Engineering Timber Frame Structures

Timber framing is an ancient art in human habitation; it's also a modern technique that can lend special qualities to today's buildings. Timber framers are specialists whose knowledge and experience can spell the difference between disaster and a highly pleasing building outcome - if architects and their clients make proper use of them.

In an Article by James R. Marshall, in Texas Timber Framing, he spoke to several noted timber framers and asked them for their suggestions on how best to make the architect-client-timber framer triangle work. They all answered in chorus: "Call us often, but make sure to call us early!" In other words, if you want to take advantage of the special skills these folks have to offer, bring them into the design process early -- at the conceptual stage, before you're committed to a design that just doesn't make the best use of timber framing's strengths and aesthetics.

"It's important to bring us in at as early a stage as possible," he says. "That way we can familiarize the architect with the special considerations needed to make a timber-frame design that is engineerable and meets codes. But we look to the architect for the aesthetics of the project - the species of wood, sizes and surface treatments, and whether to use new or recycled woods."