Assemble Timber Frame Bents on the Ground
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Dream Barndominium Timber Frame Front Porch Build, start to finish! Awesome!
What happens here
The project begins with the assembly of the primary timber frame components, known as 'bents', on a flat, level gravel surface. These bents consist of vertical posts and curved braces. The connections are made using traditional mortise and tenon joinery, where a 'tenon' (a shaped projection) fits into a 'mortise' (a cutout pocket) in an adjacent timber. These joints are then secured by driving oak wooden pegs through pre-drilled holes, locking the components together without the need for metal fasteners. Ratchet straps are used to temporarily hold pieces in alignment during assembly. This step is repeated for all structural bents required for the porch.
Goal: Construct the main timber frame sections (bents) using traditional joinery.
Tools and materials
- Cordless Drill DeWalt — Pre-drilling holes for wooden pegs (if not already drilled)
- Measuring Tape — Ensuring accurate dimensions and squaring of components
- Oak Wooden Pegs — Securing mortise and tenon joints
- Ratchet Straps — Temporarily holding timber components together during assembly
- Rubber Mallet — Driving wooden pegs into joints
- Timber Components — Main structural elements of the porch frame