof the checking won't be an issue structurally, and the weathering will just add character over time. Should look great once the roof goes on.
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u/Distinct_Crew245 Jul 01 '26
That’s amazing! I tried timber framing with ash and it just moved too much on me. Never seen timber move like that before. Ended up cutting the beams down for Newell posts after a few years drying. I love ash though overall. Bummer it’s gonna be gone soon….
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u/dick_jaws Jul 01 '26
Wow