Timberframe Magazine

Heritage Project - Timber Frame Workshop

2010-05-04T12:39:00.001-04:00

A "Timber Frame Construction Techniques Workshop" was held here at Cabin Creek Timber Frames April 26th through May 1st, 2010. The class participants received instruction in basic timber frame techniques and methods. Each experienced timber frame instructor partnered with two class participants. The oak for this project was from one of the participants family farm. The timber frame will be part of a structure on that same farm soon. While here an oak hammer-beam timber frame was handcrafted by the class participants then trial assembled. The frame was then taken apart to be transported to mid- Tennessee where it will be raised on one of the class participants families property. The link below will take you to some photos taken at this timber frame workshop.Heritage Project Timber Frame Workshop April 26th - May 1, 2010 More photos of this event can be found on Cabin Creek Timber Frames Face Book Page. Hope you enjoy these photos.

the "Reach For The Sky" List, aka If We Could List

2010-04-13T09:02:00.002-04:00

I have titled the third list the 'If we could' list aka 'Reach For Sky' List. This is where you write down your wants, not your needs. If they are written down you may be able to incorporate then into your final design. But if no one knows about them, how are they going to get the attention they need?

When Joe and I married we had a LOT of books/ Surprising, happily, a lot were duplicates and they were given to the 'Friends of the Library' here in Franklin, NC. The 'Friends of the Library' then sold them to buy different new things for the Macon County Library. One way our architect suggested handling the books was using them to line a few of the walls of our timber frame. That idea finally got incorporated into lining sections of the walls in the loft area; the adjoining are serves as a functional seating area for reading and over-flow area for parties. There is a gorgeous view of the flagstone patio and waterfalls from the french doors in the loft.

"The Way We Were List" List

2010-04-06T16:21:00.001-04:00

I used to recommend that our clients made out a list of what they loved about places they have lived or visited in the past. A few years ago I decided that we should also include on that list - what we hated about previous places that we lived.

Take a piece of paper and write down every thing you loved or enjoyed about the places you have lived, loved, or visited through-out the years. Don't forget to also write down what you disliked or hated about some of the places you have lived or visited---so you don't repeat the same mistakes.

Really, it will be easier to see what you really want in your new home and make wise choices. Do you really need/want a formal living room if you never used the one in your present home? We made these lists for our timber frame home and people are always surprised we don't have a TV or a fireplace in the great-room. We do however have an area in the great-room where people can gather and make music. We have had many blue grass jam sessions in that room!!!

Your timber frame design needs, what are they ?

2010-03-29T15:45:00.004-04:00

YOU have to decide what you families needs are, present and future. You want a floor plan that your family will be able to enjoy and support your activities throughout the years and still remain functional.

Designing by wrote. Writing things down is an excellent organizational tool. If you are a couple we suggest you start with TWO separate lists and then merge them into one. Whether you design the your houses floor plan yourself or it turn it over to a designer or architect you will need to fill out the lists. REALLY, they work!

The first list should be that that is required by code, covenant or development in order to get your building approved. I am going to title this list the "Got To Have IT List". I will give you some example of what should be on this list.... Each persons "Got To Have IT List' will be unique to them and their own timber frame.

Floor plan has to be at least 1,800 sq ft to be in this sub-division.
Has to have at least two bedrooms and two bathrooms to be in this sub-division.
NC statute requires insulation to be R- 38 in the roof
NC statute requires insulation in the walls to be at least R-19

The minimum or maximum sq. footage your development allows (if there is one) should go here.

Code issues such as septic systems, set backs, maximum height of the building, earth disturbance guidelines, how far back you timber frame HAS to be from the creek or stream., etc. should be on this list.

Wood Species? Do You Know What Species of Wood You Want?

2010-03-23T09:12:00.028-04:00

The majority of our timber frames are handcrafted form Eastern Whit Pine. Eastern White Pine is readily available locally and we believe it to be more stable than other woods (i.e. it splits/checks, warps, and twists less than other varieties).

