Rafters and beams, how to make them or acquire cheaply?

Hello everyone,

I made a post about beams from palettes and the prospect seems daunting.

I would like to raise the roof on the house sometime this year or at last before spring next year. One of our friends will be taking his straw roof in all buildings on his estate due to expenses (Im in Denmark), in spring and I would like to try to reuse it on our house. The house needs a lot of work anyways. We live elsewhere.

Beams are quite expensive and I would like to find out ways to reduce costs of the undertaking.

I've seen the house on this website: http://www.beingsomewhere.net/hobbit.htm

Is it feasible to use natural logs like that in our case?

Given the timeline i would like to complete the project by:
Can I use freshly cut trees for this? Do they have to be cured in a special manner and how long does a process like that take?
What are my options for this?

I know very little about building but would like to learn much.

Thanks for consideration
-- Adrian
'

Hello Adrian,

I will take my response to your other post and bring it over here, since you have started a new post that is related.

One of our friends will be taking his straw roof in all buildings on his estate due to expenses (Im in Denmark), in spring and I would like to try to reuse it on our house.

Please explain..."straw roof?" Do you mean a Thatched roof?...If so, no, you can not reuse them effectively nor would you want to. They have a lifespan and are pretty much compost when no longer serviceable.

Is it even possible to do this by myself within small costs?

No

The wood adhesive is probably very expensive. How would I go about applying "few tons of force" to adhere the boards?

Relatively, each beam is going to cost about $150 minimum in supplies to make, not including the time and what it is valued at. Tools minimum...thickness planner, saws, chisels, hand plane, measuring tools, mallet, possible a router, and if you splurge...a toggling joiner.

There's many examples around of people making furniture and little things out of palettes. In this case, can palettes be used for any part of actual structuring of the house with relative ease for a non- expert?

Yes

Is it feasible to use natural logs like that in our case?

Depends...post pictures of the house and some projected elevation drawings and I may be able to give you a more succinct answer.

Can I use freshly cut trees for this?

Absolutely...

Do they have to be cured in a special manner and how long does a process like that take?

No not at all...

What are my options for this?

Whatever you dream up in your amaginagtion and are willing to put the time into learn and discovering...

I would suggest...as much as possible...not "re-inventing" any wheels. Take the task you want to achieve and use the most simplistic natural/traditional method possible to solve it.

I know very little about building but would like to learn much.

You are learning...now just don't stop...

Regards,

j

Adrien D. : This is another example where the very best thing you can do is to Hire yourself out to someone who demolishes buildings, you will learn
a tremendous amount about the way houses similar to yours are constructed, If you can make yourself truly useful, you will probably be the beneficiary
of truly great pieces of recycled timbers from buildings with histories of a couple of hundred years !

You will also quickly learn what has to be fixed right now! and what can wait ! Good luck ! I hope this helps,and is timely, For the good of the the Craft!

Think like fire! Flow like Gas! Don't be the Marshmallow! As always, your comments/questions are solicited and welcome Pyro-magically ! Big AL