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Q about foundation for timberframe house #34482 07/01/18 01:41 AM
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Nsherve Offline OP
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My wife has been telling me that the fire/smoke alarms have been going off in our new house that we had built. It is stick framed. While at work, I started day dreaming/ thinking that if the house were to burn down, I'd like to rebuild it timberframed. I'm pretty sure it would save a lot of money, since we have a timber on our land. My question is, would we have to have a new foundation poured since the timber would be heavier that the stick?
I don't know the dimensions of the footing for the current foundation, so this might be a pretty general question...
Thanks for any responses, answers, and information that anyone can provide.

Nate

Re: Q about foundation for timberframe house [Re: Nsherve] #34483 07/01/18 02:54 AM
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Roger Nair Offline
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A timber frame is a different building type than a stick frame because a TF creates point loads rather than distributed loads. So the designer must quantify the loads and design the foundation walls and footings to carry design specific loads. This is not an area for general opinion.

Re: Q about foundation for timberframe house [Re: Nsherve] #34484 07/01/18 05:36 AM
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Jay White Cloud Offline
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Hi Nate,

In general, any foundation should be re-evaluated by a PE and/or the timber frame designer to see if it can carry the load parameters a given design will subject it to.

I can share, that most "stick frame" structures are not in balance with the foundations under many of them, in as as much, that most OPC modern foundations (even traditional stone plinth or other stone, rammed earth, etc foundations) fare exceed the loads above them. So, if yours is a typical 8" pourd form foundation or even a cylinder block if a "full silled timber frame" design is incorporated your current foundation most likely will take the timber frame load parameters without any modification.

I would point out that an insulative/mechanical/electrical wall diaphragm system will still have to be employed and this often is studwork, wall trussing or related extra framing or panel system...

If fire is a growing concern of yours and/or your wife's, I can share the most domestic (and commercial) confligrations are from the fireload of content materials moved into the architecture...not the studwork.

Regards,

j

Re: Q about foundation for timberframe house [Re: Nsherve] #34485 07/01/18 11:19 AM
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Nsherve Offline OP
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Thanks for the quick replies. I'm not too worried about the house burning, she's having it checked out (I work overseas, so not home for it). This is mostly just a thought that popped into my head (I'd probably go for it, if the house were to burn). I do understand the point load of TF vs the distributed load of SF...and I would certainly have the foundation checked prior to building. Have any of you (or any you know) done this?

Re: Q about foundation for timberframe house [Re: Nsherve] #34486 07/01/18 11:21 AM
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Nsherve Offline OP
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...not only the foundation check part, but the whole deal (building TF on a SF foundation)?

Re: Q about foundation for timberframe house [Re: Nsherve] #34487 07/01/18 06:01 PM
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Jay White Cloud Offline
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Originally Posted By: Nsherve
Thanks for the quick replies.

Hello Nate,

You are most welcome...

Thanks for coming to the Timber Framers Guild to ask your questions...

Originally Posted By: Nsherve
...she's having it checked out (I work overseas, so not home for it)...

I am more at ease now that I know the structure isn't at some risk of fire.

Please do make sure your wife has a professional check the alarms that is supported and/or recommended by NFPA or local Fire Department.

I would also add that most Fire Department do this extremely well for free or a modest tax deductible donation in most areas I have lived and worked. I would strongly recommend she reach out to them first because they don't have anything to "sell" and only would be interested in the architecture and her safety.

I would also add, if these are modern detectors (and they should be) that these will detect gasses as well that could be infiltrating the home. Some even alarm for Radon and related materials, including molds, dust concentrates, etc. Good alarms may go off annoyingly...but that's better than the alternative...

Originally Posted By: Nsherve
Have any of you (or any you know) done this?

...not only the foundation check part, but the whole deal (building TF on a SF foundation)?

Yes, and/or know of a number examples of repurposing and conversions over the decades...

Barn to home, encapsulation modalites, addition buttressing of current architecture, etc. All can add considerable intrinsic value to current architecture, as well as aesthetic if designed well.

Regards,

j

Last edited by Jay White Cloud; 07/01/18 06:02 PM.
Re: Q about foundation for timberframe house [Re: Nsherve] #34488 07/02/18 05:00 AM
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Nsherve Offline OP
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The company who did the electricity and a/c came by to check it out. They removed the hot plates from the a/c unit, and reset the alarms so they can check which goes off first (I guess they keep a log when this happens). Yea, it's all brand new, the house itself is right about, or slightly less, than a year old. The fire department where we live is all voluntary, since we live in the sticks (the town we live nearest to has about 300, probably less, people in it). I wanted to do a TF anyway, so I'm looking more into it...plus, it's something to look into while at work to pass the off time (it's gets pretty boring here). If I were to have to rebuild, that's definitely what I'd do. It'd save an assload of money since I have the majority, if not all, of the oak (both white and red), hickory, and elm, among others that it would need.


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