| Prior to the 1900s, most barns were built with timber | | | | plates, and posts are joined with precisely cut |
| frames (also known as post and beam) forming very | | | | interlocking joints crafted with tenons (tabs), |
| strong structures built to withstand harsh storms and | | | | mortises (slots) and wooden pegs called trunnels. |
| heavy loads of animal feed. Timber framing is the | | | | There are several different types of joints used |
| method of creating framed structures of heavy | | | | during the construction process. Most commonly used |
| timber joined together with various joints. A timber | | | | are the mortise and tenon joints, but there are many |
| frame barn is built to last a lifetime if not longer, but | | | | more like a double through mortise and tenon, brace |
| there are many things to consider when designing a | | | | mortise and tenon, dovetail, shouldered mortise and |
| barn. | | | | tenon and tongue and fork. Each type of joint has its |
| Horse barns and stables often work on a 10x12 or | | | | own design purpose. Today, most timber frame |
| 12x12 grid for interior stalls, tack rooms and wash | | | | structures are designed use new CAD (Computer |
| stalls. Storing hay in the loft provides its own set of | | | | Aided Design) technology, this actually helps them |
| challenges. Years ago, people would just put up | | | | design for and spread the load properly. Most rustic |
| summer beams and timber joists and throw as much | | | | framed horse barns are constructed with Hemlock |
| hay up in the loft as they could. Today, as with most | | | | for country barns; and elegant stable frames out of |
| everything that technology touches, hay bales are | | | | smooth and highly finished Douglas Fir beams. |
| packed more compact and weigh much more than | | | | Hemlock and Douglas Fir are the best types of wood |
| they did years ago as well as all the changes in | | | | species to use in your barn as they are less prone to |
| building codes. It is now common practice to design a | | | | rotting and because the horses don't like to curb on |
| hay loft so that it can support a live load of 100 | | | | them (horses enjoy eating white pine like chocolate). |
| pounds per square foot. The intermediate posts that | | | | There is better way to celebrate the beauty of |
| are next to the stall doors are increased in size as | | | | wood than to showcase it throughout the structure |
| well as the trusses to help improve load carrying | | | | of your house or barn. The beauty and elegance of |
| ability. | | | | Timber Frame Construction methods have been in |
| Authentic timber framing is an art that can be traced | | | | use for more than 2,000 years with some of the |
| back many generations. Today, much of the work is | | | | earliest examples dating back to ancient Roman and |
| still completed by hand, using traditional tools like | | | | Egyptian civilizations. It is and elegant timeless classic |
| chisels, mallets, and beetles. The timber girts, purlins, | | | | style that has survived the ages. |