Dimension to cut rough cut lumber beams

Started by Lavarock64, June 27, 2017, 08:13:47 AM

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Lavarock64

Hello Folks-

I'm a little ways out from our build, but was blessed with a few trees to mill in preparation.

I'm intending to use the 20'x34' universal plan.

With this in mind how would I know what dimension to have the mill cut the 20 foot tulip poplar logs I have for the support beams??  The idea is the beams and hardwood flooring will be exposed on the ceiling of the first floor.

Thanks, Chris

PS If you forum search - username lavarock or subject -Cayuga , you will find my project.  I had to create a new name?


Don_P

Find a link when you have a minute and give loads, dimensions, sketch.
I'm in for a quick bite, we've made 135 poplar logs 20-30' long thus far, one 60' poplar 12x12 beam and just dropped the next 60'er, getting ready to go mill it up now.

I will say poplar design values in heavy timber do not exist, I'm on a barn project which is ag exempt... how is your inspector to deal with?


ChugiakTinkerer

Hey Chris, welcome back to the forum!

Is this the thread you are referring to?  Nice work on the lake camp.

Don P is the goto guy for guidance on timber frame construction.  Hopefully he'll have some time to help you figure out what will work best for your build.  As he mentioned, tulip poplar, also called yellow poplar, is not a particularly favored wood to build with.  There is some info on its general usefulness in this document by the US Forest Service.  It is included in the 2015 NDS Supplement by the American Wood Council for dimensional lumber but not for timbers 5" and larger.  You may be able to convince your building inspector that the poplar is comparable to some other wood that is in the NDS table for timbers.  Otherwise, if your inspector is hardnosed (assuming your build is subject to code inspection) then you may have to use other wood for the beams, and might even need to have it graded by a pro.

Your local building code probably allows you to use home-sawn lumber for anything non-structural, so flooring or siding are certainly in the cards.  For the 2nd floor, a 2x6 tongue & groove floor decking is popular.  That what you have in mind?  If so, you probably want to have the boards milled at least 1/8" extra in each dimension.  Maybe even 1/4".  If you can't end up using the polar for structural timbers, it would make great interior siding.
My cabin build thread: Alaskan remote 16x28 1.5 story