Timber advice

[Brian_Weekley]

Working on my small shed/barn and it's coming along very nicely.  So far, I've been buying heart-cut wood from my local sawmill for the main posts and tie beams.  Recently, a friend offered up some very nice large, straight pines for my project.  We know someone with a portable sawmill who can cut these up.

Need some advice concerning a few questions...

For other pieces like common roof rafters:  is it necessary that they be heart-cut also, or is quarter sawn OK for these?

Since the trees in question are pretty large in diameter, I hope to get some planking from the outside as we work our way in.  I have joists 24 in on center (14 foot span).  What thickness do you suggest for the main flooring planks (1 1/2" or 2" thick)?  Is T&G recommended?  How about planks for the roof decking (thickness?  T&G needed?)?

Thanks, Brian

[shinnlinger]

boxing the heart will give you the straightest rafters and your certainly can plan it to cut boards as you go.  That said, you will have stronger rafters if you can size the tree to what you need, but don't over think/worry about it.  If you have a big enough stick (w/out rot or big knots) with enough roof pitch you will be fine.  Look at all the 200 plus year old buildings built way undersize.

t&g is nice because the boards will shrink(gaps)and they also support each other but you could also cut 1 inch boards and overlap the seams (2 layers) if processing the boards is a significant expense/undertaking. 

Dave

[Jim_Rogers]

For other pieces like common roof rafters:  is it necessary that they be heart-cut also, or is quarter sawn OK for these?

That depends on the size. What size are the rafters? Normally anything over 5x5 is boxed heart. If they are 4x6 then you may want to as well. However I have made 8x6's and then cut them down the middle to get two 4x6 but that isn't the best as they can bow some. Usually if one of the two dimensions is over 5" then I try and box the heart. Making planks or boards from the outside parts of the log.

What thickness do you suggest for the main flooring planks (1 1/2" or 2" thick)?  Is T&G recommended?  How about planks for the roof decking (thickness?  T&G needed?)?

Actually this should have been all figured out before hand. The rafter spacing and roof decking need to be taken into consideration in the design phase of the project.
For example it is not great to span 4' with a 1 by board, so the rafter spacing needs to be closer. If the rafters are closer then they don't have to be that big. See it all depends on what was designed.

Without knowing your snow load for your area and the complete frame design I can't say for sure whether or not you need or should use t&g or not, on your roof deck.

Basically the same thing about your floor decking. What is the spacing of the floor joists? What will be stored in this shed/barn? If your spacing is short then you maybe able to use boards. But if the spacing is large and you're going to store something heavy in there then you may need t&g as well.

The comments about the shrinkage of t&g are true, so you need to air dry it for a while before running it through the t&g machine.
The last batch I made was air dried for over a year. I haven't seen it since it was processed so I don't know how it came out, yet.

When in doubt build stout.

Jim Rogers

[Brian_Weekley]

Thanks, Dave and Jim.  Should have provided some more info...I'm basically building a beefed up, 14' wide x 20' Sobon shed.  The floor joists are 6x6, 24" spacing and the rafters are 4x7, 24" spacing.  I guess I was just wondering if I could cut some of the roof rafters out of some large diameter pines I have access to, but it makes sense not to to avoid bowing.  So, I'll just plan to heart cut the largest beams I have left and use the rest for boards.

As far as the flooring, I was always planning to put down 2" T&G.  However, I'm wondering if that is overkill and if something like 1 1/2" T&G would suffice.  It's basically intended as a workshop, but I probably will store some beams in there for future timber frame projects or maybe store a small tractor.  Likewise, for the upper loft area where I won't have as heavy loads (4x5x10, 24" spacing), what thickness flooring I might consider for that.  Just trying to figure out how to best use these trees.

[Jim_Rogers]

Well around here if you say 2" tongue and groove it finishes out at 1 1/2" as that is what they will plane it down to when the tongue and groove it.
I don't know if you're making this yourself or sending it out to be done.

Having said that I'm not sure what your finial thickness is of 1 1/2" tongue and groove.

As far as the first floor deck goes you probably can go with either.
And I'd say the same for the small loft.

Jim Rogers

[shinnlinger]

Seeing that it is a shed, you wouldn't be crazy to make an 8x8 and then take a board to make it 8x7 and then rip it to make two 4x7 rafters.   If you get it up with purlins in a relatively short time bowing will be minimized.  It is not the end of the world.   I basically did this with my floor joists and they now have more character. 

[Brian_Weekley]

I was planning to just use rough sawn boards and cut my own T&G (or maybe use splines).  So now I feel a little more comfortable using 1 1/2".  Dave, since I won't have purlins--just common rafters, I'll try stick to heart-cut pieces.  Thanks.