Glen & Kris

Timber Frame

Raising A Timber Frame

Several days before our timber frame was raised, a crew of six from Wind River Timberframes began preparations by verifying the foundation and first floor deck matched the plans. Everything checked out within 1/16", so they cut access holes in the decking for each timber frame post to bear on the the appropriate support column or beam below the deck.

The next step was to build the six bents or frames that form the basis of the structure. Three bents were built on the deck, one stacked on top of the next. Three more bents were built on the ground near the southeast corner of the house, also stacked on top of each other.

On crane day, the crew began assembling the timber frame by lifting assembled bents into place with a crane. Connecting timbers were added before the next bent was placed. Everything was secured with 1" hickory pegs driven into pre-drilled holes.

Assembly took a total of three days. Approximately 24 hours of work is shown in the five minute video below.

Crane Days Video

This is a time lapse video filmed over three days showing the raising of our timber frame (05:15). If you have problems streaming the video, you can download it here.

Crane Day 1 Still Photos

Here are 23 still photos from the first crane day.

The crane is lifting the post and beam assembly that is part of the east carport. Bents 6, 5 and 4 have been preassembled on the deck and await the crane.

The first bent to placed is bent 6. It is so large that it will be hoisted into place in two pieces. A strongback — a temporary reinforcing beam — has been strapped to the back of the beam that supports the loft.

The posts of bent 6 are being slotted into the holes in the deck.

Beams are being attached to bent 6 and supported by temporary crutches until bent 5 is in place.

The upper plate for the loft is fitted in place.

The south half of bent 5 is being raised into place.

After the posts are fitted into the floor, the mortise and tenon joints that secure the beams to bent 5 are secured.

Matt is driving a floating tenon into place.

The north half of bent 5 is being lifted into place.

Harris is relieving the bottom of the tenon on the plate that fits into bent 4 while Jason holds his ladder steady. Matt is pushing on the post to help it slide into place once the tenon has been sufficiently relieved.

Another view of the first 3 bents installed. The post and beam that supports the deck over the east carport is also visible.

The beam for the east carport is temporarily held in place with 2 x 6 boards. The posts are supported by a knife plate inlet into the end which in turn land on ¼" steel plate embedded in the concrete wall. This connection will be welded to secure it in place.

Here is the north half of bent 4 being lifted into place.

Jaime starts the tenon on the middle post while Matt lines up the north post with the cutout in the deck.

A beam is being fitted between bents 6 and 5. It takes a lot of help to get the beam in place: Matt is guiding the east end onto the floating tenon, below him Jason is holding the brace in place, Jaime (white helmet) is guiding the west end onto the other floating tenon, Harris (behind the post) is holding the other brace in place, and Darby is pulling a lift strap out of the way. It takes a lot of people to set just one beam!

I'm driving a 1" peg to secure one of the braces.

Jason and Jaime are setting a loft floor joist into place. Each end has a dovetail cut into it.

The rafters for bent 6 are being lifted by the crane.

Matt (left hand raised) is giving the crane operator hand signals to fly the rafters into place.

The rafters drop into place and Matt signals the crane to to hold position.

Bent 3 is being lifted into place. <span class='myGreyFont'>[End of series.]</span>

Crane Day 2 Still Photos

Here are 13 still photos from the second crane day.

An upper plate is being fitted to bent 3.

Bent 2 is being raised off the deck and out from under already–standing bent 3.

Bent 2 is spun 180° before setting it in place.

Jaime is lining up a brace as bent 2 is lowered into place. A temporary strongback is strapped to the middle of the bent.

Jason and Darby are guiding the beam that sits between bents 2 and 3 into place.

Here bent 2.5 is being lifted into place. This bent is a rafter with a curved element that will be visible in the living room.

The bent drops into a housed pocket on the face of the upper plates.

Matt holds a temporary crutch in place to catch the last upper plate segment between bent 2 and 1.

Bent 1 is lifted off the ground below and flown into place by the crane. This assembly weighs about 6,500 pounds.

Bent 1 lands on a beam above the west carport and a footing northwest of the foundation.

These four posts with bare tenons on the top will support the header for the shed dormer on the north side of the house.

The first ridge beam is flown into place.

The second ridge beam is flown into place. The middle post on bent 5 twisted as it dried and took some time to seat in the first two ridge beams. <span class='myGreyFont'>[End of series.]</span>

Crane Day 3 Still Photos

Here are 15 still photos from the third and final crane day.

The header for the shed dormer has been set in place.

Darby and Jason guide the first rafter for the shed dormer into place.

Harris is fitting another ridge beam segment into place. He spent a lot of time sitting up there!

The last ridge beam segment is dropped into place.

The first rafter for the gable on the south side of the house is set.

The second rafter that forms the south gable is lifted into place.

Matt sets the beam that connects the gable to the ridge.

Jaime and Matt place a valley rafter for the gable.

The second valley rafter is placed, further defining the shape of the gable.

I nailed a bough to the peak of the gable, a tradition originating with the Scandanavians that celebrates the frame's completion. I'm wearing my Utilikilt (<a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hzh1BPmFp4' target='_blank'>hand–crafted by Celtic maidens</a>) in honor of this tradition since Scandanavians are thought to have influenced the rise of kilts in Scotland.

Another view of the bough on the peak of the timber frame.

Here is a view looking northwest up through the rafters in the living room. <span class='myGreyFont'>[End of series.]</span>

Downloads

If you are interested in all the pictures we took during the three crane days, they are available in unedited form and full resolution (3872 x 2592) in groups of 100 photos:

001-099
100-199
200-299
300-399
400-499
500-554

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