Home | Contacts | Web Site Map
|
|
Frequently Asked QuestionsAbout Timber Frame constructionWhat is the difference between timber frame structures and post & beam construction? answer Can you adapt a conventional design to a timber frame design? answer How involved does Trillium Dell Timberworks wish to be in the design stage? answer What species of wood do you use in your timber frames? answer What type of finish can be used on the timbers? answer What is a structural insulated panel? Why do you use them? answer How do you install these panels? answer Are special heating or air quality control issues associated with timber frames? How are electrical and plumbing services installed in a timber frame structure? answer Can you assist our clients with such things as foundation, carpentry, plumbing, and electrical services and finish details? answer What finishing options are available for doors, windows, roofing and exterior walls on a timber frame? answer How long does it usually take to complete a structure? answer How much does a timber frame cost? answer What is the difference between timber frame structures and post & beam construction? The most fundamental difference between timber framing and post & beam construction is the use of traditional joinery. Traditional joinery utilizes mortise and tenon connections to join timbers together. A timber frame is comprised of posts and beams but a 'post & beam should not be regarded as a timber frame. At Trillium Dell Timberworks, our team of joiners carefully layout, cut and assemble every piece of timber that goes into our frames. Because of the precision of our joinery, we insist on assembling and erecting every timber frame we produce. This means we do not have standard plans. Neither do we sell kits to be assembled by others. Back to the top of this page Can you adapt a conventional design to a timber frame design? There is no reason why a conventional design cannot be executed in a timber frame. Structural loads in a timber frame are transferred to the foundation as point loads (column locations) rather than on to continuous sills as in stud- construction. This might require some minor, different detailing on the foundation and sub-floor. We favor designing the timber frame to fit your conceptual design over having a timber frame design and then having to fit or adapt a floor plan to it. Designing for its occupants should take precedence over timber design. We are most comfortable when developing timber design simultaneously with the overall design of the structure. Back to the top of this page How involved does Trillium Dell Timberworks wish to be in the design stage? We encourage early involvement of our company in whatever capacity you might consider suitable for your project. It may be that you merely need consultation in the early stages of design in order to clarify the options available. If your conceptual design is already complete, we can immediately become involved on the timber frame design and its’ engineering - right up to providing you with a full set of working drawings. Ultimately, you will need to make decisions on species of timber and its availability, joinery configuration, frequency of framing members, embellishments, edge treatment, surface finishes, enclosure materials, etc. The sooner we can inform you of options and construction details, the less time you will waste. With our experience in designing and crafting timber frames, we can prove to be invaluable right from the very start. Back to the top of this page What species of wood do you use in your timber frames? The most readily available wood species are, red & white oak, white pine, and Douglas fir. For framing members that will be exposed to the elements, we have used Western red cedar, and white oak. For highlights within a frame, we have used white ash, black walnut, and cherry. We have established relations with many timber suppliers and are now able to even procure recycled barn and commercial timbers as well as recycled Douglas fir. These are exciting options as they yield very dry, exceptional quality timber (often old growth) as well as being an environmentally friendly option. Constructing a new timber frame structure knowing that not even one live tree has been sacrificed is just one way we can ensure that our children will have timber for their future needs. One thing to remember is that there are pros and cons with every species of wood. We can help you or your clients make an educated choice for your project. Back to the top of this page What type of finish can be used on the timbers? Our timber is either cut by us or purchased from a mill. We utilize planed timber, hewn, and rough-sawn. Once all the joinery is completed, we make one pass with a hand-held planer on each exposed face, removing about 1/32' of wood for a clean, smooth surface. Other texturing options are hand hewing, rough sawn and sandblasted. Hand hewing and sandblasting can also be done after all joinery is cut to achieve a final cleaning of the surfaces. As a final surface finish, we typically apply one coat of Landark ™ oil when a natural finish is desired. The oil finish acts as a protective coat against scuffmarks that may be inflicted during handling, assembly and raising. These can be easily scraped off and re-touched. Other stains, such as whitewash, pickled pine and darker stains can be used to suit individual tastes and needs. All ends are sealed with Anchor Seal™ to insure slow drying, and reduce checking. Back to the top of this page What is a structural insulated panel? Why do you use them? SIP (structural insulated panel) is a general term used to describe a foam core panel that has interior and exterior cladding already applied. Typically, they have either an EPS (expanded polystyrene) or urethane (isocyanurate) core. The thickness of this core determines the R-value of the panel. R-15 to R-40 is the common range. Actual foam thickness is usually the same as standard lumber thickness (3 1/2', 5 1/2", 7 1/4', etc.) in order to facilitate jamb installation to accept door and window units. The most common exterior cladding on SIPs is oriented strand board (OSB). Siding and roofing can be applied