planning new timber frame

[Drp482]

I live in Ohio and I'm planning to build a timber frame sugar house. I'm not 100 percent on exact size yet.. I want to start harvesting logs. What type should I harvest for the Framing and what size. I know most of the beams are large 8x8 6x6 4x6 Any information would be great.. also if anyone knows any good websites that might have good information please let me know.. Thank You!!

[BAP]

Check out www.forestryforum.com It has a timberframe section with a lot knowledgeable people.

[tcross]

i just built a Timber Frame house for myself and my wife this past summer. they are beautiful! we used all Pine for the timbers. most folks use pine, fir, cedar and sometimes spruce, however I'd go with bigger timbers for spruce and cedar. we almost went with Hemlock, but decided not to just due to the weight of Hemlock timbers. my home is 28'x38' with a 15' breezeway linked to a garage. we used 8x8's for the posts, 8x10's for the headers, 10x12 for the ridge, 6x8's for the purlins and 6x8's, 3x7's and 3x5's for the hammer trusses and oak for the pegs. I'll advise you to harvest a few more logs than you think you'll need. you may screw up a cut, may find critters in the log or a log could just be a bear to saw. once cut, don't let the logs lay on the ground for too long. too long meaning a month or two in the spring. that is when the bugs will get into the log! I designed my layout for my timbers well in advance and cut each timber and numbered them beforehand. this helped the erecting process tremendously! basically it was putting together a big puzzle. it was a lot of fun to build... just make sure you have plenty of man power and or equipment to help raise the frame! you are wise to cut and mill your own timbers if possible! A kit for my home would have cost around $50k! I got my logs for $1,350 and had my fathers buddy mill them for another $1,200. good luck!!

[bigschuss]

My timber frame is a 12x16 with two 6' sheds on each side. I used white pine 7x7's for the posts, beams, and top plate. The braces are and roof rafters are 4x6's, and the girts are 4x4. Beam size is going to depend on how big you are going. For anything in the sugar house size I think a 7x7 is more than adequate for your bents. As for the size of you logs, you'll have to do some math...for a 7x7 beam you're going to want a tree that is at least 12" DBH, which is roughly 38 inches in circumference. If this is your first timber frame I would suggest using white pine. Hemlock is strong and has some natural rot resistance, but can be hard to work and is HEAVY! Hemlock is prone to checking and warping as it dries.

I cut the frame one summer and then about a dozen of my buds and I had it up in about 5 hours with just our own elbow grease. No special equipment required.

Don't know of any websites personally. Jack Sobon's classic Timber Frame Construction: All About Post and Beam Building is hard to beat for first time timber framers.

Enjoy the process!

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r143/bigschuss/Sugar%20Shack/SugarShack3.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r143/bigschuss/Sugar%20Shack/SugarShack27.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r143/bigschuss/Sugar%20Shack/PB170023_zpso6qml2qs.jpg

[jrmaple]

I just built my new sugarhouse which is 24'x48' timber frame, the beams range from 10"x8", to 6"x6", all depends on what their purpose was and if they are weight bearing or supporting. I also have faulted ceilings in 24' of it and the walls are 14', then in the other 24' I have a loft. Let me know if you have any questions or want to know anything about the design.

[Fireguy]

If you have face book account look up my page Muddy Boots Maple. I just built a 14x20 timber frame and posted a bunch of start to almost finished pics. It was a lot of work but it looks incredible. My neighbor had a bunch of white pine he wanted cut and in return he gave me the trees. My cousin and I milled them up and many hours with a drill and chisel ,voila my new sugar shack.