I recently had some reclaimed timbers in the shop that had been resawn on one face. The sawyer had sawn through the center of the pegs, giving a unique perspective into the anatomy of a mortise and tenon joint that was cut approximately 150 years ago.
Blind peg, slightly pointed on the tip, some side draw (probably inadvertent) is noticeable.
The Holiday 2009 issue of Lake Oconee Living Magazine as just been released and it features an article on a Holder Bros. project. "Barn Again" by April Moore Skelton tells the story of the barn at Horse Branch Farm. Ms. Skelton tells the story of the barn and how it found its way to Georgia from Pennsylvania after 150 years. The article also features a sidebar about converting an old barn by Whit Holder.
Converting an old barn frame into a new residence or outbuilding has become more common in recent years. This is a great way for owners to combine the timelessness of a historic structure with the comforts of a modern home. And, if done properly, it is a way for us to preserve a piece of our architectural heritage for several more years.
This type of project is not without its own set of challenges, though. Here’s how to get started, along with several things to be aware of before you begin.
An understanding of the different types of barns and their common layouts is essential in determining how to integrate the new living space into the old framework, and in choosing which barn style fits your project best.
Before starting a project, do some homework on barn framing.
These guys are taking their homework seriously. They must be timber framers.
Before you contact any professionals, it is necessary to determine your project budget.
This is where a lot of projects can go wrong out of the gate. The internet is full of “great barn deals,” and there are many companies in the business of chopping down old barns with chainsaws and shipping the parts. But there are also many reputable timber framers who do this type of work every day and have the necessary skills and experience to give you the most barn for your buck.
This client is happy because he hired the right timber framers
When it comes to choosing which barns to avoid, which barn to purchase, which repairs should be made, and which pieces need to be replaced, listen to your timber framer. Their knowledge and experience will save you time and money in the end and give your project that extra “wow factor.”
There are patterns in the way old barns were built. No matter how skilled your timber framer is, additions and alterations will stick out from an aesthetic perspective. In the most successful conversion projects, the owners think of the barn as a piece of history that they are giving a second life to, not just a bunch of beams to be cut up to fit a floor plan (re-read number 1).
Marriage marks (sometimes called carpenter's marks) are markings cut into the timbers of a timber frame to indicate where they are located in the building. Think of them as labels to show the carpenters where the piece goes when they get ready to put the frame together.
Marriage marks are mostly associated with frames that were scribed together -- each piece being custom fitted to its exact location, and therefore different than the other similar pieces. In scribe frames, it's common for each timber at a specific intersection to be labeled with it's own unique mark as you can see in many of these photos.
Here's an example from an 1850's building in Graniteville, SC.
You'll also notice that the marks are Roman numerals. That's the most commonly seen labeling system. It's faster and easier tor cut the straight lines of Roman numerals with a chisel or race knife as opposed to the curving Arabic numerals such as 8 and 5. Often times a "flag" or other modifier would indicate a specific side of a building or floor level. The use of modifiers keeps the carpenter from using numbers like LXXVIII -- Each wall might start at I and the north wall may have a flag left while the south wall has a flag right. Or perhaps the north wall is cut with a 2" chisel and the south wall a 1" chisel.
There is an incredible variation among marriage marks from one region or country to the next -- and even within the same area you can see several different systems that were used at the same time. Unfortunately, we don't have a comprehensive understanding of how many different systems were used or their distribution even in any one country. Anyone looking for a topic for their master's thesis?
I've included a few photos from buildings we've worked on, built, or studied.
Kingpost meets tie beam in a truss at the City Market in Charleston, SC.
Post and brace joint in a barn near Shepherdstown, WV.
Riven Eastern Cedar stud in the reproduction of a
Exterior view of the Single Brother's House (1679) at Old Salem Village, Salem, NC
Top of the queen post in the attic of the Historic Massie School in Savannah, Ga.I have found a website that everyone who is interested in traditional carptnety should find fascinating. Here's the link.
Carpenters from Europe and Beyond...
And here's a description pulled from the site...
"A new website by France's Ministry of Culture and Communication is devoted to carpenters and their work. The site sketches portraits of about a dozen men and women who, although they came to carpentry via different routes (family tradition, compagnonnage, apprenticeship or by teaching themselves), share the same passion for traditional techniques and hand craftsmanship, as well as an interest in ancient knowledge. A rich collection of multimedia brings together historic documents and contemporary accounts, reveals some of the secrets of France's ancient trade guilds, or compagnonnage, and presents images of carpenters throughout history. This is a living laboratory, based on gestures of the woodworking trade, and one that sketches a portrait of a heritage that is both alive and changing, both physical and ethereal."
Wow. Now that's cool. What if Americans valued this part of our culture to this extent?
