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Timber Frame - A Hammer Beam Truss
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Timber framing in America is an art of craftsmanship brought by the settlers in the 1500's. Shipwrights were the original American timber framers. Many people still think that the roof structures of timber framed buildings look like the upside down hulls of boats. The joinery (the ways the beams are held together) is quite similar - using lap joints, mortises and tenons, scarf joints and wooden pegs. Vermont Timber Works has taken modern timber framing to a new level. We now engineer and build timber framed trusses that span eighty feet. We reinforce hammer beam trusses with steel to make beautiful graceful arches. We use the old time tested methods to create beautiful wood timber interiors for houses, hotels, churches, barns, parks and museums. This page is dedicated to the many different styles of modern timber frames. Please take some time to browse the photographs below and learn more about building with wooden beams. Click here to visit the Wikipedia page on timber framing. Call 802-886-1917 or e-mail to learn how we can help build your project.
Weathered Wood Barn	Sands Barn - Dublin, New Hampshire: This barn in southern New Hampshire was made from rough sawn hemlock timber that was naturally aged in our yard. We weathered the wood by putting it out in our field for a couple of months and turning the beams weekly. The sun, wind and rain gave the wood a beautiful barnwood look. The timber frame looks like it was built a hundred years ago.
Timber Framed Porte Cochere	Founders Lodge Porte Cochere: This timber entryway was custom made for Founders Lodge on Stratton Mountain in Vermont. It has timber columns with braces and roof plates mortised into them. Common rafters and hip rafters make the roof framing. Notice the angles of the cuts.
Porte Cochere	Founders Lodge Porte Cochere: An exterior view. This porte cochere makes a lovely drive through entrance to Founders Lodge. The main condo building is in the background.
Arched Heavy Timber Truss for a Church	Christ Episcopal Church - Springfield Missouri: This beautiful church truss is an example of an arched truss using a steel tie rod. Most of the web members in the truss, including the graceful arches, are engineered to be in compression while a steel tie rod across the bottom is in tension - resolving the spreading forces. The tie rod eliminates the need for exterior flying buttresses that were widely used in churches built in the middle ages.
Church Interior Designed with Heavy Timber	Christ Episcopal Church - Springfield Missouri: The interior view of the finished church design.
Timber Framed Party Barn in Texas	Hermes Barn - Shiner Texas: this barn was designed to be dual purpose - both for equipment and as a party barn. It's very pretty design combines a hammer beam bent with simple common roof rafters. In Texas, we design and engineer primarily for wind loads rather than snow loads. The upper part of the barn is braced by the lower part - creating and interesting and elegant design.
Timber Framed Arches and Corbels	Duker Estate - Westerlo, New York. We did several timber frames at the Duker Estate. The one pictured at the left was for the guest cottage. It features douglas fir timber with arched beams and corbels. The structure of the frame is fairly simple - with a plate, rafter and tie design taking the structural loads. The arched beams, corbels and key beam are mostly decorative, making a simple frame very elegant.
Spruce Camp at Stowe - 80' Timber Octagon	Spruce Peak at Stowe Mountain Lodge - Stowe, Vermont: This 80' octagon frame is our largest span to date. The wood and steel ski lodge frame is completely structural and uses a tension ring design with a tubular steel compression post at the top. Because of the location at the base of a ski area, the frame is engineered to support live snow loads in excess of 100 pounds per square foot.
Timber and Steel Octagon Truss	Spruce Peak at Stowe Mountain Lodge - Stowe, Vermont: The trusses are double corded douglas fir with steel gusset plates, shear plates and 7/8" bolts transferring the loads. There are two sets of ring trusses - one at the perimeter and one mid-span. The dormers are also timber framed. Purlins (the horizontal members between the trusses) support the roof framing above. This ski lodge is one of our favorite timber buildings.
Restored Church Interior Using Curved Timber Trusses	First Presbyterian Church - Navasota, Texas: Sadly, this beautiful church, built in the 1800's, suffered a devastating fire in 2001. Vermont Timber Works replaced all the trusses except the ones embedded in the outside walls, which we measured and used as patterns. Current structural building codes required that we increase the beam sizes, but we kept the dimensions of the timber frame as close to original as possible. The result is a historically accurate reconstruction, finished by Guide One Taylor Ball.
