Post and beam cottage plans, Post & Beam house plans & design

Post & Beam

Many Post and Beam homes employ some of the same
elements of Timber frame construction, either as the main
structural system or as accents in the form of trusses or
beams and braces. Post and beam construction often
resembles timber framing, with the important distinction
that post and beam construction often utilizes mechanical
fasteners and steel plate connectors to join adjacent
members together. These connectors are either hidden or
exposed in various ways.

Wood post and beam frames are rarely used as the only
structural system for a building for the reason that they
require additional structural elements like shear panels and
infill framing to create a stable structure. There tends to be
some confusion between timber frame and post & beam
construction, even within the industry. Like timber framing,
post and beam construction requires skilled craftsmen to
create well crafted joints.

Cost and the desire for authenticity are important factors
in deciding which system to use. Post and beam
construction shares with timber framing an appreciation for
the beauty of wood, but tends to lack the purity of
tradition. At Fox Design Studio, we celebrate heavy timber
elements in our designs and appreciate the clean, modern
architecture a Post and Beam structure has to offer.