Heavy Timber Post and Beam Construction

Just as log homes are centuries old, timber framing is another art from log ago. Lake Country Log Homes began offering heavy timber construction post and beam- timber framing- due to the loveliness and functionality of these homes. Some timber frame structures in Japan and Europe have been standing for nearly 1,000 years.

Timber framing allows for larger expanses and internal spaces of homes to be uninterrupted by interior load baring walls. The superstructure supports the entire building.  Each piece of our heavy timber home and buildings are handcrafted. In the log home world, it is like comparing milled log homes to handcrafted log homes. The handcrafted are more expensive, but they are much more unique and every log is hand scribed for its particular placement. And so our heavy timber homes far out weigh machine produced timber frames.

It is not hard to picture barns and even cathedrals with the massive trusses and timbers forming the walls and ceilings. From the turn of the century to the mid 1970′s timber framing almost became extinct because of the introduction of building methods such as steel. But a group of master craftsmen revived this style of construction and it has only gained in popularity in the past 35 years.

Mortise and Tenon

Heavy Timber Post and Beam can be used for commercial building, entire homes, home additions, and even entry ways and covered porches. Any structure can be built with framing lumber and nails, but very few have the naturalness and extreme beauty that exposed timbers, king trusses, heavy timber trusses, mortise and tenon, and dovetail joinery add. Pictured below is double dovetail. The octagon post is the top of a log turret, also popular additions to post and beam homes. Wood dows are also used for more complex joints.

Double Dove Tail Joinery

When a heavy timber post and beam home is built, first all of the timbers are squared. Then, each in turn, the beams are fit into the superstructure until the entire shell is standing in our yard. Then each is numbered, hand sanded, dissembled, and wrapped for shipment. (Ban saw or smooth finish available). Timbers range commonly from 8″ to 12″. Some especially heavy ones can be as large as 18″x18″. All of our homes come with Construction Drawings. We can build any home or building to any specifications.

Typically, the more complicated the outside outline of the home, the more expensive to create. Bays, wings, changes in roof lines, and turrets all enhance the home but require more time and material to produce.

For timber framing that is far from ordinary, or adding accents to a home through porches and timber stairs, our heavy timber framing is ideal.

Heavy Timber Home

Cowboy Log Homes specializes in large heavy time homes and large log homes.