Timber framing is a building process like no other, connecting us to our ancestors with old-world craftsmanship and taking us into the future with a building that lasts far beyond conventional wood construction. Timber frames are living structures, reminiscent of the majestic forests from which they are borne. The tremendous character, unique textures, and endless detail of the timber frame leaves little doubt as to its renewed popularity in the United States & around the world.

Dreaming Creek has been solely dedicated to this ancient craft for more than two decades. During that time we have earned a reputation as one of the top custom timber frame companies in the United States. With more than forty-five highly skilled employees focused on ensuring your satisfaction, you can be certain your timber frame project is a reflection of your vision as we help you "Create Your Legacy".

TIMBER PIECES Beam: a main horizontal member in a building's frame Braces: smaller timbers placed diagonally between posts and girts or plates to make a structure more rigid Collar Tie: a timber placed horizontally and between rafters that control spreading or sagging of the rafters, usually placed parallel to the girts which connect rafter pairs at a given height Common Rafters: closely and regularly spaced inclined timbers that support the roof covering, independent of the bent system Found Curve: naturally occurring crooked timbers usually with two sides sawn and two sides with the bark removed, used as knee braces, posts and beams Girt: major horizontal timber that connects posts Gunstock Post: a post having an increased size at its top, providing extra strength for intersecting joinery Hammer Beam: a horizontal timber projecting from the top of the wall or rafter that supports a roof truss. The design creates a large roof span with relatively short timbers Joist: smaller horizontal timbers parallel to each other to complete the floor frame King Post: a central, vertical post extending from the bent plate or girt to the junction of the rafters at roof peak Knee Brace: a short diagonal timber placed between the horizontal and vertical members of the frame to make them rigid Plate: the major horizontal timber which runs from one end of the frame to the other and supports the base of the rafters Post: upright or vertical timbers erected within the frame that provide structural support of the members above Principal Rafters: a pair of inclined timbers that are framed into a bent and used with either purlins or secondary rafters or alone Purlin: a horizontal member of the roof frame which runs between rafters Queen Posts: a pair of vertical posts of a roof truss standing on the bent or girt and supporting the rafters or collar tie Rafter: sloping main timber of the roof frame Ridge Pole: horizontal timber which connects rafter pairs at the peak Ridge Purlin: the beams connecting rafter to rafter at the apex Secondary Rafters: smaller sized timber rafters placed between principle rafters Sill Timber: major horizontal timbers which lie on the foundation and form the lowest part of the frame Strut: a short timber placed in a structure either diagonally or vertically, designed to act in compression along the direction of its lengths Summer Beam: a major horizontal timber which spans the girts or plates

JOINERY Dovetail: a tenon that is shaped like a dove's spread tail to fit into a corresponding mortise Half-Dovetail: this joint is one-half of a dovetail; used for joining collar ties to rafters, and braces to posts, and for other similar situations Half-Lap: a joint in which two timbers are let in to each other Joint: part, or the arrangement of the part, where two or more timbers are joined together Haunch: the part of the whole timber beyond the shoulder which is let into another timber Housing: the shallow mortise or cavity for receiving the major part of a timber end, usually coupled with a smaller deep mortise to receive a tenon tying the joint together Joinery: the craft of connecting and securing the separate members of the timber frame to one another by means of specific cuts on the ends and/or sides of the timbers Mortise and Tenon: any joint consisting of a projection (tenon) on the end of one timber and a corresponding slot (mortise) on the other Peg: a hardwood dowel usually ranging from 5/8 of an inch to 2 inches in diameter Scarf Joint: a joint used to splice two timbers end to end Shoulder: the area of the void created when the waste around a tenon has been cut away Tail: the end portion of a birds-mouth joint which extends beyond the plate when there is a roof overhang Tenon: the projecting end of a timber that is inserted into a mortise Trunnel: also known as a tree-nail, a turned and tapered hardwood dowel used for securing timber joints. See "Peg" Tusk Joint: also called a tusk or through tenon, a mortise and tenon joint in which the tenon goes all the way through the corresponding mortise

TOOLS Beetle: a heavy wooden maul or mallet used in cases in which material would be damaged by a sledge hammer Come Along: a hand operated ratcheting wench. Uses include tightening joinery during assembly, as a safety tie and for pulling frame components together during erection Draw Knife: a tool having a blade with a handle at each end; by drawing it toward you, you can shave surfaces Framing Chisel: large chisel with long, heavy blades: strong enough to be hit with a heavy mallet Mallet: a tool like a hammer with a wooden, rawhide or rubber head Pike: a long pole with a pointed steel head used in raising bents; also called a barn pole Slick: a wide bladed and long handled chisel pushed by hand to create flat surfaces

DETAILING Chamfer: a decorative edging or relief made at the timber's corner Pendant: an ornamental termination to the low end of a hammer post, king post, queen post, etc. Stop: decorative end of a chamfer

OTHER TERMS Bay: space between two timber bents Bent: a structural section of the frame which is composed of a line of vertical posts and the horizontal timbers that connect them Bent Design: the functional and artistic pattern of timbers creating the bent Blue Board: weather resistant, plaster-based drywall Check: a separation of wood fibers caused by the natural process of wood drying Green Wood: freshly cut wood that is not dried or seasoned Hand-Hewn: a timber squared off and shaped by hand Hardwood: wood of certain deciduous trees (e.g., oak, walnut, ash, etc.) Rough Sawn: lumber and timber that has not been planed Scribing: shaping one member to the surface which it touches, for example, to fit a board snugly to a surface which is not straight Span: the width of a building or overall length of a truss Timber Frame: a load-carrying structure of timbers ranging in size from 4x4 and up Wall Decking: lumber covering the walls usually 1" tongue-and-groove