Exposed beams

[pykie]

Looking at designing a house with some large exposed beams.


Just wondering the best way to actually fix these to their uprights.


Also, I saw a disc type fitting for an upright to a beam, stainless i presume, these need to be high grade, as it will be an upper market home.

Any suggestions would be great!

[InterTD6]

If they are at the top of the posts then bolts & a simple housing is ok, connector rings & plates are ok & would have to be engineer designed but beware of using more than 1 through bolt with green timber & then having the beam split on a large section beam between the bolts later when shrinkage has finished.
regards inter

[bsrlee]

Mortise & tennon - mortise in the horizontal beam, tennon cut from vertical beam, or loose tennon with wooden pins. Should last for a few hundred years at least, no rust, less chance of splitting if you use the same species of timber for all parts.

Check out the libraries for books on 'timber framing' or 'barn framing' - its having a bit of a resurgance these days so there are both new books coming out & 'old' books being reprinted.

[Sigidi]

Pykie, can you rustle up a bit of a sketch of how/where they will sit? and what will be at the ends to support them? This will give a much better idea of what can/can't be used to fix them.

[madmix]

Hi there, you could try to get hold of the series Grand Designs on DVD
I think it is available through ABC book shops, or you could probably
pick it up online. Has some excellent examples of timber framing.
A recent episode I saw would be right up your alley.

cheers Mick

[weisyboy]

Hi there, you could try to get hold of the series Grand Designs on DVD
I think it is available through ABC book shops, or you could probably
pick it up online. Has some excellent examples of timber framing.
A recent episode I saw would be right up your alley.

cheers Mick

is this show back on?

you could get soem huge triple grips.:U

id get some fancy stainless brackets made up. might be expensive thow.

[madmix]

Hi Carl. Grand designs is on pay TV, actually on right now on lifestyle
chanell.

cheers Mick

[Horaldic]

Hmm, depends if you are thinking of going traditional or modern?

If Traditional it depends how traditional. Some of the worlds greatest structures used green timber framing for exposed beams. There is a wealth of literature out there on these methods. A lot of it by highly articulate folk who have had to rediscover the art in order to restore royal palaces and the like.

If you are going to use dried timber then as mentioned mortice and tennon joints are the way to go.

For modern usually face plate brackets are employed. It certainly makes the whole thing less work. Just make sure your brackets are appropriately engineered and certified for the loads you are going to place on them. All the fancy custom stainless steel you like isn't going to save you if the thing falls over and someone decides to sue you and you didn't have it appropriately engineered and certified.:2tsup: