WCD5 - Heavy Timber Construction

17 p., February 2004Heavy timber construction is one of the oldest types of buildings used in the development of this country. Its superior performance has been demonstrated in thousands of buildings during the past hundred and fifty years, many of which are still in satisfactory use. As originally conceived, the heavy timber building was a multi-story structure, designed and used primarily for industrial and storage purposes. Today, its use has been expanded to include many other occupancies. It is commonly used for assembly and mercantile buildings, such as schools, churches, auditoriums, gymnasiums, supermarkets, and for various other structures.This publication defines the minimum requirements for heavy timber construction, and provides illustrations of good construction details. These are recommended to the architect and builder as a guide in developing a safe and economical form of construction.