For our second segment of Post and Beam Western Red Cedar homes we will look at some of the crafting behind these homes. Post and Beam crafting techniques are the same as what is used for our Heavy Timber Frame homes, only the logs are left round. The first time I saw the intricacy of the specific joints I was spellbound. So let me share some of the craftsmanship behind these homes.

I am only going to show the main joints within this article. If you want a wh0le education on what each piece, joint, and rib is called then let me refer you to the Timber Home Living Magazine. I subscribe to it and often they feature articles which name each piece of these log puzzles.

Our first joint is the Mortise and Tenon. These are cut so that the tail of one fits into the slot on the other. These match up perfectly. They are used for load baring walls and locations where the downward pressure pushes them together. The male female interlocking prevents side ward movement of the logs. These joints are found within log trusses too.

Western Red Cedar can be used for ridge beams and trusses. If the home is extremely wide sometimes Douglas Fir is used in strategic places. Fir is the strongest structurally and it does offer a color contrast similar to the Red Cedar, but not as dramatic as the Red. So it matches well with the Western Red Cedar Post and Beam.

This is a Western Red Cedar log home with western red cedar support posts in the interior.  The squared tenon is visible on the top of the support posts that mortise into the mortise slots on the under side of the log support beam. The rugged flared bottom of the cedar support posts are also visible.

The next joint is a Dovetail. The Dovetail is shaped with diagonals within it. The most extreme end of the joint is wider so that it cannot pull out of place. For some places we have to use a double dovetail. It all depends on what the specific space within the post and beam shell requires.

This is a photo of two post and beam logs joining on top of a cedar post. This particular location was on a covered porch. The log ends are scribe fit together and rested on the post. Remember that within a Post and Beam home every log is load baring. Nothing is only decorative.

Round trunnels (tree-nails) are the round pins used at the bottom of the post. (These are only decorative today and are used to cover the screw heads beneath.

For detail beyond belief a Post and Beam Western Red Cedar home is a lovely choice. The red red of the cedar cannot be matched with any stain. It is an intrinsic beauty of a cedar log.

Cowboy Log Homes