Over the years we have handcrafted timber frames of Douglas Fir, cypress, white oak, yellow pine and hemlock. We generally use green timbers which have a higher water content and are more easily sculpted. We can however, have the timbers dried prior to cutting. This does add considerable expense and does NOT prevent the natural cracking or checking of the wood as it dries. It should be noted that the natural checking of the wood as it dries does NOT affect the structural integrity of the timber frame structure. As wood dries it becomes stronger.

Eastern White Pine is readily available locally it varies in color from white to cream when it is freshly cut, turning to a golden honey color in a few years.

Hemlock which we can obtain from Maine and Massachusetts is also white to light cream in color when it is freshly cut turns a light coffee with a lot of cream color after a few years. Hemlock is said to have insect repellent qualities. Hemlock does check and twist and turn quite a bit more than Eastern White Pine as it dries.

It is our standard to use cherry or walnut splines to strengthen some of the joints in our timber frames. We have at the customers request used splines of oak and southern yellow pine.

No Man Is An Island.....

2010-03-09T09:15:00.002-05:00

No Man Is An Island.....at least not where most building departments and utility companies are concerned.

Here are some hings you may want to keep in mind:

How will you get electricity to your building site? Is there electric service nearby that you will be able to use? Are you MILES away from the nearest power pole or underground line? Are you going to have to pay to run power to your site? Are you going 'green'? Will you going to go solar or have your own generator?
Will the the property pass a 'perc' test? A 'perc' test indicates the soils ability to absorb liquid over a specified period of time, How long it takes the soil to absorb the liquids will be a deciding factor in how large and what type septic system you will be required to have. If it does NOT pass a 'perc' test you may not be permitted to build on the land.
I there a hook up to a local sewer system available?
Is there a source of potable water? Is there a hook up to the local water system available? In rural areas, obtaining potable water usually means drilling a well. You may want to find out how deep and how much well costs run in your area.
How will your building site be accessed? Does it already have a driveway with plenty of parking for construction? With a timber frame you will need at least room for a crane and an area from which to stage the timber frame materials. Is the area ABOVE the timber frame where the crane will be working free of overhanging branches, power lines, etc. I have yet to meet a crane operator who trims trees for free.
How far from a fire department is the property? The question is posed for you to consider the after construction insurance costs more than anything else.

Does anyone in the household have to be near to a hospital, dialysis center, etc?

Do You Know What KIND of Timber Frame You Want ???

2010-03-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

Post and beam, mortise and tenon, post and plate, are to be considered. Not all cost the same thing to construct, nor does it cost the same thing to erect a unique post and plate house as it does a bent style timber frame home.

Our timber frame office complex is post and plate construction of eastern white pine.

The compound joinery timber frame on your right once served as our forklift shed in a former locaion here in Franklin. When we moved our office here to 6624 Georgia Road, Franklin, NC we had it moved. It has now been incorporated into our design center and houses our CAD-Works designer.

Our timber frame structures are joined by oak, or locust pegs unless a structural engineer specifically calls for metal to be employed in the joining if materials.

MOTHER NATURE, Always a Consideration

2010-03-02T14:00:00.001-05:00

Will your home be subject to heavy snow loads?

How much rain will you get? Will you be required to have an erosion plan? Will extra money have to be spent to deal with run-off?
Snow-belt, Sun-belt, will temperature extremes be involved? Are the R-values of the SIP's going to change from the norm?

Consider letting deciduous trees shade your home in summer, decreasing heat gain in summer. They will allow sunlight in o warm he house in winter. A eo-foo over hang will help proec he sides of your timber frame home and decrease heat gain in he summer, and allow sunlight in from a lower winter sun in he cold months.

What if ANY "views" do you have that you want to make use of?

