Here is a see through view of a wedged half dovetail tie beam tenon and post joint.
Wedged Half Dovetail Tie Beam Tenon to Post Timber Frame Joint
Shopping Cart
Here is a see through view of a wedged half dovetail tie beam tenon and post joint.
Hey Brice,
On Barnwood Builders I see them taking down a lot of old barns that do not use this joint. Is it overkill? Maybe something we do because it looks cool?
Rob
No, it is not overkilled, it is awesome to see and appreciate the work. Structurally it gives a lot of relish to withstand any tension. There is something to the look and feel those older joints lend to a frame. People live in them and everything about the frame affects that.
This is one nice piece of joinery indeed. Are there any rules of thumb for how close to the top of the post this kind of joint can be? It would seem to me you’d need at least 12″ to 16″ of post material above the mortise to ensure the joinery is structurally sound and can withstand the tension forces exerted from the wedge being driven in.
Tough one, would depend on the tension in the tie beam to post connection and timber species. I think you are on track with your numbers but think it could be closer depending on the values in the joinery.
To prevent the post splitting from the thrust of the roof pushing the post out, it was told to me that the distance from the top of the tie beam to the bottom of the post should be a minimum of 8″.
I meant to say bottom of the plate.
I can’t see the edit button to change my message.
Nice post!
If you have both vertical posts in place, how do you slot in the tie beam with the tenon in between the posts?
Raise them together as one unit or tilt one post out until it engages into the mortise. You can decrease the tenon length to make it easier.