Loft / Mezaninne floor with Timber frame ideas

Kick-the-PA · November 19, 2015, 01:20:29 PM

HI Everybody,

Finally registered after simply observing for a few months. I'm new to TF and loving every minutes of it. I wish I had my own saw mill but Im not there yet. Luckily I have a great source for wood from a local Mill (10 minutes) from my place. I always been a manual/hands on kinda guy ever since I got my Dad's hammer. Always love and appreciate the feeling of doing something with your hands and seeing the end results. When I first when to get some cedar for a picnic table, that's when I discovered the Mill I get all my wood now and I was hook right away on everything related to ruff cut wood, full dimension, wood slabs, big timbers, round logs etc. Just freaking love.

Now that I found a local supply for the wood, I then started imagining all the projects is could make out of big wood or in TF.
First thing I wished to do was redo my Deck in a TF fashion. My reference material was the book "The Timber Framing Book" by stewart Elliot & Eugene Wallas. I found this book reference from a youtube video. What I used in the book was the plans they provided at the end to build a 12'x16' shed. I thought I could use the floor design and apply that to build my new deck.

The plans from the book

I first needed some saw horse to support the work on the timber

Then I got the timbers (sills) to begin on that. 6''x10''x14', Pine wood

I first thought I could do my deck but that project is dependent on me also digging up my foundation and re-insulating it etc. So that was out the window for now and I thought I could renovate the flat roof section of my garage.

So the idea came to get rid of the Flat roof, continue the existing roof, build a loft/Mezaninne and that's when I thought I could use the big timbers to build the floor.

So here is the garage, its 36' long and 14' wide, the last 12' is the flat part I wish to get rid of
Started getting the siding off.

Started to get the Sills ready with the ends done and the mortise for the joists cut now.

I moved everything outside to make sure it fit, i realized that working on timbers makes a mess but that can be fixed with a shopvac easy.

The timbers for the joist arrived and I laid them on the structure. 6'x8'x14. I was going to cut them to finale size outside and then do the final fit.

Started the final cut, put a few straps to keep the structure square and make sure I get the right measurements.

All put together now, everything fits.

Now for the install on the garage end.
Lets start taking things apart, Reno's take so much more time then starting from scratch.

Take the metal roof off

Remove the next layer

Buy buy old crappy roof

Hello sunshine

Now I have to bring down the height of my walls. The door will of course be adjusted.

The 3rd outside wall needed to be rebuilt because the bottom plate was rotted, there use to be a window and it let allot of water go in the wall.

So one wall down

One wall back up

First timbers in the Garage, was so happy

Floor joist go in

I recycled the old roof material and used it to make the floor. I also built the remaining walls to match the height. The opening will be for a loft door so that I can load things with a chain block or maybe electric winch

Center beam in place
Brother and friend done with help me.
Put some temporary 2x4 so that i could cover it all with a tarp

All covered up

View from inside

I then replaced the beam with a longer one, 6''x8''x17'. The previous one was to short for me to attached a chain block or winch outside.

Started the install of the roof trusts (I think im using the wrong term here). 2''x8'' every 16''. Will be plenty strong.

Both sides done

From inside

Will update with the rest of the pictures later, it seems they are somewhere else right now.

All the wood used is Pine, I would presume its white pine but I'm not an expert on these things, really just learning as I go.

Glad to be here, hope I can share more of these projects in the future, the next thing to build will be something like this. With this I will be able to work on timbers outside the garage and not take up all the space.

Thanks

P-A

Jim_Rogers · November 19, 2015, 01:35:04 PM

Thanks for sharing.
Next time you do a floor system like that be sure to put in a "tying joist" it holds the middle of the long sills to each other.

Above is a tying joist with tenon, below is tying joist pocket.

And do a different better end of sills joint. You have way to much end grain showing. But it will be ok as the siding will cover it.

Like this but without the post unless you're going up again.

Jim Rogers

Kick-the-PA · November 19, 2015, 01:56:11 PM

Thank you for the feedback.

Each corner of the sills are lock in place with two 10" TF screws, I did not have any hardwood to make pegs in a more traditional fashion.

I have to ask because I don't know and I will need to know for my next project. Is there a danger or concern when you expose the End Grain like you say.

From the example you put up. It would be better to make a mortise in which the Tenon goes in but is not expose on the other side.

I think I really need understand this because I will eventually get around to doing my Deck project.

Thanks again for your comment.

P-A

Jim_Rogers · November 19, 2015, 04:27:54 PM

The less end grain that "could be" exposed to weather the better. End grain can suck up moisture.

Jim Rogers

timberwrestler · November 19, 2015, 07:48:22 PM

Might want to leave a little more wood under the floor joists next time too. Either reduce the depth of the joist at the end, like Jim showed; or increase the depth of the sill.