2010-02-23T13:49:00.002-05:00

The question is not always as easy to answer as you might think. By way of example- When we were planning our own timber frame home < 2004, we had only 'walked' the property in the spring and summer months of the year. When fall came around - We had a WOW view of the mountains. Once we saw he view we changed he height and position of the windows in the great room to accommodate he view.

So if possible assess you property seasonally. The leaves are NOT always on the trees. Also to be taken into consideration at this time: Is how much natural light your site/rooms will be receiving?

Conservation Through Insulation

2010-02-18T08:00:00.010-05:00

Buildings in the United States consume 68% of the electricity generated in the country and 37% of the energy. If we consider our sources of energy, the political, economic, and environmental consequences of obtaining and using this energy, we immediately realize we have a problem. We do not yet have an unlimited of energy. The energy needs of our country are increasing. There are drawbacks to most energy sources. The logical approach is to develop and refine each track in the most benign possible way, and to be more efficient in our use of energy. This last phase needs to be underscored, understood, and undertaken. By becoming more energy savings , or efficient, much energy, political expenditure, money, etc., can be conserved. How do we become more efficient?

One building or house built efficiently, will not answer this problem but it is a start. Each one is built inefficiently is an addition to the overall problem. We already have a number of tools which will cut down considerably on the energy usage in buildings. Unfortunately, most builders, architects, and designers choose to ignore the most important of these. This is the use of efficient insulation. Preventing heat loss across a material is the job of insulation. Heat loss can be by convection, conduction, or radiation. Convection requires movement of a gas, usually air. Conduction usually occurs through a solid material, such as a frying pan. Radiation is the reason you feel heat from a hot metal roof overhead in the summer.

Here is a list of insulating materials and comments. Please see Wikipedia on R value and qualities of various insulators.

Fiberglass. Average. It settles over time, losing space between fibers, allowing more conduction and airflow or convection. Inexpensive.
Cellulose. Settles. Can be flammable. Inexpensive. Cold bridges.
Icynene spray. Expensive, messy, good, but cold bridges remain from stud construction.
SIPS, Moderate cost. Good insulation. No settling. Strong. Forms relatively airtight envelope around living space with less than 1/10th the airflow through a fiberglass stud-wall building.
Vacuum Panels. Excellent. Expensive. Fragile.

Years ago, most thoughtful timber frame companies settled on insulated panels or SIPS which significantly reduce the airflow through building walls and roofs. The USDOE in studies at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has shown in whole walls (including window and doors) that equally R-rated SIPS or panel insulation compared with fiberglass batt insulation has only 10% of the airflow through the structure. Accurate records show that it costs half as much as to heat, cool,and power a SIPS insulated building than a fiberglass stud-wall building with the same R-ratings. Over a period of years, in a fiberglass stud-wall building, these differences in air flow along with settling of the fiberglass, consume large amounts of wasted energy energy into a much more expensive building, and long term costs to the owner and our country.

Here is the key. Stud walls keep a poor insulator, wood, as a bridge every 16 or 24 inches to decrease the insulating efficiency of the wall or roof. SIPS maintain a tight membrane.

Here is the bottom line. One must rate an insulating system by measuring its performance over a lifetime of a building.

Users and manufacturers of insulated panels have known for years the efficiency of panels and have documented these monetary savings. Sadly, they are still a well kept secret.

A timber frame house, 1,800 sq. ft., heated with an electric heat pump, in Western, North Carolina has cost an a monthly average $50 to heat, cool and power, for the past four years.

Planning Your Timber Frame Home

2010-02-16T16:35:00.003-05:00

If you are anything like my husband and myself we dreamed of building our timber frame home for MANY years before we actually built ours in 2005. Dreaming about it is the easy part. Starting the planning process is somewhat harder. Planning IS work. The old adage 'failing to plan is planning to fail' has some merit, as do most old adages. The more research you do ahead of time - the easier it will be in the long run.

There will be a series of postings on this blog pertaining to this topic over the next few weeks and months. Remember you can post your input here or email me with questions you may have at Cabin Creek Timber Frames .

