Tamarack (Eastern Larch) for Timber Frame Storiage building/barn

[Jeff]

Do you guys think that Tamarack would work okay for a timber frame building?  I'm in desperate need of some storage, and I have a boat load (see doc, it works here to) of Tamarack logs I could utilize.

[nsmike]

I know of some Minnesota timberframe barns made of tamarck, so I don't see why not, especially in a non heated building.

[Ianab]

I don't see why not. It's really just a matter of designing the building to suit the materials you have. The Tamarack might not be as strong as some other timbers, but that just means you will need to use some heavier pieces, limit the spans, or put supports closer together etc. But those aren't deal breakers if you have the plenty of logs there on hand.

Ian

[barbender]

Tamarack is plenty strong, it has a lot of positive characteristics actually. It's just kind of ill tempered : It likes to twist and check are the main drawbacks to it. I'd use it, just don't let it dry to fast etc.

[SwampDonkey]

Twist and check could be troublesome. Here in NB it grows real twisty, like a cork screw. Tamarack would be strong and even a little rot resistant to.

[jdtuttle]

For a storage building I would build it green. It may help with twisting. Also keep the heart in the center when sawing.

[Jeff]

The trees were bug killed and a lot of it is going to be dry to start. I'd not be able to build it green as for time constraints. If I was going to do this, I'll have to come up with a plan and a cut list, as sometime this spring Burlkraft and I will have to get the pile of logs sawn.

[thecfarm]

We had a garage here growing up. The upstairs floor was made out of tamarack,one inch,random widths. It was nice and smooth after years of hay being moved over it. Building was built in a wet hole and started to learn real bad. My Father and me tore it down and I used the lumber for a deck with a roof over it at my other house. Worked good at both places. One thing for sure,yours is all ready dry some.

[Brucer]

I was curious to see how the structural properties compared to Western Larch, which is included in the strongest structural grade along with Douglas-Fir (D-Fir Larch). Surprisingly, it isn't listed in the softwood lumber manual. So I did some digging.

Generally speaking, Tamarack (Larix Laricina) has similar strength characteristics to Western Hemlock, which is in the second strongest structural grade (Hem-Fir). It's a bit lower in shearing strength and bending, however.

For posts you would probably be OK if you sized it the same as you would for Hem-Fir. For beams it would probably be better to size it the same as S-P-F (Spruce Pine Fir), which is the third strongest structural grade.

Remember, I'm not a structural engineer, so user beware .

[laffs]

If you can keep it from warping it should last a long time. I saw it out to 5/4 for decks I've had mine for 5 years  untreated still as solid as when I put it down. This summer I'll put some treat it with something

[barbender]

I'd say Tamarack is stronger than any other local softwood species. It is tremendously under utilized in MN.

[nsmike]

I talked to a guy that used to salvage and convert timberframe barns about why you would see barns framed in woods you almost never see in houses. His answer was that our forefathers weren't dumb. They would use the more stable species in the home, which was heated and more prone to drying problems, and use the more troublesome species in barns, where the lack of heat would lessen drying stresses. In this case Jeff has a lot of thing going for him standing dead tamarck will have a lot of the moisture already gone and the timbers will have reduced drying stress used in a non heated building.

[Jeff]

I know nothing about Timber framing, but I can build a pretty mean stick built building. My concern for sawing  Tamarack into framing lumber is the mentioned fact about it's stability. I'd rather build stick built, but figured it would be a mess.

[wdncno]

Used to be used around here for stable floors, apparently quite rot resistant.  I've got a friend who has some for me to saw for flooring for his house.  I love the smell of it when you're sawing.  I'd say go for it.

[laffs]

some call it naturally pressure treated, it's like any other tree as far as sawing, I've had some that wanted to twist and turn and the rest just laid there. Its pretty heavy and dense, I've never sawed anything bigger than a 2x6
90% was all usable

[Satamax]

Jeff, i'll go along with the others.

Build with it. May be do a double tie beam. I think i've showed it before.



With interlocking full lap joints, and the heart to the outside, usualy it's plenty strong.

Over here, in the french southern alps, everything is built with local larch. (larix decidua) I've encountered some church roof wood, about 800 years old (eight hundred years in the roof!) , tough as..... !  Impossible to shove a nail in it.

[matt eddy]

I've used pieces here and there. It does twist and check.  It won't rot like other species.  We use it in our green buildings in replacement to pressure treated.  I have also done a gate with it.  Good wood, wicked heavy when wet.

[Gary_C]

I cut a stand of European Larch in SE MN and saved some logs from that job. But the foresters said to not trust it for strength as it was relatively fast growing on that high ground site. Apparently there is a large difference in growth rates for larch or tamarack depending on the site. Lowland sites produce slower growing and stronger wood. So look at the spacing on the growth rings for a good indicator of strength.

The other thing I found was it is supposed to split easily when nailing. And it has moderate decay resistance.

Edit:  Oh and another thing. Most of the larger logs had a lot of taper so your sawing method will have something to do with the strength of the wood.