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Building a post and beam or timber frame barn?


acem

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I need to build some barns and sheds and want to try bost and beam or timber frame construction. There's not much of this type construction round here. 

I've got this sawmill and am ready to start making sawdust!

I'm about to order this book.

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Any experieexperience or opinions out there?

Thx-Ace 

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I use to belong to timber framers ! Check them out ,I say they are the best in the world . I got a few of there publications. , 

my barn background follows 

when I was a member of barn again in Ohio , got to meet and greet some the best in the area. . 
my area of northeast Ohio is the western reserve. We follow the Connecticut New England barn . I’ve actually visit a barn here in Ohio north East Ohio that was the pioneers disassembled in New England and move to to Ohio. The roof was New England and combined with lower Pennsylvania Dutch amazing engineering.
the middle of the state is Pennsylvania Dutch( bankbarn)  ( Columbus area) Pennsylvania Dutch design will go all the way to Iowa Nebraska. I personally like the Pennsylvania Dutch bank barn design ,just amazing the craftsmanship. 
Then there’s the southern barn (tobacco barn ) that will be southern Ohio ,Marietta Ohio river. 
So Ohio( real mixture) is with out a doubt one of the best of the best in barn design area in the country to study .

so what ever you like go from there. I would visit all the barns you can in your area to see how pioneers did it. You may find that your design will change a few times. 

 

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I think @Dave Shepardis a timberframe builder on here, used to fancy log homes, dream place now would be timberframe, all the pluses and avoid the troubles ♥️

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1 hour ago, Alan Dinan said:

Wasn’t someone on here building a post frame building several years ago? I remember a thread here, with pictures of the frame….

I was hoping to be able to get one done but my lack of free time has prevented anything so far 

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2 hours ago, bitty said:

I was hoping to be able to get one done but my lack of free time has prevented anything so far 

What happened to all the free time that you were supposed to have when the cows left. Lol.

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1 hour ago, TractormanMike.mb said:

What happened to all the free time that you were supposed to have when the cows left. Lol.

It hasn't arrived yet 😁

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While I've never done any original work I've done lots of repairs on a 19th Century barn. It's enjoyable and rewarding work and if I had a need and especially a source of cheap lumber I wouldn't hesitate to build.

Start off with a shed before going for a bigger project.

Prazi saw works well for big beams. I bought the old worm-drive for maybe $20.; attaches easily.

Prazi 1.jpg

Prazi 2.jpg

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Old sets of Audels carpentry manuals cover timber frame construction. My edition from 1923. I didn't think it is now a 100 years old....A modern reference would also be necessary as there have a been a lot of changes in materials, regulations and so forth. The Audels is really good as far as joint design and clearly illustrating what not to do and explaining why.

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Lots of good information. Thanks!

There are almost no old timber framed (pegged) structures left round here. Our climate, termites, etc limit their lifetime. There are some  post and beam type buildings around. They are still being built. 

I'm leaning towards post and beam for my first building.

This building has a complex framework. I'm not sure which connection type was used.

image.png.e7ebe6cf82778f54d912e8e5e973ce69.png

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10 hours ago, int 504 said:

Old sets of Audels carpentry manuals cover timber frame construction. My edition from 1923. I didn't think it is now a 100 years old....A modern reference would also be necessary as there have a been a lot of changes in materials, regulations and so forth. The Audels is really good as far as joint design and clearly illustrating what not to do and explaining why.

What editions would have this?

Thx-Ace 

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18 hours ago, acem said:

What editions would have this?

Thx-Ace 

I don't know when it wasn't included. Mine is a four volume set. Framing is in vol 3. I've seen later ones that are in one large volume but I don't remember what was in the later ones and I have only retained my first set. I'm no expert on timber framing but I'll share what little I know in general terms. Square timbers are more efficient for posts as compressive strength is determined by area ie 8x8 timber has a factor of 64. 6x10 a factor of 60. For timbers tensile strength is width x depth squared so 8x8x8=512 6x10x10=600. Early barns square timber later barns rectangular timber also affected by what size logs you have and type of sawmill. A common error I've seen in some recent construction is to notch out carrying timbers for floor joists or rafters for purlins, etc. Think about what happens to the depth of the timber. From full depth to minus depth of notch ie 10 inches to six inches. A change from 10 times 10 to 6 times 6 or 100 down to 36. Like encouraging a trim board to bend by cutting grooves across the back of it. A tenon that projects from the end of a post is fine. A beam that just buts up to a post with a projecting tenon pinned in isn't as you have reduced the beam to the size of the tenon as far as tensile strength goes. A ledge in the post for the beam to sit on is better in addition to the pinned tenon of course.  I guess thinking about how much wood is taking the load should be part of the design process. I also know that there are lots of recent and old buildings that have less than ideal joints are fully functional and have stood the test of time. I also know that in order for timber frames to meet engineering design and building code requirements in some places a lot of stainless steel reinforcing weldments are concealed inside the timbers. I hope this helps and once again I'm not a pro framer.

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Thanks for all the info. Please keep it coming.

I've actually seen more timber framed structures in Louisiana than Arkansas. In some areas it was common to have the lower floor brick and the upper floor timber framed. This technique helps in flood prone areas!

Thx-Ace 

image.png.41bbf8816a4801e9c666ec3f63b5b8ba.pngp

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On 1/14/2023 at 8:50 PM, acem said:

Lots of good information. Thanks!

There are almost no old timber framed (pegged) structures left round here. Our climate, termites, etc limit their lifetime. There are some  post and beam type buildings around. They are still being built. 

I'm leaning towards post and beam for my first building.

This building has a complex framework. I'm not sure which connection type was used.

image.png.e7ebe6cf82778f54d912e8e5e973ce69.png

What is this building? It's the most overbuilt I've ever seen.

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6 hours ago, New Englander said:

What is this building? It's the most overbuilt I've ever seen.

Yes if the floor is built like the walls it would be solid 8 x 12's. you could park tanks and bulldozers in that barn.

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I have no idea what the building is for but the framing is impressive. Even the floor joists are large. The block work underneath looks a little suspect though...

I've been in old warehouses with wooden floors that carried high loads. 

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On 1/14/2023 at 10:02 PM, acem said:

Kinda like Thorncrown Chaple in Eureka Springs Arkansas.

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That is a thing of beauty, might have to check this out on my motorcycle trip, have to miss the snow though

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