The screened in porch will be attached to the back of my house facing the woods and will be made from douglas fir

Here's how it looks from the house looking into the porch.

Building a 40x70 pole barn and would like to add a loft in the back for storage and a shooting bench (long range out back window). Wanted to add a rustic feel so considering wood from my place (likely cherry). Have a local guy that mills just down the road. I haven’t cut anything yet but looking for lumber dimensions for sawing and basic design ideas. Loft will tie into pole barn which will be 3ply 2x6 laminated posts 10’oc. 6”concrete floor. Posts would sit on concrete floor with a small riser to protect. Right side will have a 9’x9’ garage door into building, under loft, so right 10’ bay will have garage door tracks mounted to it. Thinking cherry logs @11’ sawing true 8”x8” posts and beams and 2”x6” joist 2’oc with 5/4 deck boards (guesstimation)? This plan may be simplified based on wood availability and time by using dimensional lumber in some locations. I have 2 plan designs shown. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated!

If you use an oil stain made for soft woods on Douglas Fir do you use a different product for Oak pegs with exterior exposure?

Hoping folks here might be able to recommend the best process, and professionals to look to to have this design (or as close as possible to it.) recreated for timber construction.

I think the design lends itself well to timber framing.

Suggestions.

Then what's the route to go from that design to plans for permitting.

Hi, all. This isn't specifically a timber frame question, but it is for a timber frame project. I'm essentially the designer and planner for an off-grid hunting camp. It will have a four, three-post bent design. A full slab or perimeter foundation isn't possible. Sonotubes seem like the sturdiest option. Would a (minimum) 2'x2', 8" thick footer be sufficient under each post? If sonotubes are the only good option, how large? The frost line is 44" (Northern PA). Thanks in advance.

PS, I have experience in building timber frames, and the design itself is sound.

I am about to stand a small frame that will be outdoors. It’s strictly utilitarian, the main floor is a woodshed and the second floor a treehouse for the kids. I don’t plan to oil the frame since I dont mind if it grey’s out and I am not trying to change the color. I do plan to treat it with Bora Care or some similar product to prevent mold and bugs damaging it. Anybody want to weigh in on whether it’s okay to skip the oil? Thanks in advance!

My wife and I live in an old farm house built in 1894. We want to spruce up the front porch with T&G pine ceiling, new lights, and moving the porch swing to a better location.

As I am digging I can see the roof joists are simply toe nailed to the house on one end and resting on a box beam on the other end (3 1x6" boards nailed into a 3 sided box shape). So this is causing me to build out a new beam to support the joists, which will in turn hold the swing.

I have access to lots of timber (oak (red and white), cherry, walnut, pine, maple) and a saw mill.

I want to saw my own 6x6 posts to replace the old PT 4x4s that presently make the post and railing system.

My question is two fold.

A) what material would you choose if you could make it from anything? We have some cedar shake on a small addition if that helps but am in PA so no real access to cedar logs here.

B) I want to remake the railing system to match the new posts. I want the top and bottom rail to match dimensionally instead of top capping the railing. Does anyone have insight on dimension for the top and bottom rail? I am thinking something like the photo below but am unsure of span lengths and dimensions on the railings.

https://preview.redd.it/yvxbju28zgwc1.png?width=800&format=png&auto=webp&s=48c6427d33882fe3211be4c6ae6181a538708a8b

A quick question from a novice hobbyist: I've read that generally, a curved axe bit is better for green wood, whereas a straighter bit is better for seasoned wood. Assuming that's correct, would that translate to hewing axes? So, while most I find have a curved bit (as I understand most hewing is done on green logs), would a straighter bit profile be useful for hewing seasoned logs? Or, will both work well enough for a hobbyist level of quality?

Note: I won't be re-profiling old axe heads--no need to worry!

Cheers!

Hello, I’m exploring the idea of hewing logs with a broad axe but not sure how to go about getting the rustic grey color, would leaving them out in a field have this effect?

What is the piece called that I have circled in red? Is this purely decorative or is it part of a traditional timber framing style? Thanks in advance.

I know the correct answer will be "it depends", but I would like to know if I'm slow because there's something I'm doing inefficiently or maybe my expectations need adjustment.

For instance, it takes me over 30 minutes per mortise once I have my layout marked for a 1.5" wide x 4" long x 4" deep mortise. I have a 1" auger bit that I use to hog out as much as possible (takes 2-3 minutes), but then clearing out the rest and squaring the sides takes 25-30 minutes (depending on if I encounter knots) on soft wood like pine. I haven't even attempted this on harder wood.

The corners of the mortise seem to be the most time consuming areas. Is 30 minutes per mortise "reasonable" using the tools I have? or is it a sign of a problem?

​

26x28 1-1/2 story post and beam in New Hampshire. We plan to use the lower level as a workshop and occasionally put a car in it. The upstairs we want to leave open to use for winter and rainy day gatherings we can’t be outside for.

Aside from SIPs adding cost, I like the idea of having a traditional garage that can breath and have ventilation.

Am I making a mistake?

