Timber framing

[Windows]

I don’t quite understand what I’m seeing here with the curved braces in front of the windows. Does it make sense? This is a modern kitchen extension from Escape to the Country (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001xgn3 at 10:38)

 

[AJB Temple]

Here we have a "designer" at work.

 

[heimlaga]

The designer asked for more window area than there was room for. The braces must be there for structural reasons so someone just put them there.

 

[AJB Temple]

Overbuilt, clumsy design. Braces incorrect and appear to be planted on.

 

[Mike G]

Clumsy, but some sort of racking resistance is obviously necessary with a frame standing out on its own like that. My braces are somewhat smaller, but are there for the same reason:

Imagine an elephant leaning on one end of the building. The bracing is there to stop it all lying down at a bit of an angle..........and wind can push almost as hard as an elephant.

 

[Reggieb]

I don’t quite understand what I’m seeing here with the curved braces in front of the windows.

And why the only joints that appear to be pinned?

Clumsy, but some sort of racking resistance is obviously necessary with a frame standing out on its own like that. My braces are somewhat smaller, but are there for the same reason:

But those brace are at the top which makes more sense surely.

 

[Cabinetman]

But he missed a trick, he could have done it properly with a full on Cruck barn curved end.

 

[Mike G]

And why the only joints that appear to be pinned?


But those brace are at the top which makes more sense surely.

Well, actually, those big ugly braces are also acting on the top, and maybe even higher up than mine. They will function perfectly well. They just look wrong. I'd have to look it up, but I think that there are some western areas of Britain where gable bracing is traditionally inverted, like this.

What looks worse to me is the oversizing of most of the timber. The whole structure looks bloated and clumsy because the timbers are almost all too big. I mean, look at that ridiculous build-up over the doors. And the posts look to be up to a foot wide. Fair enough for some principle timbers, but to use massive timbers everywhere is just ugly.

 

[Mike G]

I'll add a pet peeve of mine: posts above a plate not lining up with posts below a plate. The posts above the door have been moved out-board of the door posts to accomodate the two unnecessary diagonals. It means that nothing in the gable aligns with anything below. I'd go so far as to say that I doubt the person who designed this extension has ever designed an oak frame previously.

I also suspect that the inside face (the stuff we are seeing), isn't actually oak framing. I suspect it is oak boards planted on the inside face of oak framing, and used to "capture" the glazing. That's why, I suspect, we aren't seeing any pegs......other than those on the braces.

 

[Windows]

Is there a book or website on timber framing that you’d recommend?

I didn’t know why this framing felt wrong to me structurally, but I guess I had assumed the braces I see in the SE (like the ones in your own property, Mike) to be about supporting long beams to prevent sagging or cracking. I didn’t really think about resistance to sideways forces. Thanks for the explanation.

The aesthetic failure to align the glazing in the door and the panes above it bothers me a lot.

This house is in Shropshire so maybe the braces are vernacular for that area?

 

[AJB Temple]

I'll add a pet peeve of mine: posts above a plate not lining up with posts below a plate. The posts above the door have been moved out-board of the door posts to accomodate the two unnecessary diagonals. It means that nothing in the gable aligns with anything below. I'd go so far as to say that I doubt the person who designed this extension has ever designed an oak frame previously.

I also suspect that the inside face (the stuff we are seeing), isn't actually oak framing. I suspect it is oak boards planted on the inside face of oak framing, and used to "capture" the glazing. That's why, I suspect, we aren't seeing any pegs......other than those on the braces.

Indeed, hence me saying here we have a "designer" at work. It's hopeless. To be fair, I've been guilty of overbuilding oak framing myself, but not to anywhere near that extent.

 

[Mike G]

Is there a book or website on timber framing that you’d recommend?

Funnily enough, the two best books I've found on the subject aren't great academic tomes, but really small paper-back booklets:

Discovering Timber-Framed Buildings by Richard Harris (Shire Publications ISBN 0 85263 481 1)

Timber Framed Buildings Explained by Trevor Yorke (Countryside Books ISBN 978 1 84674 220 0)

 

[duke]

I see a scarf joint , bottom left of the opening pic.
But agree, bulky looking!

 

[Cabinetman]

More interesting to me in some ways is the chair in the pic, looks like fretted Viking at the top with 3D laminated arms ( sticks/twigs joined side by side?) and a caveman style underframe. Most unusual and has a Scandinavian feel to it.
Ian

 

[the bear]

I also suspect that the inside face (the stuff we are seeing), isn't actually oak framing. I suspect it is oak boards planted on the inside face of oak framing, and used to "capture" the glazing. That's why, I suspect, we aren't seeing any pegs......other than those on the braces.

In my experince this is done on the outside of the frame, not the inside.

Agreed though, those braces look odd and the timbers not lining up looks wrong. However I don't mind chunky, rather that than they look undersized for me.

Mark

 

[Mike G]

In my experince this is done on the outside of the frame, not the inside.

I agree, but this just looks odd to be. I can't quite fathom what is going on, ........but it's not impossible that we're seeing some kind of cover-board.

 

[meccarroll]

You do not normally see bracing like in this oak building extension in modern structures like conservatories etc. There is a scarf joint on the left hand side cill so I'm guessing the framework could be all structural and draw bored from the outside but not carried through to the inside.

The section sizes (as Mike has said) do look too large for the building size and for me would spoil the feel. I think the gable end is what looks out of place altogether, I'd remove the overdone bracing and maybe do as Mike has done (more than enough on draw bored oak framing) and also just make the gable a king or queen post truss. The slender doors don't seem to quite fit either.

I guess we all like different things.