Search our Site...

Timber Framing History Part I

Posted on Sep 14, 2018

This month begins our four part blog article series, “Timber Framing History.” As you contemplate designing and building your custom home, you may find yourself seeking a deeper understanding about the origins, geographical adaptation, and traditions of this ancient craft. By knowing a bit more about how timber frame building methods evolved over time, and how today’s machinery and technological advancements have enhanced precision and structural durability, you gain a true appreciation of your home’s connection to ancient history and to tales not yet written.

barn-style-home-design-by-riverbend
Riverbend Timber Framing Lancaster conceptual design

You have probably heard or read references to the centuries of tradition behind timber framing. These historical touchpoints resonate here at Riverbend every day. And, while it is true that there are hundreds of years of timber frame history, you may not be aware of just how many centuries it dates back. Timber framing building methods are so old that you could refer to them in millenniums rather than centuries.

How old is timber framing?

Timber framing is much older than most people realize. For example, one of the oldest known references to it in the Western World is from Roman architect and author, Vitruvius. He wrote about the Roman construction technique of opus craticum in his treatise on architecture, De architectura. The House of opus craticum, a half-timbered building in Italy, was buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Ironically, the Roman author was somewhat disparaging of the technique of plastered over wattlework, believing it to be a terrible fire hazard[i]. Yet, the House of opus craticum still survives to this day, an ancient testament to the durability of timber. You can see it here.

While the House of opus craticum is the oldest example of a timber frame building, thousands of examples stand throughout the world. Some, dating back to the 12th century, have survived. Additionally, many of these serve as residences and businesses to this very day. One example of this is Norway’s Kaupanger Stave Church with its timbers cut in 1137. The church has been in continuous use since completion (Kaupanger stavkirke, 2018).

Other, more (relatively) recent structures, are global icons of timber framing’s history. For example, you may have heard of a Parisian cathedral named Notre-Dame. The Notre-Dame de Paris’ timber frame roof, shown below in this illustration by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879), is a lesser-known element of one of the most famous buildings in the world. Notre-Dame has served as a cathedral and cultural touchstone for over 850 years (La Cathedrale Historique de la Construction, n.d.)

roof-notre-dame
Photo from Viollet-le-Duc’s Dictionnaire raisonné de l’architecture française du XIe au XVIe siècle

The craft in modern Europe

Outstanding examples of timber framed structures also exist in other parts of modern Europe.

Traveling the famed German Timber Frame Road would make anyone fall in love with timber framing– if they haven’t already. The 1,200-mile route traverses nearly the entire length of Germany, connecting several towns, each of which is brimming with centuries old half-timbered residences[i]. For a less arduous tour, visit Quedlinburg where over 1,200 timber frame structures can be viewed and enjoyed in less than a single day’s drive. More than one European town is listed with UNESCO (Official Relations (UNESCO/ERI), n.d.) due to their abundance of intact, inhabitable, useable, timber frame buildings.

The craft in Asia

The wide use of timber framing in Japan is another example of the technique’s extraordinary geographical reach. Though it is thought to be rooted in Chinese wooden architecture (Fu Hsi-nien, 2002), there is not as much English translated research about timber framing’s history in this part of Asia as there is for Europe. We do know, however, there were massive and unmolested forests in Japan and China. Further, heavy use of timber framing in both countries dates back thousands of years (Steinhardt, 1999).  Like European craftsman, a regional evolution in techniques left Asian timber framing significantly different from that of the West.

Why was the craft of timber framing so popular? In a word: species. Across much of Europe and Asia, if a supply of appropriate wood species was available, timber frame building techniques were present. In addition, more than one researcher has written about the fact that proximity and quantity of appropriate wood species was no less important than what wood species was NOT located nearby. For example, timber framing was not common in areas with an abundant supply of pine and spruce. Those species produce long, straight logs, perfectly lending themselves to log home construction rather than timber framing. Lacking copious amounts of deciduous softwood, however, meant timber frame building took hold in other parts of the world.

Regional innovations

As timber framing spread, regions subsequently innovated and developed distinct styles. Perhaps the best example of this is Asian framing’s almost complete lack of diagonal bracing.

Japanese-timber-frame-drawing
Wall (side) framing of a Japanese house under construction from The Popular Science Monthly, Volume 28, 1885-1886

Other instances of regional innovation include: Germany, the northernmost state of Schleswig-Holstein, becoming famous for its enormous beams (12” was common), while the southwestern region of Swabia, (think: the Black Forest), is thought to be the birthplace of modern style tenons. The latter is due to builders in southwestern Germany learning that wood moved as the timbers “seasoned” or dried,[ii]. Subsequently, the innovation of the tenon occurred as builders learned to peg the joints (while allowing an approximate one inch of space). In turn, this meant timbers now had room to move during the seasoning or drying period, but were still held in place by these wooden pegs.

The craft of timber framing is much older than many people realize.
timber-frame-detail-riverbend
Riverbend Timber Framing mortise and tenon joinery

Today, tenons are an essential part of the joinery here at Riverbend. You likely already know that we use mortise and tenon techniques in every home we create. Please return to our blog in two weeks as we continue our journey through the history of timber framing.

Contact Our Experts Today

View Timber Frame Home Styles

Notes and photo credits

________________________________________

Fu Hsi-nien, X. F. (2002). Chinese Architecture – The Origins of Chinese Architecture (English ed.). Yale University Press. Retrieved from Xujie, Liu (2002). Chinese Architecture – The Origins of Chinese Architecture (English ed.). Yale University Press. p. 11

La Cathedrale Historique de la Construction. (n.d.). Retrieved from Notre Dame de Paris: http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/en/la-cathedrale/histoire/historique-de-la-construction/

Marcus Vitruvius: Architecture, Volume 2, Latin. (n.d.). Retrieved 2018, from University of Chicago: https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/L/Roman/Texts/Vitruvius/2*.html#8.20

Official Relations (UNESCO/ERI). (n.d.). UNESCO/ERIWorld Heritage Centre. Retrieved from UNESCO: https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/de

Steinhardt, N. S. (1999). Chinese Imperial Planning. In N. S. Steinhardt, Chinese Imperial Planning (pp. IX-XI, 1-6, 36). Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

Timber Framing. (n.d.). Retrieved from Infogalactic: https://infogalactic.com/info/Timber_framing#Carpenters.27_marks

Unknown. (1885-1886). The Popular Science Monthly, Volume 28. Retrieved from Archive.org: https://archive.org/details/popularsciencemo281886newy

Yulia, K. (2011, December 29). La Casa a Graticcio. Herculaneum, Italy. Retrieved from > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_craticum#/media/File:Casa_a_Graticcio.jpg

[i]  Half-timbered in these instances refers to a ground floor stone exterior (or) when a load bearing timber is left exposed on the building’s exterior.

[ii] Because of its relation to/dependance on seasoning conditions, movement could include shrinking, expanding, and more.

[iii] Multiple works available in the original Latin and translated. See “a letter to be sent to Bill Thayer”


Need More Information?

Whether you’re looking for more information or would simply like to learn more about us and our services, don’t hesitate to contact us. Please follow the link below to access our online form or call us at 888.486.2363 in the US or 888.999.4744 in Canada. We look forward to hearing from you.

Order Riverbend Brochure Contact Us