Common Questions about Timber Frame and Log Home Joinery

There’s more than one way to join two timbers. When it comes to timber frame and log home joinery, strength is priority number one and then it comes down to your own personal style. The joinery and fasteners you select will depend on engineering specifications, structural needs, your budget and, as always, the look you want for your home.

Below, we’ll answer the four most common questions that we get asked about timber frame and log home joinery.

#1 Is joinery a major consideration when building my log or timber framed home?

Joinery is what holds a home together, so we’d say that it’s pretty important.

Nailing a couple of two-by-fours together is pretty straight forward, but joining two 10” x 12” timbers is a different story. Regular 3” framing nails won’t exactly do the job. As the size of timbers increase, so does the size of the fasteners and joinery needed to keep them in place. This makes them an even more important consideration for design.

#2 What types of joinery and fasteners are available?

Steel joinery and fasteners are your first option and will make your home’s engineer happy since steel is very strong, making their calculations easier.

Wood to wood joinery is your other choice and has been put to the test over hundreds of years of traditional building. There have also been great technological advancements in wood fasteners and new ways to join massive timbers created over the last decades. Selecting wood to wood joinery will mean more cost for added labour during the cutting process, but costs less in materials since it requires fewer fasteners.

#3 Can joinery and fasteners impact the look of my home?

Definitely. You’ll want to consider these questions: Do you want strictly wood to wood joinery for a traditional and more natural look? Are fasteners a requirement to support your home’s structure? Would exposed steel joinery and fasteners suit the style you prefer?

Joinery can be exposed or concealed depending on the look you’re going for, your home’s design, and your budget.

#4 How does joinery impact the structure of my log or timber frame home?

Besides the obvious support joinery can add to a home’s frame, it’s also used to ensure a tight fit between timbers. This is important for your home’s
longevity because a tight fit minimizes movement, reduces shifting and cracking, and adds energy efficiency by minimizing heat loss.

As you can see, there are many different ways you can fasten and join timbers together. Most log and timber frame home designs incorporate a mix of the options above. We hope this guide helps you to select joinery for your home that’s strong, lasts long, and looks fantastic, too.

If you’re considering building a log or timber frame home and have any questions about joinery, feel free to contact us at info@artisanlog.com.

from Artisan Custom Log Homes http://ift.tt/2gNPSLy