Cob & Timber Frame

Tue Feb 2 15:05:46 PST 1999

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Greetings to all,

As a new comer to Cob techniques I'm going to respond here with caution as
I'm not familiar with such items as moisture content the finished product.

Regarding timer frame structures three primary factors come to mind
regarding longevity in regards to moisture exposure.

The primary factor would be the type of wood. Some woods, like locust, are
almost legendary in their resistance to rot or as my West Virginian
grandfather once said "It'll last just a bit longer than stone." Another
good rot resistant wood is white oak.

The second factor is whether the wood is heartwood or has a large portion of
sapwood. Evidence indicates that the old timber cut from the virgin forests,
being all old growth heartwood, had much greater longevity. Sapwood, in
general, doesn't stand up to moisture and thus rot.

The third factor is relative moisture content. If the materials contacting
the wood are around 20% or less in moisture content there shouldn't be a
problem. Most species of wood can stand up to a continuous exposure to
moisture up to a point.

In closing, what types of wood you will encounter in an old TF structure
isn't a certainty. While more experienced builders and house-wrights would
choose the timbers more carefully it must be remembered that a large number
of TF structures were owner built. Just as today, the levels of knowledge
and experience varied widely. However, if the structure lasted 150-200 years
it's likely that it was built by a knowlegeable builder and with well chosen
woods.

Best Regards,

Michael Shafer
Schäffer Wood Works
Timber Framing & Fine Wood Working
Pittsburgh, PA
mbshafer at telerama.lm.com
    -----Original Message-----
    From: p.mcmillin at pecorp.com <p.mcmillin at pecorp.com>
    To: coblist at deatech.com <coblist at deatech.com>
    Date: Tuesday, February 02, 1999 5:22 PM
    Subject: Cob & Timber Frame

    My wife and I are kicking around the idea of reusing timbers from old
barns
    to erect a timber frame.  We then plan to use cob walls instead of the
    standard structural insulated panels(SIPs).  Has anyone tried this
    technique?  What about termites and post rot?

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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Greetings to =
all,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As a new comer to Cob techniques I'm =
going to=20
respond here with caution as I'm not familiar with such items as =
moisture=20
content the finished product.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Regarding timer frame structures three =
primary=20
factors come to mind regarding longevity in regards to moisture=20
exposure.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>The primary factor =
would be the type=20
of wood. Some woods, like locust, are almost legendary in their =
resistance to=20
rot or as my West Virginian grandfather once said &quot;It'll last just =
a bit=20
longer than stone.&quot; Another good rot resistant wood is white=20
oak.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The second factor is whether the wood =
is heartwood=20
or has a large portion of sapwood. Evidence indicates that the old =
timber cut=20
from the virgin forests, being all old growth heartwood, had much =
greater=20
longevity. Sapwood, in general, doesn't stand up to moisture and thus=20
rot.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The third factor is relative moisture =
content. If=20
the materials contacting the wood are around 20% or less in moisture =
content=20
there shouldn't be a problem. Most species of wood can stand up to a =
continuous=20
exposure to moisture up to a point.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In closing, what types of wood you will =
encounter=20
in an old TF structure isn't a certainty. While more experienced =
builders and=20
house-wrights would choose the timbers more carefully it must be =
remembered that=20
a large number of TF structures were owner built. Just as today, the =
levels of=20
knowledge and experience varied widely. However, if the structure lasted =
150-200=20
years it's likely that it was built by a knowlegeable builder and with =
well=20
chosen woods.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Best =
Regards,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Michael=20
Shafer&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&=
nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&n=
bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
<BR>Sch&auml;ffer Wood Works<BR>Timber Framing &amp; Fine Wood=20
Working<BR>Pittsburgh,=20
PA&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp=
;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
<BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:mbshafer at telerama.lm.com">mbshafer at telerama.lm.com</A>&nbs=
p;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: =
5px">
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>-----Original =
Message-----</B><BR><B>From:=20
    </B><A =
href=3D"mailto:p.mcmillin at pecorp.com">p.mcmillin at pecorp.com</A> &lt;<A=20
    =
href=3D"mailto:p.mcmillin at pecorp.com">p.mcmillin at pecorp.com</A>&gt;<BR><B=
>To:=20
    </B><A href=3D"mailto:coblist at deatech.com">coblist at deatech.com</A> =
&lt;<A=20
    =
href=3D"mailto:coblist at deatech.com">coblist at deatech.com</A>&gt;<BR><B>Dat=
e:=20
    </B>Tuesday, February 02, 1999 5:22 PM<BR><B>Subject: </B>Cob &amp; =
Timber=20
    Frame<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>My wife and I are kicking around the idea =
of=20
    reusing timbers from old barns<BR>to erect a timber frame.&nbsp; We =
then=20
    plan to use cob walls instead of the<BR>standard structural =
insulated=20
    panels(SIPs).&nbsp; Has anyone tried this<BR>technique?&nbsp; What =
about=20
    termites and post rot?<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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