February 26, 2007

Building the Timber Frame House - Review

If you’ve ever driven through Vermont and wondered how that 200 year old barn could, not only still be standing, but how it could have a perfectly straight roofline with no sag, then you need to get Building the Timber Frame House and read up on the art of timber framing.

Ted Benson’s first, and in our opinion, best, book on the subject is a detailed examination of the history and the construction techniques behind these magnificent structures. Even if you don’t ever have any intention or will to build a timber framed house (and how many of us are that lucky), the book is a valuable resource on the general structure of a home, proper and complex joints in woodworking, and the all around concepts needed to build something that is going to stand the test of time.

All of this great information is displayed in an easy to understand manner, accompanied by amazing illustrations. This is really a great book.

Check out his other books as well.