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Here’s the thing about timber frame building: it might be the perfect construction method. After all, the origins of timber framing date back nearly 2,000 years—and the basic elements haven’t changed much over nearly two millennia. Today, timber framing still features wood-to-wood joinery, much like centuries-old homes and temples in locations as varied as England and Japan.

How have timber frame buildings withstood the test of time? Let’s look at the basics of this building method and the types of structures that fit best with timber framing.

What Is a Timber Frame Building?

From classic barns to custom homes to rustic pavilions, timber frame buildings come in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few of our favorites:

For centuries, timber frame barns have provided shelter and created storage space. They’re still popular today, whether you need them for a practical purpose like equipment storage or you’d rather use them for an entertainment space like a party barn. 

Timber frame pavilions are great for making outdoor space more usable. Whether they stand tall or span a single story, they can provide much-needed shade or create a much-loved space for family and friends to gather.

Garage apartments are versatile spaces and can be excellent investments. A timber frame garage apartment can function as a garage, an extra storage area, a workshop, or an office. They can also provide extra living space or a spare bedroom for guests.

Another multipurpose structure, a timber frame carport can protect vehicles and equipment from the elements. It can also serve as a space for outdoor entertainment, similar to an open pavilion or gazebo.

Timber Frame Building: The Basics

What are the defining elements of a timber frame structure? Most buildings include these key components:

Timber Frame Trusses

With their distinctive triangular shapes, timber frame trusses form the framework and provide essential support for this type of structure. They can be quite large, with some spanning up to 60 feet. They also come in a wide range of styles, from classic king post trusses to more complex hammer beam timber frame bents.

Timber Frame Joints

Like trusses, timber frame joints also vary widely in terms of appearance and functionality. From traditional mortise and tenon joints to scarf joints to knee brace joints, all connect heavy timber with wood-to-wood joinery and without the need for metal plates.

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)

SIPs feature two wooden panels with a layer of insulating foam sandwiched in between. They enclose a timber frame building tightly, providing outstanding protection from the elements and other pests. They also tend to be more energy-efficient than conventional alternatives, making timber framing more sustainable.

Post and Beam vs. Timber Framing

Post and beam buildings are similar to timber frame structures in that both use heavy timber. However, there are key differences between the two. Post and beam construction often uses simpler joinery and typically relies on metal plates and/or hardware for structural purposes.

Why Timber Frame Buildings Withstand the Test of Time

With their heavy timber and wood-to-wood joinery, timber frame buildings are designed to last. The many historic timber structures that are still standing today are testaments to the longevity of this building method.

When you build a timber frame home or cabin today, you can take extra steps to ensure that it lasts as long as possible. The most important step? A roof in good condition. Houses that are well-maintained can last indefinitely. Finally, keeping the indoor humidity level of around 50% is ideal for preventing timber from drying out too quickly and helping it retain its shape without excessive twisting or cracking.

At Carolina Timberworks, we believe in the beauty and longevity of timber framing. Take a look at our timber frame portfolio to see some of the buildings we’ve raised over the years and learn more about why this method can last for generations to come.

When you admire the majestic beamwork and intricate joinery of a timber frame structure, you might wonder just what it takes to build something like that. Although it’s possible to lay out and cut a timber frame with surprisingly few tools (pencil, square, string line, chisel, mallet, saw, and drill), it’s easier and faster to use specific timber framing tools. Most of these “timber frame” tools would be familiar to any woodworker—but they’re much larger versions.

The first power tools most new timber frame companies acquire are a (large) circular saw and a chain mortiser. These two tools do a lot of work (and make a lot of sawdust), quickly. From there, the sky’s the limit—up to state-of-the-art, 6-axis computer-controlled timber frame joinery cutting machines.   

So what’s in our timber frame shop? We compiled a list of our team’s preferred timber framing tools so you get a better sense of how we build timber frames—or so you can put together  your own tool set.

Our Timber Frame Tools Guide

Layout Tools

Framing Square

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A framing square, also known as a carpenter’s square, is an essential layout tool for measuring and marking angles. Despite its name, a framing square typically has an L shape—but some variations may be square.

