TRADITIONAL WOOD JOINERY AND TIMBER FRAME CONSTRUCTION
FAQ’s
What is timber framing? – Timber framing is one method of post and beam building. Post and beam building uses structural posts, beams, and braces to take up the stresses a building encounters instead of sheeting and interior walls. The main characteristic and advantage of a post and beam building is a very open floor plan with large, exposed structural members. Timber framing differentiates itself from other post and beam building types by employing solid timber construction and traditional hand cut mortise and tenon joints to fasten the timbers to each other.
Are you Amish? – Far from it.
Do you use power tools? – Yes.
Will you do the concrete and or footings for my project? – I am not a concrete man, but I will dig and pour concrete footings in the ground below the frost level for your outdoor structure. I won’t pour a whole slab for you.
How can I keep my exterior wood from going grey? – Either keep it inside or hire a full time person to maintain it. Keeping wood exposed to weather and sunlight from going grey is picking a fight with mother nature. A lot of hard work, stubbornness, and loads of expensive and toxic chemicals can slow the process considerably, but you’ll lose out eventually. My advice is to design the structure around the species of wood chosen and it’s intended use so that it ages with grace and dignity.
Can I use species X in an exterior application? -Yes. The key is understanding why species X fails in certain conditions and preventing them.
Do I need to use pressure treated wood for exterior applications? – No.
Is pressure treated wood really all that bad? – Yes.
If you build my timber frame can you finish the rest of my building? – Let’s talk about it!
Do you work with architects? Yes!
What type of files can you accept and deliver? – If I will be working from a model or drawing, I can accept .dwg or .skp files. If I am creating new design from a set of drawings, I can accept almost any file type. I can deliver .dwg, .skp, .pdf, .ai, .psd, .jpg, .tif, and many more.
Will my project require an engineer’s stamp? – It depends on the locality, the project, and the client. I was an engineer as a younger man, but when a project gets over a certain size I recommend putting the ego aside and have a P.E. check it over.
What type of finishes do you use? I recommend an oil/solvent blend for almost all furniture and structures. Oil is definitely not the hardest and doesn’t provide the most moisture protection, but it applies and cures evenly, easily, quickly, and is a breeze for you to maintain. Scratch? Buff it out and reapply a little oil to the area. Stain? Buff it out and reapply a little oil to the area. Chip? You see where this is going…
Why not use pure oil? Without the solvent, it would take too long for the finish to cure and wouldn’t let the piece out of my sight for a month!
