Timber Frame Pavillion for Camp Treetops, Northcountry School

May 152013
 

Last Saturday my wife Nan and I attended the annual pancake breakfast at the North Country School in Lake Placid—a wonderful private residential school and summer camp that is nestled in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks and has a working farm. While there, I re-visited “The Pavillion”, which we built in 2002–one of my favorite timber frame structures.

The Pavillion is a multi-purpose space, used for dance classes and performances, for art exhibits, and for camper, student and staff get-to-gethers and meetings. Large floor to ceiling mirrors grace one wall for the dance classes. It is a year-round building that is very easy to heat (it is insulated with Stress Skin Panels), and it replaced a previous seasonal structure. It is nestled in among large pines in the central area of the campus.

The timber frame utilizes 3 clear span, queen posted trusses to create a 28’ x 60’ interior open structure with no internal posts, hence its adaptability to function well for a variety of purposes. In keeping with the Schools “localvore” and sustainable priorities (such as, to use local products, materials, and services and to raise as much of their own food as possible) we utilized local rough sawn Eastern White Pine and Red Oak timbers. Three magnificent 9” x 12” x 30’ long second growth Pine timbers were used for the truss bottom cords. Nancy Bernstein of Amstutz Woodworking did a fine carving in the middle cord with the date and the logo for the school—a tree with its roots deep in the ground.

The roof is a Dutch Gable design—the roof has 4 hips, but at the ends of the ridge there are 2 small gables with windows to let in light. Additionally, the designers chose to install some special domed sky lights that diffuse light throughout the inside. Our timber frame design was eclectic, and we borrowed a Japanese “dragon beam with bow and arrow” to timber frame the 4 hips in the corners. A closet and bathroom in two of the corners of the building have flat ceilings below the timber frame roof so as not to break up the visual ability to see the whole timber frame.

It is a pleasure to return to structures we have built and see that they are functioning well and doing what that are supposed to do.

 

Gregory Pedrick on Energy Efficient Homes

Feb 272013
 

ausable-valley-finished-timber-frameGregory Pedick owns the Ausable Valley timber frame home in our gallery. He recently published an article  about his career in residential energy design, his own house and Amstutz Woodworking:

Retrofitting older homes and buildings with energy-efficient systems is as much his profession as it is his mission… “Building new energy-efficient homes is very important but it won’t solve our energy problems,” Pedrick says. “There are a lot more existing  residential buildings hat rely on outmoded, over-sized heating and cooling systems and would benefit from system upgrades and improved insulation.”

Read the full article here.
View the house in our timber frame gallery.

Timber Framing – Outside of the Adirondacks

Feb 212013
 

Timber framing has a strong tradition in the Himalayan region of Asia. In October my wife, Nan, and I ventured to the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan.

The most striking examples of timber framing are found in the Buddhist monasteries (photo 5995).

The Bhuanese also developed an elaborate system of timber framed cantilever bridges.  (other 2 photos).  This specific bridge was rebuilt about 10 years ago as a joint Bhutan and Swiss project.

More later……

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A Multi Use Timber Frame Barn on an Alpaca Farm in New York

Jun 122012
 

A few weeks ago we raised the largest Timber Frame Barn we have built to date, a 64’ x 80’ beauty that is 32’ feet to the ridge, and has a center aisle section with 32’ clear span trusses and 2-16’ wide side sheds. Fact is, it is the largest free standing structure Amstutz Woodworking has ever contracted for. This barn is destined to serve a number of purposes on a working alpaca farm south of Syracuse, NY. It will ultimately house animals, store farm equipment and possibly some antiques tractors, and provide space for sheering Alpacas and storage for Alpaca-related needs. In the immediate future, I am told it will host a wedding reception!

We did this project as a collaboration with Drumm Construction of Tully, NY. We purchased 20,000 board feet of rough-sawn Douglas Fir timbers from a specialty mill in Oregon. One truck load came cross country through a Rocky Mountain snow storm to us in Upper Jay, NY, and a partial truck load went to Tully, where 72 common rafters were cut by Drumm Construction carpenters. In Upper Jay, we cut all of the rest of the frame, including the 6 -32’ clear span trusses. All of our timbers met up with their timbers in Tully in early May, and Cal and I worked with Mark Drumm and his team on the raising. It was a fabulous and fun team effort, and I know we were all impressed with how smoothly the Timber Frame was erected despite less than perfect weather.

Mark and I worked together to design this very efficient Timber Frame. We were able to “stretch” the spacing of all posts and quadrants of the frame to lay out grids of 16’ x 16’ or 16’ x 32’. (The whole frame stands on only 24 posts!). In so doing, we were able to maximize the efficiency of joinery placements, or to put it differently, because of the large spans we could engineer using the Douglas Fir timbers and the trusses, this Timber Frame achieves a very high amount of square footage of usable space for the total number of timber joint connections. We also kept the layout very symmetrical and the joinery highly repetitive, which added to the “big bang for the buck” in this project.

