Ping the Natural Philosopher

[Tim Lamb]

I am approaching the time where I move the timber frame sections to stand on the dwarf cavity wall of my barn.

I have insulated the cavity and *closed* with a proprietary closer. The sole plate will span the cavity and rest on both leaves on lime mortar bedding.

How do I secure the plate to the wall?

Conventionally the plate would align with the face of the inner leaf and be strapped at 4' intervals. With exposed brickwork, I want to avoid visible straps on either leaf (I suppose they could be disguised behind superficial timbers) and the plate will not align with either face anyway. I can fit angle brackets to the top course: hidden behind the insulation and feather edge but not giving the same strength.

Ideas?

regards

[The Natural Philosopher]

Ullo mate.

I am trying to remember how the carpenters did this. Largley they didn't IIRC - just left the huge oaks 'resting' there.

You canb use L strps that gio UNDER teh beams and up teh outsode, where you will probably render over,.

Have to dash.

More later

[Anna Kettle]

My place has no securing at all and is still standing in the right place after 500 years. I suppose there is some friction and then the weight of the building holds it still

Anna ~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England |""""| ~ Lime plaster repair and conservation / ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc |____|

01359 230642

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Anna Kettle writes

Ah. The gravity method.

There was nothing securing the original framing here. I am just trying to *future proof* the construction in case a change of use brings forth a fussy building control officer. There was no *wind* bracing either! In a 40' long x 14' wide building! I suppose there were some tiny braces between the trusses and the supports......

regards

[Tim Lamb]

In message , The Natural Philosopher writes

I've got some 2"x2" galvanised angle which will disappear nicely behind the insulation and may convince a future inspector that I have at least tried:-)

regards

[The Natural Philosopher]

Well think about it logically...waht actually holds a BRICK building together over a DPC made of plastic sheet? Gravity.

Whats stops a garden shed on 4 piles off bricks blowing away...gravity, and yes, sometimes they DO blow away. ;-)

I am not sure that a tie every 4 ft will withstand a hurricane any better than nothing at all, frankly. In my case it was really more about stopping the buggers shifting before the rest of the timberwork went up.

If you were deeply disturbed I would put in expansion bolts onto the brickwork and tie the buggers down that way.

[Tim Lamb]

In message , The Natural Philosopher writes

Hmm.. I doubt recovered Victorian bricks would stand much by way of expansion.

I'll go with the gravity system and introduce some additional bracing. If it blows away it'll go in one piece. I suppose the steel sheeting confers a fair bit of rigidity anyway.

Day off today but I have cleared the beans and have a nice covered concrete floor to work on.

regards

[AJH]

When I have been involved with this the posts were the only things fixed, they went down past the dwarf wall to a stone pad, still above ground level. Despite the purist timber framer, seen on TV last week down here, saying it was unnecessary we drilled the post 150mm and inserted a galvanised iron pipe in stone and post. I had previously done this with softwood posts to convert a potting shed to open fronted, this still stands with not noticeable deterioration to the posts or roof 35 years on but will be demolished for development in the next few months.

AJH

[Tim Lamb]

In message , AJH writes

Ah. My dwarf wall goes all the way round, apart from the doorway.

BTW I have a couple of tons of unsaleable barley left in the feed bin. Dry but dusty. Two handed job as someone has to bag off while t'other shovels to the auger inside the bin.

regards

[AJH]

I cannot make use of 2 tonnes but am happy to pop up and shovel with you, let me know when and how long you think it might take, this despammed address seems to have given up so e-mail me with my initials at sylva.icuklive.co.uk.

AJH

[Tim Lamb]

In message , AJH writes

OK. I guess somewhere nearer Christmas might suit you better. I have plenty of empty sugar beet bags.

Time is probably controlled by speed of bagging as the auger will move

10 tons/hour. Anything you can't use is best left where it is so I suggest you contact me next time you are up this way with suitable transport.

regards