Timber framing

High school (ages 12+)
Making & Design

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/timber-framing

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the construction method?Traditional building technique utilizing heavy, squared timbers to form a structural frame
2. What is the historical development?Evolved from direct log construction, predating standardized dimensional lumber
3. How do builders join the big wooden beams together?Builders use special joints called mortise and tenon. A hole (mortise) in one beam fits a protruding piece (tenon) of another beam, and they are held together with large wooden pegs.
4. Why do some houses show the wooden beams on the inside?Exposing the beams lets people see the strong structure and gives the room a warm, natural look. It also shows the craftsmanship and can be a decorative feature.

Timbers: Large, heavy beams of wood forming the primary structural elements of a building frame.
Joinery: The art and technique of connecting wooden components, especially in timber framing, using interlocking joints.
Mortise and Tenon: A fundamental joint where a projecting piece (tenon) fits into a corresponding cavity (mortise).
Wooden Pegs: Cylindrical wooden fasteners, often called dowels, used to secure timber joints.