Double Tree Hotel Lobby - Heavy Timber Trusses	Double Tree Hotel - Tarrytown, New York: The Double Tree in Tarrytown used to be the Hilton, but was sold and renovated. the lobby was completely redone, and because of seismic building codes needed to be structurally isolated from the rest of the building. The trusses, pictured to the left, are 60' long and are supported at two points 40' apart. They use rough sawn douglas fir timber, black steel plates and iron tie rods. There is also a porte cochere to the front (not pictured).
Fancy Timber Frame	Neely Residence - Cadiz Kentucky: We built this beautiful timber frame house for Karl Neely, who is the primary partner in a large engineering firm. His requirements were exacting, and we were happy to help build his vacation home on the lake. He has a very competent contractor on site, so we were able to keep the installation costs down by sending a site supervisor who directed the local building crew.
Neely Residence	Neely Timber Frame Home: The photo to the left shows the Neely timber frame going up with a crane helping. Temporary 2x braces can be seen bracing the bents while connecting pieces are being installed.
Hammer Beam Truss - Trapp Family Lodge	Trapp Family Lodge - Stowe, Vermont: This hammer beam truss was built for the Mozart Room at the Trapp Family Lodge. The truss is beautiful, but to structurally meet the architect's vision they required steel reinforcing needed to be hidden from view. We routed into the tops of the web members. The only visible steel are the black triangular plates at the ends of the rods. They look like decorative elements even though they are required structurally.
Fresh Air Fund Dining Hall - Timber Trusses	Camp Hayden Dining Hall - Fishkill, New York: This dining hall for the Fresh Air Fund was designed by the Geddis Partnership, who we worked with along with Cuoco Engineering throughout the process. As often happens, the original design came in over budget. Through value engineering, we were able keep the architect's original vision while reducing the timber framing cost. The connection details were optimized and simplified, beam sizes were reduced where possible and the beautiful result is pictured to the left.
Hammer Beam Truss - Indoor Swimming Pool	The Breed Pool House - Landgrove, Vermont: This was one of our first large timber frames, build in 1990. It spans 40 feet by 96 feet over a large indoor swimming pool. We acted as general contractors, timber framers and designers on the building which included a racquet ball court, locker rooms, a sauna, a conference room, a hot tub, a large cantilevered deck, sun porch and a sun deck.
Timber Porte Cochere and Arched Entry Trusses	Our Lady of the Mountains - Covered Entry and Porte Cochere, North Conway, New Hampshire: We worked with Richard M. Monahon, Jr., AIA Architect on these beautiful arched entryways. We have done many projects with Richard Monahon including Immaculate Conception Church, Sands Barn, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Poh House, and Blackwood Barn and Home. His construction and design projects range from elegant commercial buildings to simple residential post and beam homes to timber frame houses with graceful beams and arches.
Elegant Timber Trusses with Glulam Arches	Goldbach Residence - Minocqua, Wisconsin: We worked with Binder Ghidorzi Architectural Services on the timber frame for the Goldbach's. The photograph to the left shows the timber truss frame being pre-assembled in our yard prior to shipment to Wisconsin. We made sure that all the joints were fit and tight so the frame would go together well for the contractor on site. Often, we will send a site supervisor to help with erection (when we aren't doing it ourselves), but after the fitting of this frame we were sure that the contractor could do the site work with our our help - and they did a great job.
Timber Frame Erection	Timber frames are usually raised with the help of a crane. The 'bents' , or cross sections are assembled on the ground then tipped up with the crane and braced off and secured. Connecting pieces are then flown into place between the bents. Finally a post and beam home takes shape.
Timber Cupola for the Presbyter Museum - New Orleans	Presbyter Cupola - New Orleans, Louisiana: This timber cupola was build in our shop in Vermont for the Presbyter Museum in the french quarter of New Orleans. The original cupola was blown off in a hurricane one hundred years ago. Ironically, Hurricane Katrina hit only a couple of months after the new cupola was installed, and fortunately it weathered the storm without damage.
