Timber Frames in Construction Leave a Mystique
by: Glenn A Jamess on Tue, 5 May 2009 at: 4:32 AM Go to: Previous Article Next Article
If you've ever seen a "Tudor" style home, you've seen timber framed construction, where wooden beams are joined to make a frame that the rest of the house is built from. Indeed, most modern internal wall structure is timber frame construction.
The most common historical locales for this kind of building are those where the climate supports renewable forestry ? places where spruce and pine and other softwoods grow regularly. This pretty much made it the staple of Europe north of the Alps, and quite common in Japan and Northern China. If settlers moved to North America, this construction technique came with them, and it is somewhat common in the Ohio River Valley area in old buildings.
Centuries ago, timbers were hewn in squares using a felling axe but nowadays timbers go through machines wherein they are planed in all four sides. It creates compression and tension so supportive cross beams or plywood is no longer necessary. Mortise and tenon are joined together to connect large timbers of a common size which is 8 inches by 8 inches to create a frame. There is no need to use nails in this process. These frames are created on the ground and then lifted by the workers or a crane for larger constructions.
What draws people to timber frame construction is that air of rustic robustness in the European tradition, and that sense of traditional homeyness in the Asian tradition. These homes are sturdily built, and because the timber is on the outside, if there's a problem with something that might make the building structurally unsound, it is easy to diagnose.
Timber frame construction provides a number of structural benefits; walls are easier to assemble, and it is possible to custom fit things to fill with batting for better insulation properties; a lot of timber frame houses have earthen walls, which provide a lot of heat management properties. In terms of durability, timber frame houses hold up about in addition to conventional fired brick homes.
These framed structures have a distinctive look. There are even a lot of people building their luxury homes using timber frames. They are engineered to have a dual purpose as plain structure and as a masterpiece. The framework is visibly exposed enabling you to see the different elements like beam ceilings, timber windows and walls supports. If decorated, it is highly defined and shows much more elegance.
Putting up the outer frame of a timber frame constructed building requires pegging all the elements together and having the entire team of workers lift the frame upright. Stanchions are put in place so that the other walls and cross braces can be put together. A good team of workers can put up a four wall home with this technique in a weekend, and it is surprisingly efficient in terms of building materials.
Other interesting notes on this kind of construction are how durable and robust it is. Most timber frame homes are surprisingly weather proof and fairly easy to insulate. You may not be able to get LEEDs certification directly, but the usual market for this sort of construction is from medieval re-enactors.
About the Author
Glenn A Jamess has been constructing buildings for over 30 years. He became interested in historic timber restoration after remodeling timber constructed museums. His expertise can be seen in his work and in pictures on his website. Look at his site for more information.
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