The L shape features a wider and longer side (body) that meets the shorter and thinner side (tongue) to create a perfect 90-degree angle (at least until it’s dropped—AKA the concrete kiss). The sides also act as rulers and have scribed notches that indicate measurements.

We appreciate the versatility of framing squares, and in addition to using them daily to lay out and check angles and lines on timbers, we also use them as straightedges and winding sticks among other uses.

Combination Square

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Combination squares are similar to framing squares in that the long flat arm acts as a ruler. However, combination squares also have adjustable heads that slide along the ruler. These components can include a simple fence for 90-degree angles, adjustable knobs to transfer measurements, bubble levels for measuring level and plumb, or protractor heads to change the ruler to any angle between 0 and 180 degrees.

If you need to measure something, simply move the adjustable head to the specific measurement you need from the end of the ruler. We like to use combination squares for any project that requires measuring depth and squareness of adjacent surfaces such as mortise depth. By setting a specific measurement along the ruler, the combination square can speed up joinery layout for repetitive measurements.

Block Plane

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Block planes are small and versatile tools that can smooth the end grain of timber. Since the blade is set at a low angle, it performs this job better than a standard woodworking plane.   These planes are great for beveling the edges of tenons on timber joinery.

Hand Tools

Framing Chisel

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A framing chisel is a handheld tool that can cut or shape timber joinery. These longer and more robust chisels typically have a 1- to 2-inch blade width. When pushed by hand or struck with a mallet, they can cut almost any type of joinery. Either way, when using a framing chisel, you aim for a close, precise cut.

Mallet

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Mallets and chisels go hand in hand, as we use the former to strike the latter. A good mallet is neither too heavy nor too light. We look for well-balanced mallets designed to minimize impact when striking the chisel. Dense wood makes a better mallet head than metal as it transfers all of the driving force through to the chisel, without splitting or damaging the chisel handle.

Hand Saw

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Hand saws can come in many variations and can cut any type of wood. Some timber framers prefer a Japanese hand saw, which cuts on a pull stroke, while others prefer a western-style hand saw that cuts on a push stroke. We often prefer to cut with hand saws instead of electric saws for more control over finer details and small cuts.

Power Tools

Power Saw

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Electric saws are similar to hand saws, but with built-in electrical motors for power. Some timber framers cut material using chainsaws, circular saws, or bandsaws (with metal guides and long blades):

• Chainsaws can do the rough work of segmenting longer timbers into smaller pieces.
• Circular saws do most of the cross and rip cuts for timber joinery.
• Bandsaws are preferred for long radius cuts like curves in knee braces or arches.

Chain Mortiser

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Chain mortisers cut recessed “pockets” into timbers. Like a chainsaw, this tool has a rotating toothed chain that removes material from the timber to create the mortise. Because mortise and tenon joinery is integral to timber framing, this is one of our most used tools. This work was previously done in two steps by drilling and chisel work, but is now much faster with this specialized type of tool.

Chain Slotters

Similar to chain mortisers, chain slotters cut narrow “slots” into timber. This specialized tool is more precise than a chainsaw, although it is less common than a chain mortiser.

Drilling Stations

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Also known as a drill press, a drilling station is an alternative to a portable drill. This setup has an adjustable drill table, as well as a base and pillar to keep the drill stationary. A clamp keeps smaller timbers in place, allowing for more accurate drilling.

Unlike handheld drills, drilling stations offer larger and more powerful motors that can speed up any repetitive processes and improve efficiency for larger projects or mass produced timber components. There are also portable drill presses that can be clamped to large timbers when moving the tool is more efficient than moving the timber.

Planers and Sanders

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Electric or power planers are mechanized versions of block planes in that they can quickly remove, even, and smooth out the surface of the wood.

We typically opt for power planers when working with large timbers. Similar to planers, sanders smooth out imperfections and provide a softer finish using a rough or fine grit sandpaper disc or belt.

Routers and Notchers

Routers and notchers make grooves in the surface or certain profiles along the edge of timber components. A router can use a variety of differently shaped bits to create various decorative effects. We also rely on routers to create housings or notches for some specialized timber frame joints.

