Timber structural Calcs/design

[Rick Hughes]

I am intending to build a freestanding carport & garage, in the style of open oak frame barns. I can buy a kit made to my design, but they are VERY expensive.

I can come up with the design on a basic level, and calculate roof loading, wind loading etc. .. but does anyone know of a website or information that will allow me to size the timbers correctly, and produce the structural calculations ... if I have to provide them to council.

I may have to submit a planning application - as I want to put one of the open sides of the car port within 1m of my boundary - and rules state that if this is the case then a planning application is required. Which may also then force a Building Regs app (hopefully not)

The type of thing I am looking to build is a 2 bay affair, one bay will be closed on all 4 sides and have wood cladding, and barn doors ... the second bay will be open on front & one side and be 'car port' There are a lot of Oak frame companies who make frames (£10k and up), these use 5"x5" posts, with gallows brackets. but I don't really need Oak ... perhaps I could use pressure impregnated stress graded softwood, possibly two 6"x3" pieces biscuit jointed together reverse grained to stop twisting. ... and fink trusses for roof.

Anybody any ideas of information sources for getting structural design right?

Rick

[bigcat]

structural

design

I know of the sagulator, jus google for it, but I think you're wanting more than just that.

If theres one mistake you dont want to make, its putting 2 woods together to make one bigger one. Trust me, its a real mistake if used outdoors. If you want 5x5, get 5x5.

NT

[Rick Hughes]

I am intending to build a freestanding carport & garage, in the style of open oak frame barns. I can buy a kit made to my design, but they are VERY expensive.

I can come up with the design on a basic level, and calculate roof loading, wind loading etc. .. but does anyone know of a website or information that will allow me to size the timbers correctly, and produce the structural calculations ... if I have to provide them to council.

I may have to submit a planning application - as I want to put one of the open sides of the car port within 1m of my boundary - and rules state that if this is the case then a planning application is required. Which may also then force a Building Regs app (hopefully not)

The type of thing I am looking to build is a 2 bay affair, one bay will be closed on all 4 sides and have wood cladding, and barn doors ... the second bay will be open on front & one side and be 'car port' There are a lot of Oak frame companies who make frames (£10k and up), these use 5"x5" posts, with gallows brackets. but I don't really need Oak ... perhaps I could use pressure impregnated stress graded softwood, possibly two 6"x3" pieces biscuit jointed together reverse grained to stop twisting. ... and fink trusses for roof.

Anybody any ideas of information sources for getting structural design right?

Rick

[Tom]

Try contacting CAT, they were into pin jointed green oak structures a long time ago when I visited the site near Machynlleth.

[Newshound]

Wind loadings on structures with openings can be surprisingly high, especially if you are a bit exposed. Could be 2 - 3 tons lifting force on a roof this size, so don't rely on gravity to hold it down.

[Steve Firth]

Really? I had a double garage made for me by English Heritage, I thought it was a bargain price compared to the horrid equivalents. It only took one man a day to put up the frame, and then two men the rest of the week to get it clad and tiled.

[Rick]

I get oak at 14 quid a cublic foot. I sucessfully made an Oak truss, having never done anying this big before, for over a grand less than the cheepest one I could buy, if you are thinking of DIY it anyway, you could simply copy the oak design. 4 inch RSJ's are also pretty cheep, and would be even stronger.

Planning Applications does not necessarly mean building regs as the trigger rules are not the same, but they do exchange information in most town halls.

If you can find a strutrial engineer, who will do the job while watching TV one evening, he will probably only cost you 50 quid. The software they use for this is very expensive

Rick

[tom patton]

Hi there. Having just spent £4000 on architects fees and £450 on structural fees for my extensions to my house I can sympathise with your desire to save money-however the great thing about my expenditure was-the architect and engineer dealt with everything. I just received my building warrant and planning permission with no stress or effort on my part.There were several queries on my modest extension and some major structural revisions all of which would have driven me to distraction- the final design comprises of over 20 drawings. Now I just need to build it. I think you will have to employ a structural engineer for the stress calcs. and build detail- you might get away without an architect-it not being habitable.In my area planning are disinterested in non inhabited structures if they are.

1 30% or less of the free space in size. 2 5 metres from the dwell>

[Sam]

If he charges only 50 quid then he probably can't afford a TV to watch. Do you go round to the local dentist's house at the weekend and get a quck check up on the sofa for 10 quid? If you want a good job, pay the going rate. You are not the only one in the world trying to earn a living.....