Cover Image: The Art of Hybrid Timber Framing

The Art of Hybrid Timber Framing

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Member Reviews

The book itself is a work of art the pictures are amazing and the passion fir craftsmanship really shine’s in everything from the trivia pictures and inspiration for projects. This is would be a wonderful gift for anyone passionate about craftsmanship and is a perfect book to display.

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Owner of Arrow Timber Framing, Bert Sarkkinen is a builder and craft timber enthusiast. For years, he has helped architects infuse their builds with timber, other wood building enthusiasts see their vision for their home come to fruition, and teach aspiring hybrid timber framers like himself the trade-craft. The Art of Hybrid Timber Framing is an educational resource and for builders, architects, and enthusiasts alike. This book can be used as supplemental reading for those who are interested in learning the process behind timber framing and garnering firsthand knowledge and experience from builders like Bert Sarkkinen.

In recent decades, timber has been revitalized in contemporary builds. A modern craftsman style has become a popular design for the housing market combining the natural and earthy texture and tones of wood, with the modern straight lines and angles of contemporary housing. Timber framing is the mark of true craftsmanship and the revival of the age-old practice has given new opportunities to carpenters, designers, and craftsmen.

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A beautiful book for anyone looking at remodeling or building a home. For those passionate about craftmanship a hard copy of this book would make a perfect coffee table book.

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The Art of Hybrid Timber Framing is the second edition of a definitive resource for hybrid timber framed homes written by Bert Sarkkinen. Originally published in 2018, this second edition is due out 19th January 2021 and will be available in hardcover format.

There are a plethora of books on planning renovations (or building from the ground up), making lists, finding contractors, and generally (hopefully) making the process as painless and stress-free as possible. Due to the significant sums of time, money, and effort involved, people are well advised to gather as much information as possible beforehand.

This book provides insight into timber framing and design. The book has a logical and accessible layout - the preface and introduction familiarize the reader with the author's background in the building industry and more specifically, how to use the book to best advantage. Mr. Sarkkinen uses plain (understandable) language to explain concepts without being overly technical or confusing.

The first section of the book (after the intro) covers the basics: what hybrid timber framing is, why/where to choose it, design considerations, processes for best results, and ugly money situations (and how to avoid them). The second section is full of gorgeous designs in a gamut of styles from small and cozy to some (literally, in my case) jaw-dropping imposing and impressive styles. It's full of beautiful pictures and line drawings throughout. The third section progresses to choosing a builder, money (always a consideration), technical decisions, some safety/design stuff, and some impressive case studies. The addition of a glossary helped me avoid confusion where some terms weren't entirely clear from context.

There's a lot of good material here. This would be a superlative resource for readers considering a new build or an overhaul on an existing structure. It would also make a nice selection for library or technical/trade school acquisition. Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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Simply stunning! The Art of Hybrid Timber Framing brings this beautiful and historic artform to the spotlight. The fantastic photos and easy to relate to writing make this book one to grab if whether you are considering timber framing your home, or if you are a fan of architecture and home remodels. People who like TV shows where the home gets a make over will appreciate this book. It is well written and organized. It is also not too technical or verbose. Laypeople like me will enjoy it as much as those who are familiar with timber framing and home construction.

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Do you like log cabins but are not willing to commit? Or does your local not suit a full wood house? Having a house that included features of wood can be hard to envisage, and even harder to pull off without the correct knowledge. The Art of Hybrid Timber Framing is a one-stop book that makes it nowhere near as daunting as you think it may be.

Separated into 3 main parts: Initiating The Vision, Depicting The Vision, and Constructing The Vision. Each of these sections are further broken down into logical steps as to how to go about your future house build or renovation.

A plethora of stunning photos of different styles of timber framing are showcased throughout, and boy they do not disappoint.

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This is a surprisingly philosophical book about building or renovating homes with hybrid timber framing. It's full of full color photos of houses that the author worked on himself, among others, and it covers a huge range of issues and considerations. The author also frequently goes into issues related to aesthetics, problems and other issues. He's passionate about his work and knows the topic. I'll never be able to use this information personally (we bought our 90 year old house for $2,000 25 years ago and plan to be here for life) but it was a fun read and I loved the photos.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

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