Timber framed balcony

[AlanUK]

HI there.  

 

Can anyone recommend a book teaching the skills of oak timber framed buildings?  I'm having a detached brick garage built, with an office room above it.  It was going to have an external wooden staircase going up the back of it to gain access to the upstairs, but now I'm thinking of turning this into a spiral staircase that goes up to a bit of a balcony instead.  So, as timber frames go, it would be on the simple side, merely being a platform on 4 (or 6) legs, along with the bracing and safety rail etc.

 

I think my woodwork skills would be up to it, but I need to learn about the structural design side of things, and best practice in making the joints etc.  So, any book suggestions will be gratefully received.

[Temp]

Somewhere I have a book titled Discovering Timber Framed Buildings by Richard Harris. Not quite what you need for your project but worth a look if you really want to get into the history of oak buildings in all their complexity. Perhaps take a look at "Learn to Timber Frame" by Will Beemer on Amazon. I've not read it though.

 

I'm imagining something in green oak with posts around 125-150mm square posts and beams the same by 200mm deep. Perhaps not quite that big. Mortise and tenon pegged joints. Good excuse to buy some new Sorby chisels :-)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2020 by Temp

[AlanUK]

Thanks, I'll look into those.  Yes, the joints should be pretty simple, if rather larger than I'm used to.  I'll steer clear of any scarf joints - I don't want any really long beams as I'll never be able to lift them anyway.  I need to get a design finalised, and check planning permission requirements.

 

One thing I can't work out (but I'll talk to my builder) is whether a balcony can be free-standing in relation to the building it's a balcony for - Can it just be effectively like a giant table sat next to the garage?  Or, if it's tied to the brick building in some way, is there a danger of the movement of the wood pulling the garage to bits?