Hello to all. I am a new member who joined to look for help with resources / advice on building my own frame, a patio cover or pavilion type frame over my patio at my home.
I am looking to replace the current cover I built with dimensional lumber over 10 years ago with a timberframed pavilion
structure.
I have will beemers book and two of jack sobons books I have been reading and researching but still have many questions.
I am a hobbyist woodworker with a very nice shop and I employ power tools and am trying to implement more hand tools into my woodworking.I have purchased a few chisels from Jim on at the forestry forum I have several sawyers in my area that can provide me with Doug fir beams for this frame.
This frame will be approx. 21 1/2 ' x 21 ' outside of the footprint of the posts.
I have looked at the 19 x22 pavillion on the TF headquarters site
and was wondering if I could alter the dimensions of those plans to make it work in my situation?
Along with the above question here are a few more I have, and any reply or advice will be appreciated.
Do most plans or drawings show details of the joints to be cut?

Is there a book or somewhere on the web that has more detailed drawings and procedures for cutting joints than the books I have?

Is there someone on this forum that i can hire to design a frame with detailed drawings of joints etc. for this frame?

Would a hammer beam type pavillion truss be too hard to cut / assemble for a first time frame builder like myself?

Any help or advice for this project would be greatly appreciated, I am looking to disassemble the old and build the new this spring/early summer.
Thank You
Gordon m

Hello and Welcome Gordon M.

I will try to help, and I am sure others will too when/if possible...



That is rather large for a first frame...yet doable if you have solid basic woodworking skills now...



Modifying or developing your own designs without prior and solid timber framing skills can be a risky venture. I personally strongly recommend against it for most students just starting out, unless they have direct "hands on" guidance from a professional, and/or PE approval for the design.



Yes, the better ones do have this, some also come with phone support, all good plans cost money. Usually starting at $5 to $10 a square foot for basic (not custom) frames...sometimes less for smaller project...seldom for as large as yours in my experience.



The books referenced should be all that is really needed for a basic frame. Again, as a Timberwright that designs, builds and teaches, I can't really recommend to most folks to go beyond a small garden shed without prior experience, and/or hands on professional support.



Some members here have a solid background in timber frame design work and facilitation.



I would not recommend it...but some have taken on such a style of frame with great success. HBT frames are not something in general I would recommend for a first timer nor for a pavilion...A Cruck Frame perhaps or something in the Asian modalities...It all depends on what styles of architecture you care for...

Good Luck,

j

I'll take a stronger position than Jay on Hammer Beams, don't do it. They are implemented poorly more often than correctly. They work out for a few years, long enough to get on the cover of your favorite timber porn magazine but invariably they begin to buckle and spread. The ancient cathedral builders knew this, or at least the ones that built those that still stand. They build massive stone buttresses on the outside of the cathedral to counter the horizontal thrust. Even when you account for this they tend to twist (buckle) out of plane unless stiffened perpendicularly. It can be done right with a specialty timber frame engineer and lots of hardware at the post foot, reinforced foundation, and massive support posts.

Jay and Paul , Thank you for the replies.If it is best that I stay away from the HBT I will. I was just attracted to the more open air without the bottom chord of the truss in photos etc of other pavillion , covers.
Maybe someone will chime in that offers design services and we can get something worked out.
Thanks again Jay and Paul.
Gordon