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imber Framing for the Rest of Us. Us implies Them, or They or Not Us. And who are these others? They are no less than the skilled timber-framers, using time-tested methods of creating beautiful, strong, and enduring buildings throughout the world. At its best, timber framing done by traditional methods of joinery yields a quality of construction that spans the range from craft to art.
The use of timber-framing joinery, such as scarf, mortise-and-tenon, and rabbet joints, evolved during a time before metal fasteners were available, and its traditional use continued when metal spikes would have been expensive. Quality wood-on-wood timber framing continues to this day, and is a joy to see. There are plenty of good books to show how the work is done, and building schools that will teach the owner-builder these skills. Books are listed in the Bibliography, and schools and other resources are listed in Appendix C.
I have the highest admiration for these traditional builders. A good friend, who died much too young, took great pride in restoring historic timber frame buildings in Northern New York, often working to 1/64-inch (0.39 millimeter) tolerance. But the reality is that most timber framing is not done in the old-fashioned “traditional” way with wooden pegs, mortise-and-tenon joints, and the like. With the advent of relatively inexpensive mechanical fasteners, most builders — contractors and owner-builders alike — rely on other methods of joining, using things such as truss plates, screws and bolts, pole-barn nails, and even gravity. The problem is that there is a shortage of information about joining heavy timbers by these methods. Most construction manuals are quite good about describing the joining of “two-by” lumber — usually 1V2 inches (3.81 centimeters) thick nowadays — and that’s the extent of it. Chapter 1 speaks about traditional timber framing… and the kind that this book is about.
However, many of the natural building methods which are becoming repopularized today — such as cordwood masonry, straw bale construction, and cob building — benefit from heavy timber construction, primarily because these
methods involve thick walls. There is also a great practical advantage in erecting a timber frame first, getting the roof on as a protective umbrella, and then infilling the structure using one or more of these natural — and typically slow — building methods. Before starting, though, its good to have an understanding of the basic structural elements of timber framing, which is what Chapter 2 is all about. You’ll also need the timbers themselves. Where to get them is the subject of Chapter 3.
Yes, you can accomplish all this with “traditional” wood-on-wood joining methods. I have even met two or three who have done so and my hat is off to them. But to do it right, a great deal of time and study must be expended, and there are a few specialized tools which need to be purchased. The reality is that most farmers, contractors, and owner-builders use methods of heavy timber framing which they have simply picked up from colleagues, relatives, or neighbors. And they use common tools found around the homestead, such as chainsaws, hammers, and electric drills. For years, I have felt that there has been a void in the literature for owner-builders on this subject, and that is why I have undertaken this volume as a kind of “missing link.” Chapter 4 explains the basics of timber framing for the rest of us.
My qualifications are unpretentious. I’ve written about alternative building methods for almost thirty years and, with my wife Jaki, I’ve built four houses, a garage, and quite a few smaller outbuildings using the methods described herein. In fact, Jaki and I built a new addition to our Earthwood house in 2002, and the primary reason for it was to demonstrate and document some simple joining principles for this book. Chapter 5 takes you through this entire project from design to completion, step by logical step.
This book is not meant to document all of the methods and fasteners that are available. Rather, it demonstrates and describes the basic principles of building with heavy timbers by “non-traditional” methods (even though these non- traditional methods are certainly more common nowadays than the traditional ones.) It will show how to build very strong structures with a minimum of woodjoining skills.
Finally, to the expert timber framing craftsmen and teachers like Steve Chappell, Will Beemer, Jack Sobon, Tedd Benson, and so many others, I say that is not my intention to diminish your fine work in any way. Rather, I hope it will enhance appreciation of the craftsmanship that you practice and teach so generously, and, at the same time, offer a viable alternative. Those with time and
inclination may want to incorporate some traditional joints in their project, especially where they can be left exposed. I have done this once or twice and was rather proud of myself afterwards.
