Hello all, I am currently in the design phase of my new house. I am looking to build a traditional saltbox with a ell off the back side. I would love to have my entire house done timber frame, but I don’t think I can afford to do this. I do plan on having the ell done timber frame. What I am wondering is how do you incorporate timbers in a stick built house. I may want to put some timber on the ceiling in the downstairs, to give the look of timber frame. How is this done? Typical sheet rocked ceiling….
Thanks in advance!
Replies
Neilm,
take a look at this book.
Timber-Frame Houses
Fine Homebuilding magazine
A thorough introduction to modern timber framing
Solid, graceful and dramatic, timber-frame houses hold a special appeal. In this collection of 31 Fine Homebuilding articles, you'll discover how traditional techniques and current innovations make timber-frame building more practical than ever. Practitioners like Tedd Benson, Jack Sobon, and George Nash describe remodels and reconstructions, houses modeled after old-world styles, and inspiring contemporary designs.
I was just reading through it last night. It has an article on adding full size timbers to a stick built house. I think it will give you a lot of insight.
Chuck
Chuck, How long have you been working for Taunton?
r u a feckless dastard?
Rez,
Actually I don't work for Taunton...I just have a lot of their timber framing books. I am actually a wildlife biologist in Alaska. I have been looking at doing a similar thing as Neilm. The cut and paste job was just a quick way to post the info.
Edited 9/28/2005 12:47 pm ET by rdzone
The cut and paste job was just a quick way to post the info. This I understand. :)
Frenchy, who frequently posts here from Minnesota, is finishing up a large timberframe addition. Always interesting to follow his work.
I suppose you are familiar with the search function for pursuing old threads in the archives here on BT.
r u a feckless dastard?
Yep familar with the search function. I will have to check out his posts. I have worked on a number of timber frames for others, I really love the way they look. Currently I am planning to build a cabin on some of my property out in the bush. However, I am trying to keep the costs down while still having some exposed timbers, the arctile in the book I mentioned has some good ideas on ways to do just that.
We are in the middle of a hybrid-timber frame right now. We are primarily stick framed, with 3 full timber bents and 2 timber trusses making up one part of the house. The frame is built inside a stick curtain wall, and carries the roof load. This has been a good structural design for us as the snow load where we're building is 140 pounds psf. The open spaces we've created would have been trickier without the spans of the timber frame. You can look at our progress, and maybe get some ideas at http://www.hutchfoster.com