Timber framing

Timber framing is a building system in which a structural skeleton of posts and beams carries the building’s loads. Its visible frame is distinct from the infill or cladding that closes the walls.

Post-and-beam construction: A construction method in which vertical posts and horizontal beams form a load-bearing frame. Timber framing is the timber-built form of this broader structural method.
Post: A vertical structural member that transfers loads toward a foundation. Posts form the upright supports in a timber frame.
Half-timbered architecture: A building style with exposed timber framing and infill panels between the members. It is a prominent architectural expression of traditional timber framing.
Platform framing: A light-frame building method in which each floor platform supports the walls above it. Unlike a continuous post-and-beam skeleton, its walls are assembled floor by floor.
Mortise-and-tenon: A joint made by fitting a projecting tenon on one piece into a mortise cut into another. Traditional frames often connect posts and beams with this fitted joint.
Beam: A horizontal structural member that carries loads across a span. Beams connect the frame’s posts and support floors or roofs.
Medieval timber framing: The post-and-beam building tradition used across medieval Europe. Medieval buildings preserve distinctive frame layouts and carpentry practices.
Balloon framing: A light-frame method using long continuous wall studs that extend across multiple stories. Its closely spaced studs contrast with timber framing’s larger posts and beams.
Timber framing joints: The connections that join structural timber members in a framed building. Joint geometry determines how the frame transfers forces between members.
Timber: Wood prepared for use as a structural or other building material. Timber is the material from which the frame’s principal members are made.

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