Oversized Timbe Frame Tools

Hundegger ROBOT-Drive CNC Machine

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By this point, you can likely tell that timber framers have a tool addiction problem. In photography, it’s known as GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)—pity the spouses of timber framers who also dabble in photography.

Craftsmen have always looked for the best tools to execute their craft, and in timber framing, that means robotics: state-of-the-art, CNC (computer numeric control), timber framing machines.

These machines offer speed, precision, reliable delivery times, and sustainability.

• Reliable delivery times because the software tells us, in advance, how many hours it’s going to take to cut a job—so we can schedule our workflow in the shop very precisely.  
• And sustainability, because the software optimizes every cut—to get the most out of a given timber with the least possible waste.

These machines are a fusion of old-world craftsmanship and new-world technology, combining the best of the nineteenth century with the best of the twenty-first.

The 6-minute video below tells the story of a radical investment Carolina Timberworks made. It’s radical for two reasons:  

1. There’s an inherent conflict with our passionate 16-year commitment to hand-cut traditional timber framing.
2. The cost of the investment is significant.

Carolina Timberworks 2.0 from Carolina Timberworks on Vimeo.

The story of why we did it is here.

We’re not giving up traditional craftsmanship—in fact we’re growing and plan to hire even more craftspeople. And whether or not you’re a timber framer, we think you’ll agree that there’s something truly mesmerizing about watching our Hundegger in action.

Did you know Carolina Timberworks has ties to Nashville? Gesche Morley’s (co-owner of Carolina Timberworks) son, Paul Defiglia, is an accomplished performer, producer, and engineer based in Nashville.

Our Favorite Design Concepts: Timber Framing in Nashville

Timber framing in Nashville first within its unique culture. Large outdoor timber frame pavilions are ideal for celebrating the acoustics of Music City, while timber frame sheds and lookout towers are perfect for building out your family’s farm. Whether you’re thinking large or small, you can invest in a variety of projects to add value and beauty to your Nashville property.

If you raise horses, building a timber frame barn is a great way to shelter your team in a majestic space.  Whether you’d rather retrofit an antique barn or build the next largest horse barn in the U.S., our team has the necessary experience to raise this type of timber frame in your neck of the woods.

Have a tour bus for your band or a class A motorcoach? Store your oversized vehicles in style and keep them safe and sound while they’re off the road.

Who doesn’t love good BBQ? Nashville’s legendary dry and wet pork ribs and all-day brisket deserve to be smoked in a place worthy of their majesty. A timber frame BBQ shed adds another layer of flavor, if you will, to any party where meat is on the menu.

Do you love spending a lazy Saturday at the lake house with family and friends? Why not upgrade your dock to a beautiful boat house, complete with a sun porch for lounging or entertaining? A timber frame boat house is the perfect complement to the water’s natural beauty.

Owning land in Nashville is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the area’s natural beauty. Why not add a timber frame porte cochère to your family’s home so visitors can arrive in style?

Want to make better use of your beautiful outdoor space? Build a she shed to store tools and supplies or create a hideaway.

Need a little extra space for less tidy pursuits? Design a multi-purpose outbuilding for your workshop, gardening, or storage. 

Firms That Design With Timber Framing in Nashville

• Jeffrey Dungan Architects
• McAlpine
• MossCreek
• Page Duke Landscape Architects
• Pfeffer Torode
• Summerour Architects

Where Is Nashville?

Nashville is nestled near the center of the state in Davidson County, Tennessee. It’s about 35 miles northwest of Murfreesboro and about 130 miles northwest of Chattanooga. It’s also 180 miles west of Knoxville and 200 miles northeast of Memphis. The greater Nashville area is the home of country music star Amy Grant’s Porters Pavilion – a gorgeous timber frame pavilion for under-served communities built by the Timber Framers Guild.

As you can see, Nashville really is the heart of Tennessee.

People are sometimes surprised to learn that Carolina Timberworks installs its work across the United States.  Our largest job ever was in Nebraska, so Nashville is only a six-hour hop, skip, and jump from our shop.

