A Hand-Made Timber Frame Outdoor Classroom
Our hand-made Timber Frame Pavilions are used as outdoor classrooms for schools looking for an open-air space to teach students, recreational covered space for municipalities and parks, and for individuals who would like a little extra covered space to entertain guests. The robust nature of Timber Framing makes it the best option for an outdoor structure that is subject to wind, snow, and rain. When we build an outdoor structure, we utilize white oak for the posts since they are more rot-resistant and stronger in tension and compression than most other wood species available in this area.
This unique timber frame design takes advantage of outshot braces in the bents that leave plenty of space in the middle of the pavilion. The two bent timber frame pavilion provides a 24’6″ x 25′ shaded area, but additional bents can be added to make this pavilion 24’6″ x 38′ and 24’6″ x 51.’ The larger your structure, the lower the cost per square foot.
For Pricing and Scheduling: Fill out a form here or call: 802-685-7974
Lead time: Ranges from 2 – 4 months , depending on the season and demand.
A Unique Post and Beam Structure
This timber frame building boasts a unique take on a classic king-post truss. The bents of this pavilion consist of the posts, curved tie beam, principle rafters, king post, and braces. You can see an example of this bent clearly in the fore of the photo below. The curved plate (also known as the lower chord in this type of king post truss) extends far past the post tops, offering additional covered space past the footprint of the posts. This curved 24′ long chord allows for a flared roof that is reminiscent of some Japanese influenced architecture. The bent braces connect from the exterior sides of the post to the ends of the lower chord. This detail allows for a completely open span on the inside of the pavilion while supporting the large roof.
Usually, post-top tenons stop inside the lower chord; however, in this case, the oak post-top tenon is long enough to pass through the lower chord and enter a mortice in the upper chord (king truss rafter) and get pegged into both the upper and lower chords. This detail provides extra durability and prevents the lower chord from becoming a hinge point on the bent. These little details make the structure durable, practical, and beautiful. Large purlins and a ridge plate connect the king post trusses together. Two inch, locally sourced, rough-sawn boards are installed on the the purlins with weather barrier and metal roofing on top of that.
Utilizing What is Close at Hand
Here at TimberHomes Vermont, we take pride in being staunch environmentalists and we try to bring that mentality into everything that we do. Our Timber Frame Pavilions and Outdoor Classrooms are an excellent example of how and why we do this.
When you buy a Timber Frame Pavilion from TimberHomes Vermont, you get a product that will last a lifetime (or three, depending on care) that is made from locally sourced, sustainable timber. All of our wood comes either from Vermont or close-by New Hampshire, New York, or Massachusetts forests. Our Eastern White pine, in particular, is sourced very close-by and milled twenty miles away in Fairlee, VT; so when we build your pavilion, you know that it is coming right from the northern forests where it was hand crafted by us.
Compare this locally sourced product to pressure treated lumber (what your typical outdoor structure is made from) that you find at the big box store and you find a world of difference. This wood comes from all over the place. It could have come from somewhere in New England, but there is also a chance it came from Canada, the south, or the pacific northwest. Even if it did come from the same forest where our batches of wood come from, to become pressure treated lumber, the logs need to get milled, kiln-dried, planed, pressure treated (with pretty nasty chemicals), shipped to the box store, and then shipped to the job site. This adds four energy intensive steps to the process. The less the wood travels, the less fuel you have to burn to get it where it’s going.
We Ship Anywhere
While most of the Timber Frames we build end up in New England or New York State, we can theoretically raise our frames anywhere in the continental USA. Obviously, the closer you are to one of our shops in either Vershire or Montpelier, Vermont, the less your Timber Frame Outdoor Classroom or Pavilion will cost.
Fill out a form here, or give us a call at 802-685-7974 for a quote. We should be able to give you a price within a few days.
The Nature of Wood
Our Timber Frame Outdoor Classrooms and Pavilions are built using natural timbers from our local forests. We work with high-quality timbers and individually choose the wood for your timber frame with care. Trees are unique and, as such, are not perfectly uniform. The wood used for our handcrafted timber frames may have knots, wormholes, or blue stain. As green wood dries it may develop checking or cracks, it may shrink or twist, and like all of us, it will grey over time. These characteristics make natural wood products unique. None of these characteristics affect the structural integrity of the wood or your post and beam structure.
