Timber Frame Construction DetailsTimber Frame Construction Details

Finding the right timber frame construction detail is pivotal for your timber frame project whether it is for a commercial or residential building.  We have created this site to provide you and the industry a resource to find these construction details.  We welcome everyone to share their timber frame construction details here and comment on the ones we currently have.

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2 inch Tenon in a Knee Brace

Knee Brace Tenon and Mortise 2″ Layout

This is an exploded view of a 2″ tenon and mortise for a knee brace where it connects to a tie beam. The tie beam was rotated so that you can see into the mortise. The layout is 2″ off the face of the brace and then 2″ thick. Same with the mortise. One 1″ [...]

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Timber Frame Knee Brace With a Centered Tenon

Timber Frame Knee Brace with Centered Tenon

This is an exploded view of a brace tenon and it’s mortise. This brace is centered on the tie beam (which has been rotated so you can see into the mortise.) And the brace tenon is centered on the brace. This type of mortise and tenon joint is a little more complex to cut as [...]

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1 1/2

Knee Brace Tenon and Mortise 1 1/2″ Layout

This is an exploded view of a 3″x5″ knee brace with tenon layout of 1 1/2″ off the face and 1 1/2″ thick, and it’s mortise in a tie beam. The peg is 3/4″ in diameter and it’s placement is 1 1/2″ off the shoulder and 2″ off the bearing end. The tie beam has [...]

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timber frame construction details post tenon

Wedged Half Dovetail Tie Beam Tenon to Post Detail

This is an exploded view of a half dovetail tie beam tenon and the post it connects to. The housing in the post is a diminished haunch. The wedge is usually made of hardwood.

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Tie Beam Tenon

A Standard Tie beam to Post Tenon Detail

This is an exploded view of a standard tie beam to post tenon with housing in the post and two pegs.

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Post Top Tenon

Post Top Tenon at End of Plate

This is an exploded view of a post’s top tenon when the post is at the end of the plate. The tenon is 2″ off the side of the post and 2″ thick. The tenon is cut back 2″ from the face of the post so that there is some “relish” left on the end [...]

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Timber Frame Post Top with Tenon

Post Top Tenon in Middle of the Plate

This is an exploded view of the post’s top tenon where it meets the middle of the plate. As you can see the tenon is only reduced to 1/2″ under the full size of the post on one side as there is no need to leave any “relish” here. The tenon is 2″ off the [...]

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Post Stub Tenon

Post Stub Tenon Detail – 2

This is an exploded view of a post’s stub tenon and mortise from a bent in the middle of the sill. Here you can see that the tenon is flush with the face of the post on one side, and reduced by 1/2″ on the other side making it a standard width. The layout is [...]

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Timber Frame Mortise and Tenon Definitions

Timber Frame Mortise and Tenon Dimension Labels and Names

There are three dimensions needed to make a mortise and tenon joint. However the names of these three dimensions change depending on which part of the joint you are measuring. A: Tenon width and Mortise Length. B: Tenon length and Mortise Depth C: Tenon thickness and Mortise Width. Understanding these names is important to understand [...]

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Post Stub Tenon

Timber Frame Post Stub Tenon-End of Sill

This exploded view is of a post’s bottom stub tenon that is at the end of the sill. The tenon is 2″ off the outside face and 2″ thick, and 2″ long. Due to the fact that it is at the end of the sill it is trimmed back 2″ from the face of the [...]

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