The trusses were engineered by the folks at Fire Tower Engineered Timber, and they did a great job. We designed the trusses so that they could be completely assembled on the ground, and then set on the wall lines with a crane. In turn, the trusses carry a timber ridge system, which then carries the top of the common rafters.

It is our hope that we get to work more with Mark Drumm and his team.

Timber frame Trusses: Elegant structural roof components!

Feb 212012
 

When meeting with clients about prospective timber frame projects, we often tour some of our completed projects. And I try to take clients to see projects that bear a resemblance to what they are dreaming of building for themselves and show them what is possible with timbers. Nowhere are there more design options than in a roof system: what we can do with roofs is darn exciting!

It is a rare day in which we build a house that has a real attic, where the roof structure is hidden out of view with all those old boxes of stuff. With a timber frame and the complete exterior enclosure and insulation system of Structural Insulated Panels, “under the roof” is often the most architecturally exciting place in the house. In short, we like to flaunt our roofs. And we especially love building trusses.

Trusses are structural configurations of timbers that allow for large spans without the need of intermittent posts. As such, they allow for open floor plans and dramatic vaulted ceilings. Many of the trusses we have built over the years originated in the Middle Ages, and were used for great halls, churches, and bridges.

Here are some examples:
Raised cord king post trusses: This intimate living room with a fireplace at the end utilizes red oak timbers to do the real work of holding up the roof. The horizontal cross member that connects the two principle rafters of each truss is called the cord; the vertical center post of each truss is the king post, and the branch like curved elements going up to the principle rafters on the right and left are called struts. The raised cord gives the room a taller and more curved ceiling feel, but allowed us to keep the height of the side walls and ridge lower.

King posted trusses; one with a “live-edged” cord: For this “vehicle barn” that we built for our own family use, we wanted a garage-sized space with no internal supports. We wanted to create a building that was attractive and demonstrated our timber framing skill. We also wanted to use some of our left over timbers from our northeastern forests or timbers harvested from our land. As such, we have pine, hemlock, ash, red oak and white oak timber in this structure. The front king post truss has a curved red oak beam (often called a “Tyco Beam” in Japanese timber framing) that we sawed flat on 2 sides, which allows us to appreciate the interior grain of the log—something that does not happen when building with logs. The king post is also “live-edged”, and the “live-edged” struts are “book mated” by sawing from the same log and opening the faces to each other. The middle roof element is also a king post truss, but with a straight cord that is positioned at the eave height. Note that the kids’ barn swing that is attached to the ridge timber, is being enjoyed by my wife, Nan.

Hammer Beam Trusses: The trusses originated in the “Great Halls” of Medieval Europe. The utilize rigid triangular configurations of timbers that transfer the roof loads out to the walls. Dramatic and eye catching, they often crown modern great room spaces. These trusses are fabricated from old growth and very fine and dense Douglas Fir timbers salvaged from forest fire burned areas in Oregon. To see more photos of this beautiful home, check out the Ray Brook House in our Gallery section.

Burr Arch Trusses: This style of truss was designed for covered bridges that require large and strong spans. In such bridges there would be two trusses, flanking both sides of the road way, and the roof rafters would sit perpendicularly on top of the upper horizontal cords. The Burr Truss used an arching timber element to help transfer loads out to the end support walls or abutments. These trusses were designed for the roof system of a great room, and made of laminated red oak. We were able to fully fabricate and assemble each of the four trusses in our shop, load them on a truck, and transport them to the site and install them with a mobile crane.

Coastal Massachusetts timber frame studio progress

Oct 282011
 

Massachusetts Timber Frame StudioThese photos are of the work in progress on the Timber Frame Studio in Massachusetts. The detailing of the exterior is exquisite, utilizing red cedar shingles, and detailed with 2 shingle flare-outs. The main gable end is fenestrated beautifully with an upper curved top set of 3 windows and curved muntins. Below, the 3 window set is trimmed below with vertical cedar paneling. Elegant Greek Revival fascias and soffits trim on the roof, which will be done with standing metal roofing.

MA Timber Frame Studio InteriorThe interior photo shows the Structural Insulated Panels on the walls prior to any interior wall finish. Note that the Sips are put on the exterior of the Timber Frame, so that the insulation entirely wraps the timber structure and maximizes insulation efficiency. On the ceiling, white washed pine tongue and groove boards were applied over the purlins prior to putting the roof SIPS. The loft area is being planked with structure tongue and groove boarding. A concrete slab win radiant tubing in it will be poured for the floor.

With its complete SIPS enclosure system, high energy efficient windows, and a radiant in floor heating slab, the Studio will be toasty and easy to heat.

Timber Frame Barn is ready for Harvest Time in the Adriondacks

Aug 302011
 

Adirondack Timber Frame Barn, Canton NYI just received some photos and an update from the folks for whom we built the Barn Timber Frame in Canton, NY, back in May. The roof is now on, and the walls mostly sided. Doors are in, and the windows were picked up last week from a local Amish millworks shop.