I have gathered some questions for you to consider- things to ask and answer yourself - before you can realistically begin your planning process. Be honest with yourself it will make it easier for you in the long run. I'm a notebook fan, consider keeping all your notes and clippings in a BIG notebook or a computer file.

Do you know WHERE you will be building your timber frame home?
What is your budget? ______________ Be realistic with yourself now.

What qualities does the property have that may affect your choice of a timber frame plan? How does the land lie?

Are there any features you wish to emphasize such as a stream, lake site, waterfalls, a distant view, a sunny garden spot, unusual plants, specimen trees, boulders or rock formations, etc.
Is the land FLAT?

Is the land SLOPING?

Is the land STEEP?

These questions will help you consider where to place the entrance of your timber frame home. You do NOT have to always have the entrance on the 'ground floor

Timber Frame Photo Album

2010-02-07T21:35:00.002-05:00

Timber Frame Photo Albums are great for gathering ideas and planning. But if you are planning a trip to the western North Carolina area and would like to visit with us and perhaps tour one of our timber frames to see and what they feel like - contact us. In the mean time here is another online . web album for you.

Duke Energy Nanatahal Area---Feb. 1, 2010

2010-02-02T20:12:00.002-05:00

I received an email from Robin Jenkins with a statement by Fred Alexander regarding the storm outages.

1.The Situation. More than 900 additional people are in Duke Energy’s Nantahala Area today to help with power restoration. As of 10:30 a.m., about 9800 customers remain without power, down from a high of 36,408 recorded Saturday afternoon.

While yesterday was a day of significant progress, much more work remains. Restoration for customers with more extensive damage to their lines or in more remote and inaccessible locations could be as late as 11 p.m. Tuesday. However, the overwhelming majority will be on sooner than that.

Restoration work will continue overnight and will increase significantly in daylight.

Storm Tips
Severe weather can strike quickly creating a variety of dangerous situations. We all have a responsibility to stay tuned to the National Weather Service, local media and emergency management for special warnings or instructions during severe weather events. The following tips are designed to help you safely endure the severe weather anytime it impacts the Duke Energy service area. Before Severe Weather Strikes
• Have a portable radio, TV, or NOAA Weather Radio on hand to monitor official weather forecasts and other important information for your area.
• Have a plan to move yourself and your family — especially those with special needs — to an alternate location in case you have to evacuate or experience an extended power outage.
• Keep a supply of water and non-perishable food items on hand.
• Ensure first aid supplies and all medicines are readily available.
• Make sure flashlights are readily available and working and that a supply of extra batteries is on hand.
• Consider the need for specialty items such as prescription medication, baby food, additional warm clothing and a safe heat source.
• Homeowners who depend on well water should draw an emergency water supply in case power to their electric water pumps is interrupted.
• If you have an emergency heating or power source, learn how to use it properly.
• Have at least one traditional analog phone in your home that does not require electricity to operate. Cordless phones and phones with built-in answering machines will not operate during a power outage.
During Severe Weather
• Continue to monitor the media for important information.
• If you experience a power outage, please alert us by calling Duke Energy's toll-free, automated outage reporting system at 1-800-POWERON (1-800-769-3766). Spanish speaking customers should call 1-866-4APAGON (427-2466) for outage reporting assistance.
• If you anticipate an extended outage, consider moving yourself and your family — especially those with special needs — to an alternate location.
• Consider checking on others who may benefit from your assistance.
• Consider all downed power lines and anything touching them energized and DANGEROUS! Do not get near them and report the problem to Duke Energy.
• Don't open freezers and refrigerators any more than absolutely necessary. Opening these appliances will allow food to thaw more quickly.
• During severe weather or power outages, turn off as many appliances and electronics as possible. This will reduce the potential for damage or fire. After the power is restored, wait 5 to 10 minutes before turning them back on.
After Severe Weather
• Replenish your supplies of batteries, bottled water and non- perishable food items in preparation for future storms.
• Have a licensed electrician disconnect your generator unless the generator has an automatic disconnection device.
Safety Around Power Lines
• Stay away from downed or sagging power lines, and do not touch anything that is on or near a power line (i.e., trees or tree limbs, cars, ladders).
• Keep children and family pets away from areas where lines may have fallen (backyards, fields, school yards, etc.).
• If a power line falls across a car that you're in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.
• Report all power line hazards to Duke Energy or your local emergency services department or agency.

