How to build better with the most conventional & affordable structure?
Timber Frame megathread is here!
I'll present you traditional framing ideas, the popular stick built and some cool evolutions that can be used especially in solar timber frame builds.
Let's dive in
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1. Post n beam
- the simple classic timber framing style that uses thick timber posts, beams and rafters held together primarily through mortise & tennon joints fastened with wooden pins.
It grants an air of timeless stability and safety.
Source: Hand hewn by Jack Sobon.
2. Cruck frame
-is a unique evolution of post and beam that uses curved timber beams to create high ceilings, wider spans, all in harmony with gravity.
It conveys an atmosphere of both grace and resilience, you feel these can weather out history.
My favorite framing pattern!
3. "Fachwerk" was the most widespread timber framing style in historic Europe.
It is a more richly decorative post n beam, evolved for greater density since it supports 4-5-6 floors.
Hence the framing is more dense and brick masonry is used for high-resilience filling.
4. Japanese traditional timber frame has intricate details that serve 3 purposes:
> it is earthquake resistant
> it is more economical due to less timber available
> more possibility to disassemble & reassemble later.
Japanese homes are more transparent, linked to outdoors.
The Japanese took timber joinery to anther level, again, due to the reasons mentioned above and mainly to resist earthquakes.
5. Old stickbuilt
Any old timber frame at least 70 years old is a keeper because the quality of the wood before 1950 is extremely high, much higher than current builds.
And many times it is combined with classic timber frame for better rigidity.
The conventional stick builds originated in the 1830, first being the balloon frame and then the platform frame that is most widely used in the world today.
The main advantage was speeding up the building process and eliminating the large posts and beams, using light 2x4s.
Intricate joints were exchanged to nailing, thus the whole construction process became much faster and cheaper.
This innovation heralded the age of deteriorating quality, where technology contributed to speed and cost-efficiency, compromising quality and aesthetics.
Evolution on the stickbuilt - I-Joist
This is a wood based LVL composite I-beam produced for higher rigidity, structural performance and durability that I used in many buildings.
It replaces the 2x6s and is capable to span large openings up to 9m/27ft.
Non structural I-Joist can be used for support of blown in natural fiber insulation like wood fiber, hemp, jute and cellulose.
I-joists are available up to 400mm / 16inch beam height.
So building roofs and walls of I-Joists greatly help achieve the R-values for passive houses.
LVL - laminated veneer lumber is the base material of I-Joists mentioned above that can be used itself for higher strength requirements like extra wide spanning beams or 10+ floor timber buildings with a frame structure.
Extensive use therefore is really worth it in big builds.
The main advantage of timber frame buildings, esp. conventional is that can be the cheapest version
& it is fairly easy to do for smaller DIY projects and low risk for self-builders seeking to cut costs by managing their own (forever) home.
For aesthetics maxing and that feel of timeless durability and safety I definitely recommend combining or exchanging modern structures with the classic exposed timber frame styles of different cultures.
Moreover, mass-timber combined with timber frame can combine best of both!
Thank you for reading! In the next part tomorrow I'll answer your questions about the topic!
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7 tricks I use to make houses feel bigger - thread
Let's see them work in my latest project for a sustainable village, the first & most important:
1. Windows on multiple walls:
This pattern alone helps make spaces at least 20% bigger, it evens out light both in space & time.
2. Walking towards light
If you look closely, almost every circulation direction faces a window.
Sometimes just a small nieche for a flower and a sliver of light, but makes a big impact in how do we perceive space.
3. Ceiling height variety
This pattern gives a dynamic to any home, and especially lifts the feel and value of the living spaces. However it is easy to overdo or botch the proportions.
Self-building or managing building your own home with a design of your choice or completely custom has many advantages over buying a home on the market:
- customisation
- cost control/savings
- quality control
- health & energy efficiency
- pride of ownership
- a short thread
1. By self-building you can customise
- size of home
- exterior design, materials, style
- window sizes and orientation
- degrees of intimacy
- interior finishes
- equipments
- cabinetry
- phasing out different stages on the timeline
- cashflow
- and everything else
2. You can control costs by
- tailoring the size of the home specifically to your needs or finding a design that suits you
- you can do some work yourself or source materials directly
- can defer some phases for later (finishing some rooms later, landscaping etc.)
Designing cookie cutter individual rooms for children is harmful. In their early years it is much better to create a large common learn and playroom & some small sleeping nooks at either end.
This arrangement is much healthier for youngsters.
The most important evolution for my practice was discovering Christopher Alexander & his work, specially his Timeless Way of Building & A Pattern Language books.
Here are my favourite patterns defined by him:
{29th thread of 30}
1. A thousand independent regions
"Wherever possible, work toward the evolution of independent regions in the world; each with a population between 2 and 10M; each with its own natural and geographic boundaries; each with its own economy each one autonomous and self-governing"
This is the very first principle laid out by Ch.A., basically his call for a decentralised world of a thousand collaborating regions,
something akin to how Switzerland and Austria still manage to operate today as small but independent and resilient countries.
You live up north and want to build your energy-independent eskimo hut for the 21st century?
Buckle up 'cause here's my thread for better buildings in cold & arctic climates.
28th thread of 30.
Here's a map with climate zones so you can identify where you belong:
Cold - light blue
Arctic - pale blue.
Temperatures are determined by many factors, but it is very important to know your latitude because it determines the travel of the sun in winter & potential heat gains.
Solar principle - The norther you go the more important is to orient the home to the exact south because the sun has a narrower travel in the winter - from southeast to southwest.