Prior to the 1900s, most barns were built with timber frames (also known as post and beam) forming very strong structures built to withstand harsh storms and heavy loads of animal feed. Timber framing is the method of creating framed structures of heavy timber joined together with various joints. A timber frame barn is built to last a lifetime if not longer, but there are many things to consider when designing a barn.

Years ago, people would just put up summer beams and timber joists and throw as much hay up in the loft as they could or by timberframe barn builders. Today, as with most everything that technology touches, hay bales are packed more compact and weigh much more than they did years ago as well as all the changes in building codes. It is now common practice to design a hay loft so that it can support a live load of 100 pounds per square foot. The intermediate posts that are next to the stall doors are increased in size as well as the trusses to help improve load carrying ability.

Authentic timber framing is an art that can be traced back many generations. Today, much of the work is still completed by hand, using traditional tools like chisels, mallets, and beetles. The timber girts, purlins, plates, and posts are joined with precisely cut interlocking joints crafted with tenons, mortises and wooden pegs called tunnels. There are several different types of joints used during the construction process. Most commonly used are the mortise and tenon joints, but there are many more like a double through mortise and tenon, brace mortise and tenon, dovetail, shouldered mortise and tenon and tongue and fork. Each type of joint has its own design purpose. Today, most timber frame structures are designed use new CAD technology or equestrian services nj, this actually helps them design for and spread the load properly. Most rustic framed horse barns are constructed with Hemlock for country barns; and elegant stable frames out of smooth and highly finished Douglas fir beams. Hemlock and Douglas fir are the best types of wood species to use in your barn as they are less prone to rotting and because the horses don’t like to curb on them.

There is better way to celebrate the beauty of wood than to showcase it throughout the structure of your house or barn. The beauty and elegance of Timber Frame Construction methods have been in use for more than 2,000 years with some of the earliest examples dating back to ancient Roman and Egyptian civilizations. It is and elegant timeless classic style that has survived the ages.