Octagonal WALNUT Pegs

2010-01-23T09:00:00.007-05:00

In additional to the octagonal locust pegs Cabin Creek Timber Frames has milled and used for years - we now offer our clients an option- octagonal pegs milled of WALNUT!!! They offer a nice contrast to the light hued woods of Eastern White Pine, Cypress and others. We have had many clients who used them in their handcrafted furniture. Interested? Give us a call at 877-369-5899 or 828-369-5899 for more information. Thanks for your interest.

Octagonal LOCUST Pegs

2010-01-16T09:00:00.005-05:00

We employ octagonal locust pegs in our timber frame homes and other buildings. Joe Bell and others here at Cabin Creek Timber Frames believe they have a little more grab than round pegs. We furnish them to timber framers and others around the continental United States for use in restoration of timber frames and new timber frame construction.
For more information about our pegs please give us a call at 877-369-5899 or 828-369-5899. Thanks for your interest.

Planning - Making your home a Great Home, Refreshment Station

2010-01-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Refreshment Stations, Not always a 'bar.'
A refreshment station in or near your great room with a small refrigerator, ice maker makes getting a drink or snack so much easier. Great for family gatherings - and while it doesn't always eliminate visitors in the kitchen. It can eliminate some of the foot traffic.

Planning - Making your home a Great Home

2010-01-13T09:00:00.002-05:00

As you plan your space think about all the activities that will take place there: card playing, reading, movie watching, love to entertain?

Because most timber frame are structural in and of them selves --- Rooms in a timber frame home will change over the years/decades. Can you ever have too many floor or ceiling electrical outlets?
Wired for sound? Consider wiring the rooms for speakers, TV, internet, satellite, cable, phone systems, speakers.

Your local electrician and specialty supplier are often fonts of knowledge about what is currently available and the up and coming housing trends in their fields. Home shows offer a great deal of information about housing trends.

Lookout Retreat by Cabin Creek Timber Frames & Judi Smith

2010-01-12T09:00:00.008-05:00

Cabin Creek Timber Frames, Lookout Retreat in Timber Home Living Magazine
Lookout Retreat embodies craftsmanship while being a home to live in today on into the future. Its floor plan brings the outside in while keeping the comfortable nurturing nest-like feeling of home. The covered porches and upper deck are perfect for the entertaining that made Southern porches famous. House plan designed by Judi Sample Smith, AIBD, CPBD. Timber frame CAD design by Kevin Lanier of Cabin Creek Timber Frames.

Number of Bedrooms: 2
Number of Bathrooms: 2.5
Total square footage: 1906 sq. ft.

Ever Just Go 'Duh'

2010-01-11T16:16:00.001-05:00

Recently, we were having some 'problems' with our main website. We employ Google analytic on our main website site to keep track of what interests our readers and what seems to put them to sleep.
It ferreting out what was going on with links of ours - we discovered we'd been high jacked so to speak. If you had typed in Cabin Creek Timber Frames into your search engines web browser up until January 7th 2010--- one of the higher 'links' you would have seen there would been: http://www.sachitd.info . Once you clicked on that it would have taken you to an exact replica of our site http://www.cabincreektimberframes.com with the EXCEPTION of when you went to enter your information to receive one of our newsletters or for more specific information - it would lead you nowhere.GoDaddy assured us that the Vietnamese company who bought sachtid.info from them had just mis-typed information and it was redirecting to our site sans differences. Our fantastic web person emailed them in VIETNAM about our concerns----never heard back from them but they did change their 'typing error' by January 7th 2009. So now when you type in www.sachitd.com we show up on the top of their page but it goes no where. But because we were looking on our Google analytic page for what was peeking your interest and what sites were guiding you to us -- we found something we weren't looking for at all. So we want to thank you for your patience with our main site over the past few weeks. -- the Bells

