Post and beam is a type of construction in which vertical members (posts) are connected by horizontal members (beams) to create the structural framework of a building. The posts and beams can be wood, steel, concrete, plywood, laminated solid wood or any other suitable material. The pieces are connected with any number of methods - screws, nails, through-bolts, or joist hangers.
We believe that the traditional wooden joinery is the best way to construct a durable and inherently beautiful framework. This type of joinery has been used for well over a thousand years, and there are hundreds of ancient timber frame structures that stand in testimony to its strength.
Most of our frames are made of oak. Many species are suitable for timber framing, but we inventory oak because it is the best, most plentiful, locally available species, and therefore the most cost effective material. We often supply frames in other species upon request, including Douglas Fir, White Pine, cedar, maple and salvaged timber.
Since timbers are a very renewable resource, we are obligated to use them as wisely as possible. We are also committed to meeting as many of the national ‘GREEN’ standards as possible. We are certified to offer and provide FSC timbers.
Another solution to managing our timber resources is to use re-cycled (timbers from pre-existing buildings), re-claimed (timbers from previously logging operations such as river and lake bottoms), and Dead Standing. . These trees have died from a variety causes including simply old age. They are structurally sound, much drier, and an ideal solution to the many concerns our clients offer.
Traditional timber frames have always been crafted from green timber and a certain amount of movement and shrinkage is to be expected. We take a number of precautions to minimize the amount of movement. Timbers are individually inspected for spiraling grain and large knots - the two main causes of undue wood movement - and unsatisfactory timbers are rejected.
Checks are the grain separations that appear on the surface of the timbers. They are caused as the timbers dry and shrink. When wood begins to lose the water that can account for over seventy-five percent of its live weight, it shrinks in size. As the shrinkage occurs, the timber pulls itself apart in isolated areas along the grain lines. Occasionally, they can even produce a loud bang. It's nothing to worry about, the timbers are just making themselves at home, acclimating to their new environment.
While timbers will not shrink significantly in length, their cross-grain dimensions (width and depth) can shrink noticeably. This usually begins to appear in the first and second year after construction. For example, beams that were tightly butted against posts at the time of the frame raising might show gaps a year or two later. This shrinkage is taken into account in our engineering of timber sizes and joinery, and does not significantly affect structural integrity.
Essentially, NO; the main measurement for the end of either process is the moisture content (MC). Seasoned wood usually refers to wood that has cured ‘naturally.’ Kiln dried wood is done with machines. In both cases, seasoned or acclimated or cured wood is about 15% MC. All wood ‘acclimates’ to the environment within which it lives. Your wood furniture, wood trim, wooden kitchen cabinets, and wood floors are all the same, about 12% to 15% in the east and 8% to 12% in the south west. If the home is close to a large body of water, it might be higher.
Yes; Timbers that are ‘seasoned’ will move (shrink or twist) much less. This may be appealing visually. This may also be worth considering if there is a cost to ‘filling’ the spaces, e.g. between the wall and timber.
The Insulspan® structural insulated panels that are used to enclose and insulate our timber frames consist of a core of rigid foam insulation laminated between interior and exterior sheathing materials. View Sample
The panels are manufactured in one piece in sizes from 4' x 8' up to 8' x 24'. The panels are nailed or screwed to the outside of the frame (walls and roof wrapping it in a tight, low-infiltration blanket of insulation). These rigid panels perform like an I-beam, with the sheathing materials resisting the forces of tension and compression and the foam core acting as the web. They have the structural integrity necessary to span the areas between timber frame members. With modifications, these panels can become fully structural. In some cases modified to carry timbers, and in others, to be self supporting. In both cases, these opportunities are easily facilitated by a company that designs and engineers this exciting building system.
These structural panels are similar to the panels used to enclose timber frames except that "two by" framing members are incorporated in the structural panel joints and drywall is not laminated to the inside surface.
Insulspan SIPs are pre-cut and ready to assemble (RTA). This saves time and skill on site resulting in a more accurate construction process. Pre-cutting for windows, doors, all openings, the shape of the building walls and roofs including hips, valleys, and the overhangs. Dormers are often pre-assembled on site and installed as a single unit.
