cutting timbers for small shed

[Stan P]

hello everyone,

  if I am planning on building a small shed, say 12x16 is it important to cut only center cut heartwood or could I get by cutting most of my beams from one very large (36 ") diameter oak log.  Also, is it a good idea to mix and match types of timber for the frame?  I also have cherry and hemlock and thought the hemlock would be better for the sills. 

thanks

Stan

[Jim_Rogers]

Stan:
Timbers that are 5x5" and larger are usually boxed heart timbers.
That means one center cut timber per log with boards or planks coming off the outside of the timber.
If you cut many smaller timbers from one 36" oak log you could get a lot of bow in them. Oak tends to have a lot of stress in the log.
Try it and see how it comes out....

Jim Rogers

[Don P]

Bow in a piece of wood is almost always easier to deal with if it is crown. If you do avoid the heart, avoid it by as far as possible. Those 2 statements almost always conflict when cutting rectangles .

[Stan P]

thank you.   

[Tony_T]

Heartwood cherry has good rot reisitance but the sapwood nearly none.  Also note that cherry prices a sky high, you might to better milling the cherry for grade and selling, then buying some treated lumber for sills.  If the cherry is small logs boxing the heart to remove sapwood is the way to go for sills.

[toby]

Stan,
I'm in process of building a wood shed 8x16. Timbers were 7x7, 7x8, the longest 18ft. Fell trees last spring and had them milled mid summer. Used white pine and hemlock. The logs were smallish, the 18 footers being about 11" on small end. Had no choice but mill the timbers out of the middle of the log.  Keep in mind the heart is often decayed in large logs. I think the speed you can cut the joinery and assemble the structure is probably more important than anything else.  Assembling joinery cut 10 months ago can be frustrating. Nothing will be square,straight or without twist,wood may be split in critical places.
I tried to work in stages, mill and join the sills and assemble on footings.
Mill and join members of each bend and assemble asap.etc etc.
Hope to finish this summer.
Good luck.