Cabin Creek Timber Raises Timber Frame in Abita Springs, LA

2009-12-13T22:32:00.001-05:00

Day one was spent driving from our beamery in Franklin, NC to the raising site in Abita Springs, LA across the lake from New Orleans, LA. Day two was spent unloading the two tractor trailers that carried the timber frame to Louisiana. The timber frame had to be carried into the job-site some half mile from the road by an all terrain lull as they had just received five inches of rain the few days before and was impassable by regular vehicles. As you will see moving the timbers with out a crane was quite a slog. Day three was spent shooting grade on the slab and laying out where the posts were to be placed on the slabs---and attaching the brackets to the slab.

Photos of Cabin Creek Timber Frames - timber frame raising ---Day 2-3 Abita Springs, LA Day three was sunny with scattered showers, cool and windy. The crew was able raise some of the timber frame.

Photos of Cabin Creek Timber Frames - timber frame raisings -Day 3
The road into the site was being re-graded and sand applied to the red clay in anticipation of the crane coming to the job site.

Photos of Day Four - Raising timber frame by Cabin Creek Timber Frames -- Abita Springs, LA
After the crane was able to get into the job site the crew was able to set the remaining walls and move the timbers around where they can get to them more easiliy.

SIPS, arrive at job site Abita Springs, LA

2009-12-11T00:08:00.006-05:00

The SIPS, structurally insulated panels arrive in Abita Springs, LA. Due to unseasonably heavy rains this month - the road into the site needs some repair before we can bring them in to the job site safely.

Trial Assembly timber frame for Lousiana

2009-12-08T19:03:00.007-05:00

Trial assembly of timber frame to be erected in Louisiana as soon as the weather permits.
Photos of Trial Assembly of Eastern White PineTimber Frame for S. E. Louisianana

Christmas Lights & Decorations go up at the beamery office

2009-12-07T19:09:00.000-05:00

Roy and the crew used the forklift with its basket to put up our exterior lights. You can view some of them here plus the start of a light dusting of snow we had on Dec 4th, 2009. Chritmas LIGHTS go up here at Cabin Creek Timber Frames

Tracy starts decorating the interior of the Design Office with our petite but perfectly formed Frazier fir.

Old Salem - Buildings 1-5

2009-12-05T09:36:00.012-05:00

Old Salem's first five buildings were surprisingly named buildings 1-5. Four of the original five are in still in use today. The fourth building was built in1768 and has not been reconstructed - it is how it was built in 1768.
Web Album of Old Salem buildings 1--5

The building destroyed by fire - has not been reconstructed - as they have not yet found enough information about the structure to reconstruct it. The scholars at Old Salem have about 7-10 more years of old documents and records to go through. These scholars hope to uncover information there to do so. They do however know its exact location.

Gathering - A murder of crows, rafter of turkeys and a herd of deer visit us Sunday

2009-11-30T09:02:00.002-05:00

While it is not unusual for us to see a herd of deer or a rafter of turkeys or a murder of crows here at Deer Chase - this is the first time we can say that they have appeared all at the same time. They stayed out in front of the house for a good hour and a half and mingled. Joe shot these photos from inside the house in the great room over looking the gathering. Murder Of Crows, Rafter Of Turkeys And A Herd Of Deer At Deer Chase Sunday One of the things to consider when planning your timber frame is - Is there wild life in the area where you are planning to live??? There are many, many plants out there that are deer resistant - that deer just plain find non-tasty. On the other hand there are plants that-- shall we say invite them to the table.