Timber Framing Essay

Timber Framing
There are many different types of material that can be used today when framing a house or a building, from concrete to steel to timber and depending on the budget of the project and what the project is trying to achieve will determine the type of material used for framing. People have been using timber for framing purposes for thousands of years throughout the world due to its easily accessible means, the ready supply of wood and aesthetic appeal of the timber itself. Timber is a versatile building material that is used within the construction industry on a daily basis, due to its versatility, light weight, how well it holds up when treated against insects and how well the wood can be shaped for basically any situation, makes
this an ideal choice when framing a structure. Some of the most common forms in which timber can be used in includes beams, columns bracing and trusses and can be found in many different types of construction from residential to commercial such as supermarkets, apartment buildings, homes and schools.
Timber framing, also known as post and beam is one of the earliest forms of construction, dating back to hundreds of years in the United States where it can be found in schools, churches and homes.
The beauty of the timber frame art is prevalent and can still be seen today in timber framed homes as well as log homes. Throughout the years timbers have been engineered and developed to be lighter and offering a stronger support system to include more weight and to span longer distances. There are many benefits to using timber framing versus other traditional methods such as it is fast, efficient and cost effective, the timer is flexible and easy to add further extensions to, its environmentally friendly, hand crafted, offers a unique character appeal to the building, and more people and companies are leaning towards a green initiative, timber offers buildings an organic, natural, earthly charm to its appearance. Timbers are manufactured in a factory and shipped to the construction site, this saves time, labor and reduces unnecessary waste on a construction job site. Timber can be utilized and designed to fit nearly any project, one such example would be forming the project into the traditional look of a solid sawn timber structure from days of old. While the engineered laminate beams are taking designs into a new realm, such as offering new levels such as curved and other
forms.

Mortise and Tenon Joint
There are different types of joints and connectors that can be used in timber frame structures, one such is the mortise and tenon joint which has been used by woodworkers around the world for thousands of years. These are among the strongest joints that could be used in woodworking and are capable of withstanding extreme amounts of pressure and have a high fire resistance, as these are commonly used in projects that have frame construction, they need to be strong and able to perform up to standards. There basic design can help achieve a building with great strength and high durability. They come in several different types such as: stopped/blind, angled, through and wedged to name a few, and consist of the same basic parts; a mortise-which is a recess cut into a piece of wood that accepts a tennon which is a tongue at the end of a board that fits in a mortise as shown by the picture on the left. The frame of the timber can also be reinforced with steel in many ways for a strong multistory building.

Gusset Plates
There are other ways in which timber framing can be connected, another avenue that can be employed is utilizing steel connector plates in the project that are also known as gusset plates. These plates give the a project the look and feel of old school factories and mill buildings, creating a nostalgia of old. The plates can support a tremendous amount of structural load and allows for the heavy timber to span great distances. The steel plates are usually painted black and hold the timber together with a ¾” and 1” bolts. The plates can also be galvanized and painted a variety of different colors. All the steel gusset plates are normally bolted together, but there are times when shear plates are also used behind the steel to increase the amount of the structures capacity. These plates will help to transfer a good amount of the loads weight from the beam through the bolt and into the steel connection. The picture to the left shows a timber based building structure that is supported by steel connectors throughout helping to distribute the weight evenly.
Glulam Timber
The strongest type of timber used in the industry is the glulam.
The glulam is an engineered wood product that the delivers the strength, reliability and beauty that is thought of when thinking of timber framing, and is a highly innovative piece of construction material that is stronger than steel. The increase in design values have vastly improved this products performance and the cost associated with it makes it a great choice for large buildings with arches that can span more than 500 feet to simple headers for windows in residential. The glulam is a stress rated wood beam composed of wood laminations that are bonded together
with adhesives. The wood grain runs the length of the glulam beam, and the most common use of a glulam product is a vaulted ceiling, like detailed to the left, leaving it exposed gives the building a striking appearance and it is often not just specified for its beauty but also for the strength it lends to the structure. Used in other applications including purlins, ridge beams, garage door headers, floor beams and large cantilevered beams. Glulam is also used in commercial applications such as roof systems and complex arches and can be seen from homes, to churches to public structures. Joining a glulam timber can depend on the significance of the degree on the joint details. Structural joints in a glulam structure can cost from 5% up to in excess of 50% of the value of jointed glulam, while cost may at times be higher there are many benefits to using glulam in a project some of these include, the versatility as glulam can be made to be almost any size or shape to streamline a project, it’s a good alternative for achieving sweeping curved beams and arches, there isn’t any cladding needed, it has a good strength to weight ratio, very large spans can be achieved, it stands up to recommended fire performance and is corrosion resistant.
Timber framing has been proven over the years to be a sturdy and dependable way of building, with new energy efficiency codes these timbers frames must hold up to a new standard of energy efficiency. Even under the new requirements, timber frame still continues to deliver outstanding performance compared to other methods of framing. Building with timber frame provides a strong insulation value, and new insulation techniques have allowed timber framed structures to achieve soaring new levels of energy efficiency. Timber frames can qualify for rating programs to reduce power and heating bills. The timber frame industry can help contribute to the environment achieving green thumb initiatives that companies and people strive to attain. New timber frames work with the load bearing frame of the structure and is built with the structural timbers, the timber frame is then typically enclosed with structural insulated panels that are known for their exceptional ability to insulate and reduce air filtration, and this provides the structure with the tightest envelope possible. This greatly reduces temperature transfer and airflow from the outside. The seal on a timber frame is so strong when sealed with structural insulated panel that they are known to help reduce the effect of allergens and excess moisture. Timber framing has been a popular choice of construction within the industry for thousands of years and continues to grow, becoming the go to choice in all types of construction.