on this skin after the panels have been installed. Inside finishes such as drywall and tongue & groove boards are two of the standard options. There are many advantages to using SIPS. They completely enclose the frame, providing protection from the elements, and high levels of insulation are easily achieved. Because there are no structural elements within the insulation space, thermal bridging is totally eliminated. The permeability rating of the core eliminates the need for an independent layer of vapor barrier. The splining system between panels allows for the injection of expanding foam and the structure becomes virtually airtight. With the assistance of a crane, the timber frame is then quickly enclosed as the panels are hoisted directly from the shipping trucks and installed. Back to the top of this page How do you install these panels? SIPs are screwed or nailed directly to the timber frame. As recommended by the panel manufacturer, we use ring shank hot dipped galvanized nails or ceramic-coated screws. Because 4'0' is the standard panel width, we try to incorporate into the frame design a 4'0" o.c. frequency for framing members (rafters or purlins) to eliminate waste. We ensure all panel seams occur on a timber, particularly on the roof. On walls, the panels create a shear wall when properly fastened and splined. Panels of up to 8'0" in width are available. Because of their weight though, they only make sense when used to enclose very large surfaces. Typical lengths are 8'-16' but 20'-24' are available as well. We have information and specifications from different panel manufacturers and will be happy to make these available to you upon request. Back to the top of this page Are special heating or air quality control issues associated with timber frames? How are electrical and plumbing services installed in a timber frame structure? Plumbing and main electrical chases should be placed within interior partitions. We normally order wall panels with an electrical chase built-in at a specific height. This provides a perimeter chase for installation of all exterior wall outlets. Chases for switches are usually carved out of the foam behind 2x jams at door locations and the wiring is run before installing door units. Back to the top of this page Can you assist our clients with such things as foundation, carpentry, plumbing, and electrical services and finish details? If the project is within a reasonable distance of our Knoxville, IL shop, we can assume the role of General Contractor. Our presence and consistent communication in these situations can aid in solving problems that may arise in the normal course of construction. This is another area where we encourage our early involvement in building projects. Proper planning and common sense is key. Utilizing the experience of Trillium Dell Timberworks staff and crew enables finishing details to be addressed and ensures they all find their way into the final set of working drawings. Back to the top of this page What finishing options are available for doors, windows, roofing and exterior walls on a timber frame? All conventional finishing options are suitable. The proper detailing for the materials installation is the only concern to be addressed. Depending on the materials chosen, we will suggest to you what we think the appropriate detail should be (vertical/horizontal strapping, fasteners, etc.). On doors and windows, we often supply and install exceptional quality units. If it suits your project, we can get involved in supplying these. Back to the top of this page How long does it usually take to complete a structure? There have been projects in our past that have involved between one week and 16 weeks of shop work. Time to completion of any structure depends, of course, on the nature and size of the building. Once working drawings are complete and timber is on hand, a 2,500 sq. ft. timber frame would take between four and six weeks of shop work, one week on site to assemble and erect on the foundation and one week to perform installation of the SIPS. From fabrication start to enclosure finish, a project of this size would therefore take approximately 6-8 weeks. Back to the top of this page How much does a timber frame cost? The most important factors, in sequence, we look at before working out costs are: size of the structure (usable square footage enclosed), species of wood to be used, overall volume of wood, number of pieces, joinery (intricate compound joinery such as valleys and hips can be very labor intensive), finish of the timbers, texture desired, embellishments, site location and conditions, etc. Most design professionals know the three elements that define all projects are size, quality, and budget. Quite often, we are contacted at a time when the first two have been defined and we are then requested to provide a fixed price for the work (budget). We encourage our early participation simply because we know that when we make you aware of the choices available on all three elements, it is more likely your design will achieve the desired balance of all three. We do not claim that we can be price competitive with all other building methods. What we do claim, however, is that we always deliver the best value for our clients' investment. Compared with conventional framing, our timber frames normally require more planning, design, and engineering. The high quality nature of our timber frames quite often inspires clients to upgrade on finishes to do justice to the structure. Timber frames are constructed with materials of a much higher quality, and are crafted by joiners who are very skilled with both aspects of general construction and traditional carpentry; every timber that leaves our shop has been carefully handcrafted. Timber frames also have enclosures that use higher quality insulation, which can be more expensive. Back to the top of this page |
|
Barn Restoration | Historic Restoration | Timber Frame Homes | Outdoor Living | Log & Custom | Calendar of Events Home | Contacts | Web Site Map | Road Map & Directions to us Inspiration Crafstmanship Sustainability Trillium Dell Timberworks 309.289.7921 |
DaShaver Graphics & Web Design
29-Sep-2005 6:39 PM