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ou can’t have your cake and eat it,too” might apply in the kitchen,but when you’re building houses,

you sometimes can have both. If you like tim-ber-frame houses but can’t afford one, con-sider a hybrid. Although a complete timberframe usually costs 10% to 20% more than acomparable stick frame, a small timber-framestructure integrated into a stick-frame house

adds only a fraction of that cost. Hybrids alsoare less complicated to build than full tim-ber frames, yet they retain the dramatic lookof timber-frame structures in visible areas.These timber-frame parts can range in scaleand complexity from a simple covered entryto an entire two-story addition. In a typicalsituation, a timber-frame company such asmine is used as a subcontractor and provides

the materials and installation; we also havesupplied materials and/or assembled compo-nents for builders. The following are someexamples of projects we’ve built.

Entries and porches: A little timber goes a long wayA home’s entrance serves as a transition be-tween outside and inside; it should be pro-

Timber-Frame Hybrids

“Y

An inviting timber-frame entrance The rustic look of exposed joists

Decorative porch posts and braces Dramatic truss work in a great room

BY ANTHONY ZAYA

Adding timber-frame elements to key areas of a stick-frame house makes economic and aesthetic sense

92 FINE HOMEBUILDING Drawings: Dan Thornton

tecting and inviting. A timber-frame entrance(photo above) satisfies these requirements andis relatively easy to build. Typically composedof two trusses and connecting girts, the struc-ture is lag-bolted to wall studs through thesheathing; the posts are anchored to a ma-sonry pad or footings with noncorrosivestandoffs and 1-in. dia. galvanized-steel pins(drawing facing page).

Building a flat-ceilinged timber-frameporch is also fairly easy (photo, facing page).The porch is built with a series of posts, girtsand braces that support a simple stick-frameroof, which in turn ties the timber frame tothe house.

Any number of styles is possible. Entrancescan be as simple as a single bent with a ridge,purlins and side girts that die into the exteri-or wall. A large entrance can be even moreelaborate. Railings can be integrated into theposts, or the posts can be doubled up.Whether on a porch or a deck, posts that look

too feeble to support even themselves are theone thing that most diminishes the presenceand personality of a house. We always rec-ommend that substantial posts and girts beused—say, 8x8s and 6x10s, respectively. Ifthese dimensions look too heavy, the beams’edges can be chamfered or beaded for alighter look.

Sprucing up the ceiling with a floor systemA timber-frame floor/ceiling system usuallyconsists of a massive central, or summer,beam that supports the smaller joists (top pho-to, p. 94). Most of our floor systems are in din-ing rooms, kitchens and halls. The entireassembly is let into pockets framed in thestick-built walls. In the simplest form, a seriesof heavy parallel joists sized and spaced ac-cording to span and load is supported by con-ventional wall framing. To support widerspans, a summer beam can be used (top draw-

ing, p. 94); depending on the length of thatbeam, some supporting posts may be added.

The choice of material laid above the joistsand summer beams also affects the room’soverall feel. Basically, there are two ap-proaches: drywall or wood. If drywall is thechoice, it’s best to place wood spacer stripsalong the joist centers (top drawing, p. 95). Thedrywall then can be placed on top of the tim-bers, and a sound-deadening floor (usuallylayers of plywood) or a conventional 2x-joistfloor can be built above, especially if duct-work is an issue. For a wood ceiling, tongue-and-groove boards are usually the material ofchoice, followed by a built-up floor or 2xjoists. Some builders may opt for a single lay-er of tongue-and-groove boards, but soundtransmitted between floors can be irritating.

Opening a space with trusses The most popular hybrid form is the timber-frame truss system (bottom photo, p. 94). Most

The entry’s basic element is a single trussAn assembly of one truss and posts supports a

simple sheltering roof. The design can beexpanded to include two or more trusses and

decorative braces.

Entry variationsCall attention to the house’s entry. An entry is a simple project and can con-sist of a single or pair of free-standingtrusses bolted to the house’s exterior wall.

TIMBER-FRAME ENTRANCE EXTENDS AN INVITATION

Post

TrussGirt plate

Kneebraces

Posts anchored to steps(detail, facing page)

Tongue-and-grooveroof sheathing

Anchorframingto wall.Lag boltsanchortimberframe tostuds inwalls.

Single bent Ladder post

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2002 93

Big timbers are only half the story. Porches can be built with a se-ries of beefy posts and girt plates that support the stick-frame roof.