Communities in Nashville

Nashville is at the center of a diverse set of suburbs. Some of the most notable include Franklin, Whites Creek, East Nashville, Donelson, Hermitage, Hendersonville, and Madison. Many larger suburbs lie beyond Nashville’s city lines, such as Mt. Juliet, Leiper’s Fork, Brentwood, and Bellevue. Brentwood and Bellevue share some micro-suburbs, including Green Hills, Forest Hills, and Antioch.

No matter where you live in the Nashville area, Carolina Timberworks can work with you and the firm of your choice to design, engineer, fabricate, ship, and install the ideal timber frame addition for your property.

Nashville by the Numbers

Elevation	597′
Population (as of 2018)	692,587
Square miles	526
People per square mile	1,427
Acres	337,000
Number of farms	66,000
Median home value	$313,679
Property tax rate (per $100 USD in Davidson County)	$3.155
Median rent	$1,399
Median household income	$59,828
Households with broadband internet	82.4%
Average travel time to work	24.3 min.
Closest public airport (BNA)	26 min.
Closest major airport (BNA)	26 min.
Best Local Weather Forecast:	News Channel 5 and News 4 Nashville

Some of Our Favorite Things to Do in and Around Nashville

• The Parthenon is a full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Built in 1897, this Parthenon has stood the test of time – just like the original one!
• The Hermitage was President Andrew Jackson’s home in Tennessee. This plantation and mansion is a must-see for history buffs.
• Fort Negley is one of the only ones of its kind erected during the Civil War. After capturing Nashville, Union troops built this stone fortification as a forward base for incursions into the South.
• A historic district in downtown Nashville, Music Row is home to radio stations, recording studios, and record label headquarters. Many offer tours, such as the historic Columbia and RCA studios.
• National Museum of African American Music seeks to preserve and celebrate music created, inspired, and influenced by African Americans. Explore the curated collections and interactive technology and walk through America’s history as seen through musical heroes of past and present.
• Station Inn is one of the original bluegrass concert venues.
• Ryman Auditorium is the former home of the Grand Ole Opry – the most famous country music stage in North America.
• Calling the Schermerhorn Symphony Center its home, the Nashville Symphony brings music from across the globe to Music City USA. The symphony has  won multiple Grammys, and seeing a performance here is likely to leave you in awe.
• Located in Germantown, the Tennessee State Museum and Archives showcases the Volunteer State’s numerous historic highlights, from Civil War archives to the civil rights movement and more.
• If you love country music, checking out the Country Music Hall of Fame in the heart of Nashville should be on your bucket list.
• Walk through every era of music history at the Musician’s Hall of Fame and Museum. . From explorations of American music culture to music studio experiences, you can truly get up close and personal with the instruments and people who shaped music history.
• The Lane Motor Museum contains the largest collection of European motorcycles and cars in the United States. It’s a must for auto enthusiasts!
• From giraffes to Bengal tigers, the Nashville Zoo brings a bit of the animal kingdom from around the world to Tennessee.
• Have you ever been to an art museum tucked away in a botanical garden? Cheekwood Estate and Gardens is an essential stop for art and nature lovers alike.
• Visit the state’s World War II memorial at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park,  an urban state park right in front of the State Capitol.
• Held in September every year, the Tennessee State Fair brings the Volunteer State’s best to the State Fairgrounds.
• Printers Alley is the center of Nashville’s once substantial printing industry. The Tennessean and Nashville Banner – two of the city’s largest newspapers – called this area home, and dozens of printing presses and distributors took up shop here. Now home to nightclubs and music halls, Nashville’s liveliest entertainment district has hosted performers  like Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, and Jimi Hendrix.
• With more than 444 miles of recreational road, the Natchez Trace  follows the travel corridor Native Americans originally developed. European settlers later took the same route, realizing its efficiency and being in awe of its beauty. Today, you can hike, bike, and camp along this route, which  encompasses more than 10,000 years of history.
• Nashville’s food scene is also worthy of your attention, whether it’s date night or an after-concert event. Some of our recommendations include Sean Brock’s, Husk, Audrey, Joyland as well as City House (recent Beard Award winner), Rolf and Daughters, and Folk.

Nashville International Airport

Nashville International Airport (BNA) is a public and military airport. It’s the primary airport for the Southeastern section of Tennessee. It hosts more than 20 airlines and averages 585 daily flights in and out of the city.

