Timber Frame Association has very good advice and downloads on timber frame construction, including fire safety for completed buildings and during construction - their links on "Self Build", "Understanding the Issues" and "Free Downloads" may especially catch your eye.
Timber frame builds:- Much quicker to build to the stage of getting the roof water tight. From this point the internals can commence in parallel, or even before, the external block/brickwork.
- Requires a horizontal fire break barrier at joist level and vertically at the corners - no problem, just an additional build element
- To provide for fixings for kitchen units, shelves, heavy mirrors etc. there must be some prior
planning. One approach (a bit more expensive) is to board the frame on the inside with more plywood, before dry-lining with
plasterboard - but see the section, in a couple of pages time, on Structural Insulation Panels.
Another approach, of adding noggins, requires knowledge of where all units will be
fixed
- There are some other build considerations
- where roofs abut walls, lead flashing rather than cavity trays is employed
- the wall insulation is installed within the inner stud walls rather than in the cavity
- the outer block/brick wall is tied to the studs with stainless steel ties screwed to the studs
- because the repurcussions of the timber getting/staying damp, emphasis is placed on ensuring a vapour barrier and in maintaining its integrity
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(Click on pictures for a larger view.) |
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In the picture above, of a timber frame house under development, a few features can be noted.
It is clear to see here that the roof trusses are on and the roof membrane and windows are making it water tight so that other work can continue inside - before the external block wall has been completed.
The timber frame panels can be seen at the top of the garage gable, covered in green waterproofing material. The blockwork is tied to these panels with wall ties that are screwed to the panels.
The gable end for the main house is additionally covered in extra waterproof material (grey). The lead soakers can just be seen resting on the battens abutting the gable wall - these correspond to the cavity trays of a block built house. This gable will then be covered in a water resistant plywood, covered in stainless steel mesh and then rendered.
The overhangs at the verges have been built with different widths to accomodate the different cladding - blocks/render for the garage gable and ply/mesh/render for the main gable end.
