Re: Writing a Timber Frame house
Jan,
Do a "google" search for "wiring timber frames", there are several sites with some info.
There are also many excellent books on timber framing available from Ted Benson and other authors that can give you some insight. I'll try to dig through my books and find some titles.
Plan to coordinate the wiring with the frame builder prior to the cutting and raising of the frame. It can be incredibly difficult to change or add circuits and devices after the frame is enclosed.
If stress skin panels are used to enclose the structure many of these have wiring chases built in or can be field modified (using the joints etc). The frame builder can incorporate chases and holes in the frame for electrical chases. Closets and mechanical chases can be used to access upper floors. Baseboard chases can be used where necessary.
http://www.winterpanel.com/manuals/stresskin/manual.html#WD has some good online info. You will also probably need a good router to make a few chases in exposed beams for lighting fixtures.
The
on site help/advice of an electrician or knowledgable person who has at least helped out on a
properly done timber frame would be a real good idea. This isn't meant to knock anyones ability, it's just that timber frames are in many ways "works of art" (expensive to repair), and keeping them as such requires some advance planning and TLC.
Len