Perhaps more importantly, the goats and chickens have already taken up residence. And I am informed that while picking up the windows, some baby bunnies came home to the barn as well….

Like the traditional timber frame barns of the Northeast, this one was sided with locally milled, rough-sawn pine planking, sheathed vertically, i.e. the way the lumber grew in the tree. Boards are gapped about an inch, and then vertical batten strips will be nailed over the gaps to make the barn more weather tight. It will weather to a nice dark grey without any stain or paint. Continue reading »

Timber Frame Studio, Coastal Massachusetts

Jul 302011
 

This project is a timber frame for the studio of a metal sculptor, who does fabulous and intricate kinetic sculptor. We raised it in coastal Massachusetts in June.

It utilizes curved laminated timbers (glulams) that transition from the posts to the principle rafters, and in turn are held together with custom steel bands that are tightened with oak wedges. It was a unique, challenging and enjoyable project for us, with a great collaborative effort between us, the general contractor and the engineers.

Timber Frames on the TruckThe timber frame just barely fit on the truck, but boy were we glad we pre-assembled the post to rafter with curve with all its hardware components here at our full shop. It took close to 3 days to assemble the 12 sections…We had the engineers model a truck loading plan of the assemblies and other timbers and it just fit on the 48’ long semi.

Raising Timber FrameThe raising was honestly easier than anticipated. We raised with staging, as per photo, and accessed all purlins up to and including the 4th purlin up from the bottom. We then put 16’ aluminum picks across from 4th purlin to 4th purlin, and thus accessed the 5th purlins, ridges, and cupola jack rafters. A hard frame to climb on, even with full harness rigging and static lines, etc…. Not comfortable.

Finished Timber FrameInside timber frame finish view….the client loves it! He is a great guy….

Cathedrals of Rural America: A new Timber Frame Barn goes up in the Adirondacks

Jun 062011
 

Timber Frame Barn in the AdriondacksThis past week we erected a new Timber Frame Barn for a family near Canton, NY. Our clients have one of the best organized and most extensive gardens I have ever seen. They also presently raise chickens for eggs and meat, turkeys, and goats. They produce most of their own food, and freeze and can for the winter months. Their bucolic setting and home is inspiration to all of us!

Not surprising that a while back they decided they needed a good-sized barn. When we first met, I questioned them about they wanted to use of the barn for, and discovered that their needs are diverse. They want a home for livestock: chickens, goats, turkeys, and possibly cows and sheep. They want dry storage for hay and grain. They want cover for a tractor and other farm machinery and possibly a roof over their car. And there is a desire to have a horse or two, at least by the female members of the family. So, of course they want the barn to adaptable.

Because their needs and the character of their small farm more closely resemble the traditional family farms of our ancestors, it is also not surprising that a very traditional Timber Frame barn is the right structure for their homestead.

Adirondack timber frame barn and house, Canton NYThis Timber Frame is a 4 bent and queen posted English style barn frame, and at 30’ x 42’, the floor plan is divided by the post placements into 12 – 10’ x 14’ quadrants. A large pair of sliding doors will allow access to the center bay from the eave side of the barn (there are 3 bays between the 4 Timber Frame bents), so machinery and animals can be brought in, and a traditional style transom window will sit above the sliding barn doors. The adjacent bays of the Timber Frame can be divided into livestock stalls or other functional spaces, and partition walls can be built and evolve as necessary. For easy human access, a hinged 3’0” wide door will face the house, which is about 80’ away. This barn will have a second floor for hay and general storage, and a walk up stair from the ground level. At both gable ends there will be second floor doors, so bailed hay can be elevatored up. The two young daughters also expect to get a hay mow swing! This barn will be a very adaptable structure, just as the vintage Timber Frame barns of rural America were and often still are.

As you travel through the rural northeast and mid west, you will see an abundance of old Timber Frame barns that are in disrepair or worse. Fact is, many of these structures have suffered from the demise of small family farming and from the shifting face of American agriculture. Clearly traditional barns don’t fit the needs of large agribusinesses with huge tractors and equipment and large-scale dairy operations, so one sees new style “barns” and agricultural pole barn type structures. And, if not of use as farms have shut down or ceased to be productive enterprises, traditional barns are often ignored and then fall into dis-repair. I know of at least 3 barns in our area of the Adirondacks that came down this winter due to dis-repair, bad roofs, and heavy snowfall. If you don’t have a need for it, you generally don’t maintain it—and then you lose it.

It is always a pleasure for us to build Timber Frames that are going to be working agricultural barns. With proper care– especially a well-maintained roof–this barn should be functional for a few hundred years. When we raise a Timber Frame like this one, we feel like we are doing our small part to replace the vanishing “Cathedrals of rural America.”

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