Post and Beam Home - Kennebunkport, Maine	This timber frame was erected in Portland Maine. It has a simple design, and a classic New England house was built around it. The frame features douglas fir timbers and curved braces. Timber frames are great for all kinds of wood buildings - from the simple to the elegant.
Monastery for The Sisters of the Poor Clares	Bethlehem Monastery, Barnhamsville, Virginia: This timber framed monastery is one of our favorite projects. Built for the Sisters of the Poor Clares, it is a classic cathedral design in the shape of a cross with the alter in the center. Smooth douglas fir timbers and curved braces and arches add to the elegance. This project was originally over budget. We redesigned the frame and pre-engineered the wood trusses to help bring the project back into budget.
Wiedie Horse Barn	Wiedie Horse Barn - Weston, Massachusetts: This horse barn was designed for a couple of horse stalls on the lower level, equipment on the main level and storage up above. It features hemlock timbers, 4x nailers for siding siding and common roof rafters.
Simon Residence - Timber Framed Home	Simon Residence - Manchester, Vermont: Another early timber frame home. We built the Simon Residence in 1991, when we still were designing and building timber frame homes from start to finish - from the foundation to the final roofing and everything in between. Now we focus on being timber framers, but still design with the knowledge that comes from years of building experience.
Walt Whitman Birthplace	Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site and Interpretive Center - West Hills, New York: This is a great little timber frame museum on Long Island. The design is simple and rustic. We fabricated the timber frame in Vermont and sent it and a site supervisor to Long Island to help the New York Parks Department put it up.
Timber Framed Oak Barn	Oak Timber Framed Barn - Auburn, Pennsylvania: This 42' x 96' oak barn was built for farm equipment, storage and office space for the owner of the estate. It overlooks a wonderful grassy field and is in below a newly planted vineyard. A YouTube video of the barn raising can be seen by clicking this link.
Timber Frame Barn Raising in Grafton, MA	Brigham Hill Barn - Food for the Needy - Grafton, Massachusetts: This photograph shows purlins being dropped into place on a timber framed barn. The ends of the purlins are dovetailed so they lock into place.
Finished Timber Frame for a Barn in Mass.	Brigham Hill Barn - Food for the Needy - Grafton, Massachusetts: An Exterior view of the finished timber framed barn with a large cupola.
Exterior of Classic Wood Timber Framed Barn	Brigham Hill Barn - Food for the Needy - Grafton, Massachusetts: The finished barn with a light airy cupola and green house attached.
Timber Scissor Truss with Steel Gusset Plates	Fort Harrison Picnic Pavilion - Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana: We built several picnic shelters and a comfort station here. The picnic shelters used timber scissor trusses with steel gusset plates. The post bases were reinforced to take lateral wind loads with moment connections.
Rough Hewn Timber Frame Barn	Southeastern Vermont Welcome Center - Guilford, VT: This welcome center on Route 91 North is just over the Vermont boarder. It features a hand hewn and rough sawn white pine and oak timbers. The joinery is is traditional, and the building was designed to look like an authentic Vermont barn.
Overhang for a Timber Frame Shed	Post, tie, rafters and braces on a timber frame shed.
Steel Reinforced Timber Frame Building	Pineapple Willy's - Panama City, Florida: This douglas fir timber frame building is on the beach in Panama City. Because of its location, it needs to be able to withstand hurricane force winds, and is reinforced with steel right down to the foundation.
Wood, timber and Steel Roof Truss for Indoor Pool	Wakenah Pool - Salem, Connecticut: This timber frame pre-engineered truss system was built to cover an indoor pool building. It features douglas fir timbers with a central hub and steel tie rods.
Timber Ceiling Beams Over a Brick Fireplace	Trapp Family Lodge -Stowe, Vermont: We did a major timber frame addition to the lodge, including hammer beam conference rooms and three levels of ceiling beams in their new hotel rooms.
Park and Ride Bus Shelter	Weathersfield Bus Shelter - This bus shelter was constructed for the new Park and Ride in Weathersfield, Vermont, off of Route 91. It is a simple design that is both pretty and functional.