Half-timber house tutorial (part 1 /part 2) **Finished**

[section 8]

I wrote up a tutorial on how to build half-timbered houses from insulation foam. I've seen quite a few of these types of buildings made from foam with balsa wood glued to it for the timbers. My method differs in that the wall is one piece, with the timbers being marked out, then the stucco areas cut out. This creates a nice textured look for the stucco which I really like. If the stucco looks to rough, well a little bit of sanding will take care of that. Below is a picture of one wall that is finished.




Of course you will have to wait until I finish the whole thing to see how the house turns out. I still have a couple of walls, the roof, chimney and the windows left to do. I plan on covering these in part  2.

You can read the tutorial on my blog My Imagination is in Ruins


Now, I have a question that maybe someone can help me out with. These buildings are really cool and I love making them, but all of the other ones that I have made have been built so that there is no access to the roof, and so the interior is not visible. I have been thinking of making the roofs removable but since these types of houses weren't built in the U.S. to my knowledge, I have never been inside one. So I really have no idea what they look like on the inside. Does the interior match the outside, or were the timbers plastered over on the inside? Maybe they were finished off in an entirely different fashion? Maybe they were done in many different ways? I have tried searching for pictures of the interior and all I get shots of the outside, or what I assume are very modern renovations of the interior.

[anevilgiraffe]

a bit of both I guess - some have the timbers visible inside, some would be plastered over at some point - I don't worry too much about the inside timbers though...

now, your beam placement is very dubious... I wouldn't want to live in that. It's a timber frame house, not a slap some wood on in a hodgepodge way that defies gravity house...

buy this book, it's dirt cheap (from £1 so cheaper than dirt actually) and inifinitely useful...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Timber-framed-Buildings-Discovering-Richard-Harris/dp/0747802157/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1369308042&sr=8-4&keywords=timberframe+buildings

[Michi]

Have fun looking there:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=de&gs_rn=14&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=dt30hmw2KfNvFi5bi-FNiw&pq=l+fachwerkstruktur&cp=0&gs_id=1p&xhr=t&q=fachwerkstruktur&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.46865395,d.bGE&biw=1280&bih=817&bs=1&wrapid=tljp136930872516022&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=Of6dUbaZJLHW4ATeg4GoBA#um=1&hl=de&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=fachwerkhaus+innen&oq=fachwerkhaus+innen&gs_l=img.3..0l5j0i24l5.58777.60198.4.60685.6.4.0.2.2.0.108.363.3j1.4.0...0.0...1c.1.14.img.gfLHWgSG0tw&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.46865395,d.bGE&fp=3593ed3b16d1c636&biw=1280&bih=817

Additional views:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=de&gs_rn=14&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=dt30hmw2KfNvFi5bi-FNiw&pq=l+fachwerkstruktur&cp=0&gs_id=1p&xhr=t&q=fachwerkstruktur&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.46865395,d.bGE&biw=1280&bih=817&bs=1&wrapid=tljp136930872516022&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=Of6dUbaZJLHW4ATeg4GoBA#um=1&hl=de&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=fachwerk&oq=fachwerk&gs_l=img.3..0l10.22610.22610.0.24100.1.1.0.0.0.0.120.120.0j1.1.0...0.0...1c.1.14.img.ykXaj8EOGLM&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.46865395,d.bGE&fp=3593ed3b16d1c636&biw=1280&bih=817

And this:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=de&gs_rn=14&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=dt30hmw2KfNvFi5bi-FNiw&pq=l+fachwerkstruktur&cp=0&gs_id=1p&xhr=t&q=fachwerkstruktur&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.46865395,d.bGE&biw=1280&bih=817&bs=1&wrapid=tljp136930872516022&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=Of6dUbaZJLHW4ATeg4GoBA#um=1&hl=de&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=fachwerkhaus&oq=fachwerkhaus&gs_l=img.3..0l10.66148.66986.2.70488.4.2.0.2.2.0.134.219.1j1.2.0...0.0...1c.1.14.img.YQwZpGRMERo&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.46865395,d.bGE&fp=3593ed3b16d1c636&biw=1280&bih=817

[anevilgiraffe]

yep, despite most models ever (including mine), the plaster was flush with the beams (it just looks right when it isn't) so internal overpainting could hide them easily enough...

also, the bit between the timber wasn't always brick, it could as easily be wattle, which wouldn't support your windows at all...

[sukhe_bator]

Amish barn raising for example uses essentially the traditional methods of construction used in Europe from the Later Middle ages - all t/f buildings are essentially kits composed of framed panels put together on the ground then raised up at the ends and at intervals between and fixed with tie beams to create cells or bays. Most t/f were originally single storey with tall rooms to disperse the smoke. Upper levels were gradually inserted usually at the ends reached by small staircases inside. Separate smaller bays were added at the end to create a smoke hood to funnel smoke away from the fireplace which moved from the middle of the hall space to the end.
Because of the risk of fire and the smaller construction, early American log cabins etc. started with the later practice of having a fireplace at one end, usually with a separate log or stone chimney, but in the middle ages there was considerable arguement about the relative merits of having a fireplace against the wall and having chimneys. A central fire though smokier, was warmer. Hence the invention of iron firebacks to deflect heat back into the room and act as a storage radiator...
The frame was the main shell support, so windows etc. had to be planned and incorporated in the design, but the spaces in between were not load bearing so anything would do. Wattle and daub was cheap and a good insulation, but brick was used later as a sign of wealth. It is one of the reasons why you can still see redundant window frames in older t/f buildings. It is just too much trouble taking them out, so they just get filled in like any other panel.

[section 8]

Thanks for the replies, they are very helpful.

Yes, the design does seem a bit dubious. We will just have to assume that on this particular model that the outside timbers, you know, the ones that support the structure and whatnot, ...um they just got plastered over. Yeah that's it

Also, I find it very interesting that the plaster is flush with the timbers, which is obviously not the case with the vast majority of miniature houses. Though now I think I might try making a few that are just to see how they look. Plus I thought of way I might be able to give the wall s some texture without cutting them out, so I am eager to give that a try.

[anevilgiraffe]

one of those things, it looks wrong to me when it's flush, even though it is flush in real life...

[section 8]

Here is the second half of my efforts. I made a few changes, and added some extra timbers into the design. That is the beauty of polystyrene foam, it is very easy to work with. Makes a mess but easy to work with.




The direct link to Part 2 of the tutorial can be found here: ---> My Imagination is in Ruins

Thanks for looking.

[Constable Bertrand]

The roof looks good, the chimney is really cute 

It's turned out really well I think.