Size of timbers with SYP

[Gadrock]

Lately I have been reading only to discover that many people suggest timber construction buildings to have bents about 10 or 12 feet apart max... and support columns to be maxed about 15, preferring them to be a bit narrower.

SO it is possible that I have misinterpreted so of this information, and readily appreciate realignment on the design.

My wood of availability is green SYP. Maybe I can have it dried via air under a shed for a year but that may be maxed too.

While reading there are many references to wood not available to me economically or practicably. Most pictures I have seen showed beams to be about 6x10 give or take their structural requirements.

I am a blacksmith part time and plan to build another building on my property to look the part of blacksmithing...nooooo not another metal building. Today I have never sawn a log much less built anything from green pine timber. Today I plan to use treated posts for the soil contact and turn to pine when practical.

If anyone has some recommendations as to beam dimensions I certainly would appreciate it. Consider that idea of support beams being wide as possible to make the building as generously open as possible. Blacksmithing uses some long metal and sometime swinging something 20 feet around in a 15 foot bay seems to be wrong.

Thanks
David G


Carry on

[Jim_Rogers]

I'm not sure which beams you're talking about.

What is the size of the building you want to build?

Jim Rogers

[Gadrock]

originally my general idea was something of 45 or 50 wide by 60 something.

There are no real plan as of yet,just ideas. Funny thing is that this building is what has started my sawmilling. And I have an adequate supply of pine from my farm. Very little is sigmificantly large.

david G


Carry on

[Jim_Rogers]

If anyone has some recommendations as to beam dimensions I certainly would appreciate it. Consider that idea of support beams being wide as possible to make the building as generously open as possible. Blacksmithing uses some long metal and sometime swinging something 20 feet around in a 15 foot bay seems to be wrong.

No one can recommend beam sizes until you provide a lot more information.

First you need to nail down your building footprint.

45 or 50 make up your mind. 60 something, again nail it down.

Trying to build a large structure with small trees will be a challenge for sure. Long or large spans are possible with truss construction.

But you need to supply more information. Where are you located is there any snow load on the books? Do you need to meet any "high wind" load?

What is the longest timber you can produce?

What is the longest timber you can afford to buy?

Will you need to comply with any building codes?

Things to think about.

Jim Rogers