Included in the pre-cut package of panels are all the miscellaneous materials such as splines, open ‘bucks,’ corner, eve, and rake sub materials, top and bottom plates as needed, fasteners (nails and screws), foam sealers for between panel seams, adhesives to glue various components together, a seam sealer tape, and a building wall wrap.
A resounding YES. The immediate and most obvious reason that they are so ‘green’ is the energy saving quality. This takes several forms including less energy and resources to make Insulspan SIPs vs. traditional insulation materials and less time and energy to install them as compared to the equivalent conventional building system.
The most recognized energy saving is the substantially lower energy bills the owners experience during the ownership of their homes.
The sheathing materials is ‘farmed’ lumber. While it is harvested every 5 to 8 years, it is immediately replanted like any other crop. The adhesives are very low VOC and contain no formaldehyde.
While petroleum products are required to make the rigid foam core, this is a wise use of our dwindling oil reserves. Unlike a gallon of gasoline which is used and gone never to be used again, EPS foam is sandwiched between the sheathing stock and will conserve energy for generations of the building’s life, saving thousands and thousands gallons of oil or equivalent over its life.
There are many advantages to using SIPs. Insulspan structural insulated panels represent the first truly labor efficient way of enclosing and insulating a timber framed building. Historical methods such as wattle and daub infill or brick noggin were notoriously labor intensive and ineffective insulators. Most modern methods preceding structural insulated enclosure were imitations of stud framing with the accompanying problems of air infiltration and moisture condensation, not to mention the redundancy of building a structural wall around a structural framework.
Insulspan SIPs on the other hand, are a lamination of two layers of sheathing (typically OSB) over a core of rigid Expanded Polystyrene foam (EPS) wrapping the entire home in a continuous blanket of insulation. The laminated skins of sheathing allow the installation of interior finishes such as drywall (gypsum) and exterior finishes including siding and roofing materials.
Insulspan structural insulated panels can be installed in as little as three working days depending on the complexity of the job and the experience of the crew that installs them. Insulspan structural insulated panels also offer superior strength and security.
A home enclosed in Insulspan structural insulated panels is strengthened and protected by two layers of Oriented Strand Board (OSB) - one on the outside panel face and one on the inside. The inside layer of OSB also provides a sturdy nailing surface, enabling you to hang shelves, cabinets and pictures without having to search for a stud.
Some of the things you should think about as you begin the process of building your dream home are:
It depends on the degree of difficulty including the nature of the site, the location, the complexity of the design, the specifications, and much more.
A guideline is that a custom design takes 26 to 30 weeks and construction from 6 to 9 months for an average home.
It is a budgeting tool, a home cost simulation model, a proprietary software program that is exclusive to Riverbend.
This program helps you define your home at an early stage-accurately and thoroughly. It also allows you to create a construction budget before the house is substantially designed.
Home-Cost.com provides best practice commercial project management tools to residential projects in a way that is accessible and useful to the consumer market.
A few questions to ask yourself before you determine whether or not to use a professional designer, or other design avenues include:
A few questions to ask yourself before you determine whether or not you are going to hire a professional builder include:
A local Riverbend Representative in your area can assist you in determining the best answers to these questions.
This is probably the most frequently asked question, and one that cannot be answered simply. In essence it is like comparing apples to oranges.
In order to make an accurate comparison, it is necessary to compare like structures, and that is where the difficulty begins. Given structures of identical size with identical floor plans, one timber framed and the other conventionally built, you still don't have identical buildings. The timber frame itself offers valuable elements to a home that are very difficult to duplicate with conventional methods.
First, the timber frame provides an extremely sound and durable structural base. Historical evidence suggests that given a good foundation and careful protection from the elements, a timber frame will last indefinitely. There are hundreds of timber framed structures in Europe and Japan that are approaching 1,000 years of age. There is no evidence to suggest that modern timber frames, when designed with respect for the joinery and techniques of the ancient frames, should expect a shorter life span. They are truly built for generations of use.
Second, the frame plays a significant role in maintaining an appropriate living environment. The thermal mass of the frame helps stabilize temperatures inside the home. The frame also helps control interior humidity levels, which affects personal comfort levels in any structure.
Third, and most difficult to appraise, the frame adds significant architectural interest to a home. The rooms in a timber frame house are more than drywall-finished boxes. The frame is an integral part of the interior. Conventional builders often spend large sums of money in an attempt to duplicate the character of a timber framed structure.