Opened in 1937, the airport’s original name was Berry Field. Today, the airport’s Berry Field Air National Guard Base is home to the 118th Airlift Wing of the Tennessee Air National Guard headquarters.

These days, BNA is undergoing major renovations as more airlines make Nashville a hub. The airport also offers international flights to London, Cancun, and a handful of Caribbean destinations.

A (Not So) Brief History of Nashville

Mississippian Native American tribes once called Nashville and the surrounding areas home. Shawnee, Chickasaw, and Cherokee moved into the area and began fur trading with French travelers in the early 1700s.

By the mid-19th century, these tribes were forced to leave the area, prompting the Trail of Tears to run through Nashville between 1830 and 1850. Today, the city is home to many historical sites that commemorate those who passed and look back at the area’s involvement in The Trail of Tears.

Manufacturing and Trading

Nashville has long thrived as a manufacturing and trade depot, thanks to its location on the Cumberland River. As railroad tracks started to criss-cross the East Coast, Nashville stood out as the perfect location to connect cities for trade.

American chestnut trees made up almost 25 percent of the forest in the state. This rot-resistant wood built homes and fences and was traded to surrounding areas as the land was cleared for farming. 

Civil War

In February 1862, Nashville became the first Union-occupied Confederate state capital during the Civil War. More than two years later, the Battle of Nashville again put the city in the spotlight and effectively ended both the Army of Tennessee and large-scale fighting during the Civil War.

Almost all of south and west Nashville were part of the battle site, and communities like Green Hills, Oak Hill, and Lipscomb are built on top of the battlefield. Although the area isn’t an official historic site, scattered memorials throughout the area commemorate its importance in U.S. history.

Post-Civil War

The newly nicknamed “Athens of the South” grew and expanded rapidly in the postwar era, with many higher education institutions opening throughout the city. Universities like Belmont, Lipscomb, Vanderbilt, Tennessee State University, Fisk, Nossi College of Art, American Baptist College, Aquinas College, Meharry Medical College, Nashville State Technical Institute, and more have called Nashville home.

Civil rights icon and late U.S. Representative John Lewis attended Nashville’s American Baptist College at 17. Lewis credited the city with igniting his passion for the movement, for activism, and for causing good trouble. Lewis believed if he hadn’t attended American Baptist College, he might not have gone on to change the course of American history for African Americans.

Music City USA

Nashville’s musical roots were first planted by Davy Crocket, who arrived in town in the 18th century. He was dubbed the “first celebrity of the city,” as he brought colorful stories and fiddle tunes that inspired others to celebrate Nashville in song.

In the 1920s, radio broadcasts like the Grand Ole Opry further established Nashville’s spot on the map. As Nashville continued to grow, musicians  like Dolly Parton, the Allman Brothers, Bobby Hebb, Marion James, Del Wood, Hank Williams, and Kitty Wells began calling the city home. Because it’s about a day’s drive the rest of the country, recording studios and touring companies began leveraging Nashville as their home bases or considering the city an important stopover.

Today, Nashville is the country music capital of the world, and many local recording studios cater to the genre. Music Row offers tourists some of the best music attractions in North America, including the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Opry House, and the International Country Music Fan Fair.

Many modern musicians became famous due to incredible performances in Nashville, including Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock, Michael Bublé, and the Black Eyed Peas. From rock ‘n’ roll to Christian music and everything in between, Nashville brings out the best in musicians far and wide.

Modern Nashville

Nashville has seen explosive growth since the 1970s. The 90s saw an economic boom, updates to major landmarks, and brand new stadiums like Nissan Stadium (Tennessee Titans) and the Bridgestone Arena (Nashville Predators).

Despite experiencing massive flooding and damage to historic sites in 2010, Nashville has been identified as one of the top five regions of growth by the Wall Street Journal.  It continued to land on the country’s fastest-growing cities lists, creating an aspirational example for the 21st century. As of 2018, Nashville is Tennessee’s largest city, with over 1.9 million people calling it home.

No matter where you live in the Nashville area, Carolina Timberworks can work with you and the firm of your choice to design, engineer, fabricate, ship, and install the ideal timber frame addition for your property.