Traditional Timber Floor Construction

Paul watts and gillian tesh of mike wye associates look at traditional and modern breathable solid floors.

Traditional timber floor construction.

Suspended timber ground floors consist of the finished timber floorboards being attached to floor joists which are suspended above the subfloor of the foundation. 1 the beginnings of the tradition. Their article includes guidance on the conservation of traditional breathable floors and explores the options open to specifiers of new solid floors in traditional buildings whether in limecrete modern slab traditional earth or of a hybrid design. 3 from trees to timber.

England and wales have a fine inheritance of vernacular timber architecture. Floor joists are typically 2 by 8s 2 by 10s or 2 by 12s. Traditional japanese architecture s reliance on wood as a building material developed largely in response to japan s humid environment particularly the warm wet summer months. Solutions for first floors include traditional softwood joists timber i joists or open metal web joists.

Wood construction is readily adapt able to traditional contemporary and the most futuristic building styles. 5 construction elements. These floor joists are raised above the subfloor on small supporting walls called tassel walls or sleeper walls. 4 timber frame types.

Carpenters traditionally worked with natural wood and did the rougher work such as framing but today many other materials are also used and sometimes the finer trades of. Timber framing and post and beam construction are traditional methods of building with heavy timbers creating structures using squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs. 1 the beginnings of the tradition. Some newer homes have manufactured i beam shaped joists.

Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings ships timber bridges concrete formwork etc. Its architectural possibilities are limitless. If the structural frame of load bearing timber is left exposed on the exterior of the building it may be. A floor s framework is made up mostly of wooden joists that run parallel to one another at regular intervals.

The latter options are more expensive but provide considerable benefits. Unlike softwood joists timber i joists do not warp over time providing a quiet floor while open metal web joists can provide an easy means of installing services. 2 the development of the framed wall. It is commonplace in wooden buildings through the 19th century.

Wood frame buildings are economical to build heat and cool and provide maximum comfort to occupants.