Edit: I am definitely appreciating all the responses. Just to clarify, this would be a weekend shop a few hours on Sat and Sun. The SIPs cost and instal just seemed to be high for a space we don’t live in. We plan to live here for 20+ years

Hi All -

I am an owner building a timber frame home this year. The home will have some exterior, exposed Douglas Fir beams that I need to protect from the elements. I am considering either (a) Heritage Natural Exterior Finish or (b) TWP 1500. I am leaning towards TWP 1500 because I am looking to stain the exterior logs.

Since the beams are green, I am wondering if I can apply the stain right away or do I have to wait a couple of months to let them dry out. TWP's website seems to say that I need to wait 4-12 months. https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/

I much prefer finishing the beams before I raise them. If I have to wait with the TWP1500, do you think it would be easier to just stain the beams and use heritage Natural Exterior Finish?

Thanks as always! I appreciate the input I get on this forum!

​

​

​

Timberframe boys for life!!!!

https://youtube.com/shorts/R5Odj33JmXc?si=ev5vZhYVlTnRYmre

Might be just my brain playing tricks on me but it seems to me like timber frames meant to be filled with wattle and daub are built much sturdier than most other types of frames (more supports, larger timber, etc...), why is that ? Shouldn't this quasi mortar like wall already add to the structural strength of the construction ?

Or I might just be delusional and be imagining things.

I’m considering a business making timber frame gazebos, pergolas, and other small structures. Has anyone tried this? Would it be a good business or is there no market for it?

Hi everyone. I know that best practice is to use green timber for timberframing but I got a deal (as in free) on unlimited 10”x10”x16’ timbers. They’ve been used as cribbing so they’re rough, rotten and/or banged up but I can plane them down to 8”x8”s at least.

How bad of an idea is it to use this to build a pergola and/or a half timbered house? I don’t see why this couldn’t work but before I get loads of wood in my yard I figured I’d ask here.

What do you all say? Yay or nay?

I’m working on a concept for an 8 story timber frame apartment building as a means of promoting urban density through traditional architecture.

I’ve never had to consider racking, wind, or seismic pressures on a building like this before. If anyone can point me in the right direction for a book, site, or organization I’d be appreciative!

I love how our campus turned out!

An old farmstead sat vacant for about 15 years in Lancaster County, PA and our owners saw potential. At that point, no farmer was going to put the extensive resources into the property that it would need to become functional again and the township didn't want a big corporation to destroy the buildings/property. So we gave the historic farmhouse (& barn) new life by adapting it to serve as our headquarters for our construction company.
The farmhouse is office space, the in-law's quarters (black building on the right) is the timber frame conference room & more office space, and the timber frame connector serves as the reception area and open meeting space.

This shows how versatile timber framing can be and how you can blend old world craftsmanship with modern design features. We also love that it's given our team a biophilic space to work in and was a sustainable way to construct our building!

https://preview.redd.it/qsnuoth5dvtc1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e51066f15641ed5d440b8cef02c9db76a5137885

Hi there!

I'm new to timber frame and I'm slowly designing our new home. I'm leaning toward a 24"x48" on a slab, with 12' of mezzanine. I'm looking for tips on how to improve my plan, as my goal would be to have not keep the 2nd floor as clear as possible. I feel like there is support missing, as a 24' unsupported queen post design like that might get overloaded with snow (I'm from a heavy snow part of Quebec). Shelter Institute has build with no tie beam at all, but the second floor walls being around 1' or 2' high where the truss meet the wall. I assume this is because the second floor serves as a tie beam?

Also, I see companies in Quebec building with not much braces. I'm not a huge fan of visible braces, so I'm wondering what makes them necessary. My logic is that they would be necessary at the connection between the roof and walls on the second floor to prevent back and forth movement, and on the other side, downstairs, to prevent left and right movement (not show in the picture).

Any comments appreciated!

https://preview.redd.it/qrskh5mn6utc1.png?width=727&format=png&auto=webp&s=74adec1716e57b432da4797ee3b52b835103853f

Thank you all for the great books recommendations. Having purchases and read the Beemer and Sobon, I am ready to embark on my first project. I am a firm believer in simplifying things as much as possible when diving into something new. I’m planning on making a large coffee table size project to start getting used to working with the timber (6x6) and the tools I will be using on larger more involved projects. I thought a saw, chisel, and a mallet would get me started as the minimum tools required. My friend who is already a woodworker has offered to sharpen my chisel for me. Will this get me off to a good start? Any thoughts on brands, or tools? I’d appreciate the advice. Thanks!!

My wife and I are meeting with a builder next week to design a hybrid timberframe build in a popular ski and lake vacation area.

Going the Timber Frame route will put this project towards the top of the budget we intended to spend. Consequently I am asking for advice on places we can trim the cost with negligible impact to the quality of the finished product.

I know in traditional houses they say make stairs go straight up and down, and always build up instead of out. Those tips will save money in subtle ways.

One tip I believe I've picked up reading this subreddit is to skip SIPs on the roof. It will be cheaper and make little difference.

Do you have any other advice?