Timber Framing for the Rest of Us: A Guide to Contemporary Post and Beam Construction

by Rob Roy

Overview

All those of us without traditional skills need to know to build with timber framing

Many natural building methods rely upon the use of post and beam frame structures that are then in-filled with straw, cob, cordwood, or more conventional wall materials. But traditional timber framing employs the use of finely crafted jointing and wooden pegs, requiring a high degree of craftsmanship and training, as well as much time and expense. However, there is another way...

Timber Framing for the Rest of Us describes the timber framing methods used by most contractors, farmers, and owner-builders, methods that use modern metal fasteners, special screws, and common sense building principles to accomplish the same goal in much less time. And while there are many good books on traditional timber framing, this is the first to describe in depth these more common fastening methods. The book includes everything an owner-builder needs to know about building strong and beautiful structural frames from heavy timbers, including:

• the historical background of timber framing
• crucial design and structural considerations
• procuring timbers-including different woods, and recycled materials
• foundations, roofs, and in-filling consdierations
• the common fasteners.

A detailed case study of a timber frame project from start to finish completes this practical and comprehensive guide, along with a useful appendix of span tables and a bibliography.

Highly illustrated, this book enables 'the rest of us' to build like the professionals and will appeal to owner-builders, contractors and architects alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780865715080
Publisher:	New Society Publishers
Publication date:	04/01/2004
Series:	Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series , #12
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	612,650
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Author/editor Rob Roy has been building, researching and teaching about cordwood masonry for 25 years and, with his wife, started Earthwood Building School in 1981. He has written ten books on alternative building, presented four videos-including two about cordwood masonry-and has taught cordwood masonry all over the world.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1 · About Timber Framing
A Little Background
Timber Framing versus Standard Stud Construction
Grading Lumber: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Timber Framing: Advantages and Disadvantages
"Traditional" Timber Framing
Timber Framing for the Rest of Us

2 · Basic Timber Frame Structure
Load and Line of Thrust
Compression
Tension
Compression and Tension in Beams
Bending and Bending Failure
Shear and Shear Failure
Deflection
Post and Beam Frame
Plank and Beam
Design Considerations for Rafters and Girders
Cantilever
Your Post and Beam Plans

3 · Procuring the Timbers
Recycled Timbers
      Cultivating Coincidence
      Evaluating Recycled Timbers
Timbers from Your Own Land
      Hardwoods
      Softwoods
Timber from Small Sawmills
      Portable Sawmills
      Chainsaw Mills
Seasoning the Timbers

4 · Building Techniques: Timber Framing for the Rest of Us
Foundation Options
Post Height
Fastening the Timber Frame to the Foundation
Sill Plates and Sill Beams
      Some More About Doorframes and Posts
      About Metal Fasteners
      Wind Can be a Serious Problem...
      Tying Posts and Sills to the Foundation
Fastening the Girt to the Top of the Posts
      When Two Beams Meet Over a Post
      Timber Framing Hybrid
Build Quality, Gravity and Inertia
Roof Systems
      Roof Timber Framing for the Rest of Us
      More About Trusses
      Plank and Beam Roofing
      Insulating Plank and Beam Roofing
Joe's Rocket Research Landing Pad – A Photo Essay

5 · Case Study – The Sunroom at Earthwood
Design Overview of the Project
Design Questions and Plans
Work Begins
      Extended Floor Joists
      Fastening the Joist to the Girder
      Installing Headers
      Installing the Secondary Joists
      Floor (Decking)
      Preparing the Girders
      Installing Posts
      Installing the Girders
      Installing the Five-by-Ten Rafters
      "Balance Beam" Secondary Rafters
      Planking the Roof
      The Earth Roof
      Closing In
The Finished Room

· Appendix A: Span Tables
· Appendix B: Stress Load Calculations for Beams
· Appendix C: Resources
· Glossary of Terms
· Bibliography
· Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"With more than thirty years of hands-on experience, Rob Roy brings solid insight and understanding of the importance of timber framing to all aspects of natural building. This eminently readable, beautifully illustrated book offers both practical advice and personal experience."
— ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE, Editor-in-Chief, Natural Home magazine

"If you want to build a home or barn without spending a fortune, you should read this book. Modern timber framing techniques are easy to learn and perfect for building with straw bales, cordwood masonry, cob, structural insulated panels (SIPs) or local timber. The chapter about low-cost chainsaw mills for cutting your own lumber, alone, is worth the price of the book."
— CHERYL LONG, Editor-in-Chief, Mother Earth News

"In Timber Framing for the Rest of Us, Rob continues his good work of stocking the shelves of the owner-builder's library. His books provide accessible information and inspiration to a new generation of hands-on homeowners."
— MARK KLEIN, Gimme Shelter Construction, Amherst, WI

"This is a wonderful reference for anyone considering timber frame construction, and is somewhat intimidated by the exactness of the craft. Rob Roy has blended this beautiful time-honored technique with state-of-the-art joinery components to make timber framing available to all. However, there's more than just nuts and bolts to this book, Rob also provides useful information on frame design, structural load calculations, lumber procurement and more. If you're looking for an alternative to conventional construction but aren't quite ready to tackle a traditional timber frame this books for you."
— DON OSBY, builder and art director of BackHome Magazine

"Rob Roy provides a wealth of basic information, tools and techniques for heavy timber construction, employing "bolts and ingenuity". He offers a comprehensive and comprehendible alternative to traditional timber framing for people with a wide range of skills and experiences, all delivered in the lively and charming style we have come to expect from his work in other areas."
— JOEL C. MCCARTY, Timber Framers Guild

Editorial Reviews

Viewers of television's This Old House are familiar with traditional timber framing, which is like fine cabinetmaking but on a larger scale and probably out of reach for everyone but the wealthy. A builder with 25 years' experience, Roy (Cordwood Building) offers a more pragmatic approach that uses modern fasteners and techniques to achieve similar results quickly and economically. He makes a strong argument for this method based on its strength, short duration, economy, and aesthetic appeal. Readers are shown how a basic timber structure is designed, offered tips for acquiring materials, and given a number of specialized building techniques. A detailed case study describes the construction of a sunroom at the Earthwood Building School, which Roy operates. It's a shame that no color photos are included, since timber-frame structures are so attractive. However, the numerous black-and-white photos and illustrations are acceptable supplements to the text. Several appendixes supply engineering data and sources of additional information. While not an essential purchase, this title will nicely round out comprehensive building collections. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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