In addition to all of this, it would be very difficult to duplicate the insulating performance of the Insulspan structural insulated panels with conventional methods.
Therefore, it seems reasonable to expect that if a conventional builder were asked to build a home that could reasonably be expected to last several hundred years, with the necessary amount of thermal mass and some ability to self-regulate temperature and humidity levels, with beamed ceilings and the integrity of a timber frame, the most likely result would be a significantly more expensive structure.
Remember, too, that the timber frame/structural insulated panel combination accounts for only a fraction of the cost of custom construction, and that the degree and quality of finish materials determine the majority of the cost.
With all these things in mind, it is safe to say that if conventional methods are used to build a home that is insulated to the same degree as a timber frame enclosed with Insulspan structural insulated panels (disregarding the contributions of the frame itself), there will be little cost difference. We would add that while there is a little cost difference, there is a significant difference in value.
Yes. More and more lenders are familiar with timber framing and the industry.
Some of the different elements for timber framed and hybrid timber homes that affect cost include;
Timber frame construction is suitable for nearly every architectural style from Colonial to contemporary. Timber framing was the type of construction used to build most of the historic residential styles and continues to be very adaptable. It is not just for rustic buildings.
We have many home plans for which firm costs have been calculated. Our Riverbend Timber Frame Plan Book highlights many of our most popular home plans. Minor changes can be made to these designs at no extra charge. More substantial changes requiring structural modification or significant design time will be priced accordingly.
Contact your local Riverbend Representative for more information about plans and designing your home. Find a Representative now.
Sure, but please don't underestimate the importance of a thorough design or the amount of time required to produce it. A change can be made on paper with an eraser, but a change on site after construction can cost thousands of dollars. A designer's experience with construction not only can help you avoid such expenses, but should also enable you to take advantage of the most economical methods for building your design.
You will also want to consider the amount of time required to produce an adequate set of drawings. Remember, these drawings are more than pictures of a house. They are documents that must communicate the details of construction to financiers, general contractors, subcontractors and anyone else involved in the project. They must be prepared thoroughly and accurately, and doing so takes time. An experienced designer will typically spend more than 40 hours at the drawing board after conceptual details have been worked out. So it is reasonable to expect that a person with less experience will spend significantly more time preparing a design.
Do you have that much time? How much do you really know about construction techniques, engineering and costs? Can your time be spent in more profitable ways? A local Riverbend Representative in your area can assist you in determining the best answers to these questions. Find a Representative now.
Certainly, developing your own design for your own home is a worthwhile undertaking. But since planning is probably the most important phase of the construction project, be willing to invest a significant amount of time in the development of your design skills, and then devote a significant amount of time to the development of your design. And again, be flexible and willing to listen to the suggestions of people whose knowledge of design and construction may surpass your own.
Yes. Adapting a timber frame to an existing floor plan and adapting a floor plan to an existing timber frame are easily accomplished. In both cases, some minor flexibility need to be considered. We need to remember that in design, carrying the roof loads become the major consideration; start with the roof and work your way down to the basement.
For example, while a timber frame may reduce the need for load bearing walls (think the open space of a barn); there are posts and limits to the practical length of floor beams. Thus, adapting a design to a timber frame may require some minor adjustments for post locations.
No. Our role is basically that of a subcontractor to a general contractor or an owner-builder. We supply the timber frame/structural insulated panel system, as well as windows, doors, ICF’s, delivery, advisor, and installation. Riverbend’s representatives may provide construction services as well as a network of local suppliers, services, builders and contractors.
We also offer a full service design staff that is capable of developing a full set of drawings to your specifications. Riverbend has a strong network of experienced independent Representatives and Associates in many parts of the country.
The Advantage ICF System is a patented insulating concrete forming system consisting of two layers of expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation connected with web connectors molded into the EPS insulation. The top and bottom edges of Advantage ICF System blocks have pre-formed interlocking mechanisms which ensure web connectors align vertically for attachment of surface finish materials.
When the installed Advantage ICF System blocks are filled with concrete, an insulated, monolithic concrete wall of uniform thickness is formed. The result is superior, energy efficient wall that will provide long-term energy cost savings and add resale value to the building
Every Riverbend representative has at least one home that is open by appointment for a tour. Please see our Riverbend Timber Frames Map.
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