Framing - Outside

The time has come to close up the frame before the winter comes. There are some interesting differences between closing up a timber frame and a conventionally framed house. Our timber frame will essentially be closed from the inside - out. Take a look at the following pictures and you'll see what we mean.

All the framing is being done by Brooks, Eddie, James, and Ken of Brooks Levy Construction in Centreville.

Here the shed roof has been partially completed and the framing is starting to go up. The roof consists of tongue and groove pine that forms the ceiling, a foam insulation, two layers or 2x4 strapping, plywood, and shingles.

A foam insulation is applied to the walls between the gyproc and the studs. It is an insulation with a foil backing and also is a vapour barrier. The wall is built from the inside-out so that the gyproc is behind the timbers, making a much nicer finish inside and reducing the amount of finish work needed. The wall is framed and held loosely in place with bungees and braces. The foam and gyproc is slid behind the timbers and attached to the studs. The wall is then attached to the timbers. It's a process that has turned out to be very efficient. Here you can see the finished t&g ceiling as well. The t&g pine was pre stained and varnished so the ceiling is completely finished.

The shed roof is just about done and the half wall for the second story is finished.

The main part of the house now has half a roof. You can see the first course of strapping running horizontally. The second course will run vertically. With a ridge vent and soffit vents this will leave the roof well ventilated.

This is what the inside looks like after the framing. It looks like you could almost move in now :) Notice some of the wiring. Any ceiling fixtures had to be wired as the roof was being built. You could fish the wires later but it would be awfully hard to do.

These guys are just zooming along. It's all going together really nicely.

The other side is two stories high so some scaffolding is needed.

Here Ed is just starting the tongue and groove pine ceiling on the last section of roof.

A little bit of balance helps up on the scaffolding. Ed's taking a quick break before taking on the rest of the roof.

James and Ken work on the roof as well with a section of wall towards the bottom of the picture framed and ready to be lifted into place.

Ken cuts the boards while James puts them up.

Ken sorts through wood for the ceiling with the Bay of Fundy in the background.

Ed is working on the back end wall up in the peak.

The peak of the end wall is pretty high up there so some scaffolding was constructed to make it a lot easier and safer.

The basement entrance is now framed up.

The first wall of the house is fully insulated and wrapped. The same will be done to the other walls, windows installed, and then on to the siding. We'll be using Hardi-Plank fibre cement siding.