TIMBER-FRAME POSTS AND BRACES DECORATE A PORCH

Anchor posts toconcrete. A 1-in.galvanized-steelpin and galvanizedstandoff plateanchor posts toconcrete.

2x6 ledgerbolted to house

2x ceilingjoist toenailedto timber girtplate

Post

Girt plate

Knee brace

Stick-frame roof a simple affairTypically made of 2x6 rafters and 2x joists,the roof framing is attached to ledgersbolted to the house framing.

Post

1-in. galvanized-steel pin

Galvanizedstandoff plate

94 FINE HOMEBUILDING Top photo this page: John Herr

Warm ceiling of wood. Both structural and deco-rative, a timber-frame floor system is supported bypockets framed in the exterior walls.

Trusses take the placeof a conventional roof.Set into reinforced, stick-framewalls, trusses can be erected with orwithout purlins and usually are roofed withsome sort of structurally insulated panel.

Floor design determined by the roomDepending on the room’s size andjoist span, it’s often necessary toadd a supporting centralsummer beam and,occasionally, postsbeneath.

Purlins beef up the trussesSet between trusses,purlins strengthen theroof structure. After thepurlins between trussesare installed, trussesare racked squareand connected tothe gable walls withanother set ofpurlins.

King post with strutsand queen posts

King post with strutsKing post truss

Examples oftruss design

EXPOSED JOISTS CREATE A RUSTIC LOOK

DRAMATIC TRUSS WORK OPENS A ROOM

Stick-frame walls

8-in. by 12-in.summer beam

6-in. by 8-in.floor joists

2x studs ganged inwalls to support beams

Frame pocketsupports beam ends

Trusses

Purlins

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often, trusses are placed in a large open space,such as a great room. Heavy trusses general-ly can be spaced 16 ft. apart if they’re con-nected with purlins (bottom drawings) spaced4 ft. o. c. If the purlins don’t fit in the design,more trusses with closer spacing do the trick.In such a scenario, tongue-and-groove ceilingboards run perpendicular to the trusses ratherthan parallel as they do with purlin connec-tions. It’s usually more economical to go withthe purlins because fewer trusses are used.

Other considerations include roof pitch andspan-loading requirements. In terms of struc-tural effectiveness as well as aesthetics, scis-sors, hammer-beam and tied-rafter systemswork better with steep pitches (12-in-12 orgreater) and shorter spans (24 ft. or less).Whatever the choice, review any design witha licensed structural engineer.

Incidentally, for whatever type of projectthat we’re working on, we have drawingssealed by a registered engineer because load-ing requirements can dictate not only shapebut also timber size and spacing. The rela-tively low cost of an engineer’s time is moneywell spent.

Truss design can make a space feel contem-porary and light, medieval and heavy, or justabout anything in between, depending onconfiguration (drawings left), timber species,surface and finish. Ceiling material also hasan impact. White drywall or pickled tongue-and-groove boards can help a tight area tofeel larger; dark painted drywall or clear-fin-ished tongue and groove can make a highceiling feel lower or make a large room feelmore inviting. �

Anthony Zaya is a timber-framer in Lan-caster County, PA. Photos by CharlesBickford, except where noted.

Wall pocketEach joist end issupported by apocket built justbelow the plate.A wooden dowelor nails securethe connection.

Ceiling detailsPlywood spacersplaced along thetops of joists andbeams keep thedrywall ceilingfrom beingcrushed by thefloor above.

PocketsecurespurlinsAt the gableends, thepurlins are setinto openpockets andpinned inplace.

Trusses meet the mini-wallAn auxiliary wall is usuallybuilt atop the main wall sothat the top plate matchesthe top of the truss. Steelstrapping helps to securethe truss to the wall.

Tied rafter system Hammerbeam truss

Scissors trussQueen post truss

For more information, contact thefollowing organizations.

Timber Framers Guild(888) 453-0879www.tfguild.org

Joiners’ QuarterlyThe Journal of Timber Framing & Traditional Building(207) 935-3720www.foxmaple.com

Timber Frame Business Council(888) 560-9251www.timberframe.org

Gable wall

Beam/joist end

Joists are fastenedwith a 1-in. dia. dowel(trunnel) or nails.

Plates

Pocket capturesthe purlin end.

Doubled 2xtransfers load.

Blocking

Doubledcripplestuds

Steel strap tiestruss to sidewall.

1⁄2-in. drywall 1⁄2-in. plywoodspacer

11⁄2-in. tenon

Ganged2x in walltransfersload.

Truss