The Timber-Frame Home: Design, Construction, Finishing [Paperback]

Tedd Benson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 1990

Author, teacher, and master craftsman Tedd Benson shows readers how to plan a timber-frame home to meet their own needs and concerns. Tedd Benson can be seen on the PBS series "This Old House". 97 color photographs and 140 drawings.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Two decades ago, Tedd Benson helped kindle the dramatic rebirth of timer framing in this country. Today Benson and others are combining centuries-old timber-framing techniques with modern building materials to create houses that are as beautiful as they are durable and comfortable. In this book, Benson traces the history of the timber frame and tells how to create a new house in the tradition of old-world craftsmen. This new edtiion brings the latest advances in timber framing to life with hundreds of full-color photos and rendered drawings - all the information you need to join the timber-frame revival.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 231 pages
• Publisher: Taunton Press (March 23, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0942391608
• ISBN-13: 978-0942391602
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #310,430 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest and complete, June 8, 2000

By 

Irvin Kanode (Tempe, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Timber-Frame Home: Design, Construction, Finishing (Hardcover)

This is by far the best of several books I purchased on building timber frame homes. I started with a list of questions about shrinkage, sound proofing, electrical, plumbing, etc. and found clear concise answers to all of them through text, drawings, and photos.

I trust experts (like this author) who talk about the mistakes they've made and show me how to avoid them. He presents options and if you decide to pick the lower rated ones, he describes the likely consequences and how to minimize them.

61 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great resource, December 23, 1999

By 

bob (harrisville nh) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Timber-Frame Home: Design, Construction, Finishing (Hardcover)

This book is an excellent guide to the craft of timberframing and complete house design and finishing. I have just finished building my own red oak timber framed house in Tedds back yard here in New Hampshire and found many valuable hints and tips throughout this book, especially liked the sections on plumbing and wiring which can be a challenge in a timber frame house. I also agree with another reviewer that the quality of the book is excellent and deserves a place on your coffe table for guests to peruse. To top it all off Tedd is a very honorable and genuine person who espouses the inherent charms of living in a well crafted timber frame house better than any other books or articles I have read on the subject. Every day in my new home is a real delight and I never get tired of viewing the fine joinery throughout the house. Benson Woodworking also has an excellent web site to examine much of the steps in building a timber frame house. Also for those of you who enjoy the photos in this book , Tedd has a brand new book out showing dozens of homes they have built in the past in beautiful photographic form.

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My how we all change, November 28, 1999

By 

George T ONeil, III (The "Quiet Corner" of Connecticut) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Timber-Frame Home: Design, Construction, Finishing (Hardcover)

Back in 1980 Tedd Benson wrote a book on the same subject. It was more of a "do-it-yourself" book yet I liked it because it was a bit idealistic. In the present case The Timber-Frame Home takes the concept to another level. I liked reading the book for the following reasons: historical perspective and framework, detailed technical discussion of why, how, when and lots of great photo's of the projects being discussed.

The historical evolution of the "Timber-Frame Home" gave me a great reference and perspective on the subject discussed by the author. From the discussion in the text it is clear that Mr. Benson has extensive experience in building timber frame homes. Another reason I liked the book was the "philosophical" perspective injected by the author. Mr. Benson takes a "holistic" approach to discussion and building. The synergy and interdependence of the home and the environment are emphasized through the building elements discussed resulting in a total perspective, not a one-dimensional view so often encountered in construction books.

Overall my opinion is that this is a well written, well documented, thoroughly researched and pleasant read. I would recommend it to anyone thinking of building a timber-frame home or seeking to learn about this rediscovered building technique. An added benefit is that when your done reading the book you can leave it on the coffee table for others to look over!