Our designer Kevin Mattson does all our timber frame design as well as production drawings. He lives at an off-grid site and raised his child, a son, in a 300-sq.-ft house. Living in a trailer on site, he built the house one part at a time, from 1991 to 2001. The house contains a full-size kitchen (the kitchen table is a dining table too), a living room on the opposite side, and a bathroom in the middle. Above the bathroom is the loft space that is Kevin’s bedroom; it had been a hideaway for his son for many years. Now Kevin’s young son, grown up and in Florida, is going to have a baby soon.
This is such a small house, but when I entered it, I was not able to draw the floor plan in my head for a while. Nice design.
On Kevin’s house, the posts are scribe-fit to rocks, exposed beams are protected with copper, natural light features prominently, and the walls are finished with textured drywall and good natural materials. Because it is small, Kevin can look after it very easily.
The entry is flanked by two natural posts scribed on to a rock base. The full-length wood shutters can be closed for both sunlight control and home security.
The front elevaton, with landscaping.
Interior view of the timber framed entry, enhanced with fixed picture windows. Light from the roof skylight is softened through the matchstick screens.
A driftwood ladder leads up into the loft bedroom. The bath is entered through a hidden door in the cedar paneling, to the right.
View from the bathroom looking through its [open] hidden door.
When in the glass shower in the bath, this is the view to the rear fern garden. Kevin can see the day’s temperature (posted on the tree) during his morning shower.
The kitecn, with its cherry cabinetry and black granite counters. Appliances include a propane refrigerator and stovetop, and a cast iron stove.
Kevin’s living room and home office. The triangular picture window includes an exterior awning shutter that can be operated from inside with a cable and marine hardware.
I visited a similar house in Oliver, B.C., designed by Henry Y. Mann (www.henryyorkemann.com/project/quietude). It’s a 350-sq.ft. house with everything its owner needs, including a full-size kitchen.
These people chose to live in quality. They are not rich but they spend time and money with deep thought down to every detail. They compromised on size, but every moment they spend in their space is suffused with satisfaction.
This is what Daizen wants to support. If your budget is tight, narrow your house down to a smaller area but build with high quality material and craftsmanship so that you and your loved ones can feel the joy of life at home. We can help you! Let us know.
A new sharing venue, Pinterest, is a visual online pinboard to organize and share the things you love. Daizen now has two Pinterest boards—one for inspiring visual inspirations (called Nice Work) and the other, Daizen Joinery, for interesting accomplishments.
Update–as of June 6, Daizen now has nine pinboards! The others include Stair, Garden/Exterior, Treehouse, Organic/Earth Building, Japanese Architecture, Places To Go, Fly Fishing, and a fledgling one for Methods.
You can “follow” either of these pinboards by clicking the red Request an Invite button. Or you can start your own Pinterest. It’s a feast for the eyes!
We have built many different styles of stairs in the past. Here’s one we recently installed.
The challenge in building a staircase is not the actual fabrication; rather, it’s getting it to fit well into the house. Over time, the walls, ceilings, and floors of existing houses tend to move out of plumb and square. Even on a new house, those planes usually have a period of settling that occurs even before the residents move in.
Two things to consider:
If the stair is “hung” from the wall, the wall surfaces must be square and plumb to very exact tolerances, a task that is not trivial even on a new house. Following the plan closely and measuring carefully, sometimes after the frame has settled a little, is key.
Another option is for the designer to be aware of potential settling and design the stair as free-standing. A free-standing staircase can add much interest to the design, as well as saving the client money, since less frequent measuring is needed. The greatest cost savings comes if we can eliminate the staircase-measuring visit entirely!
Other Daizen staircases
For a closer look at these staircases and the houses they fit into, you can download a full-color PDF by clicking the link in the right column on the Daizen website.
We got call from lady who own 30 years old famous design Cedar home. She said house is shifting so I went down to inspected. There are few design failure, roof beam were exposed but not serious damage from weather are affected yet. Main issue was that Purlin (roof beam) were spliced in middle that has no compression beam to prevent beam to push towards in middle, also beam were sitting on post with few nails only. Timber were used in green boxed heart so it twisted as much as the beam wanted. Steel plate were added sometime later after its build that is bended. At same time tension rod was place in between the roof beam but it was wrong, it needed compression beam or rod.
We will be placing middle compression beam and push back a roof a bid.
This example shows how important to get the structure engineer and understand how wood react down the road.
While we were at BC wood AGM, BC wood made tour and two out of four were the frame we provided. Round natural log and square timber are for sure good combination for any resort set up and makes one of kind building. This project is build by Craig Ross who is contractor in Whistler, great job in design modification and finishes, we provided timber structure and stairs. Kalwall by the stair tower is insulated and bring very warm light in to the building.
Here is good example of how 3D computer rendering help for client to see final result and make decisions in color, size and all aspect. Designed by Willms Design Service.
We modified the design a bid and worked out very well.
12×12 cubic pod I started about one year ago is now completed and my kids are moved in.
Ideas in behind this is that I can complete all interior feature include electric wiring and move and attach to the new house I will be building. Three pod in raw now but I am not sure how I can pass the building inspection. Not enough thinking.
Build high ceiling and place kind of loft will gain good amount of floor space. For kids, this would be bed. I also placed large storage compartment which is connected from both bed space that is using as play space. Lego’s and puzzles are all spread out but out of my sight so they can do whatever they want to do without me telling them to clean up.
Large sized windows were bay out and use the space as nook, electric floor heating in place with cork floor on top. Folding sliding door really opens up space so tightly 12×12 pod does not feel so closed up.
Willms family and me were at Valdes island last long weekend. This time, Kyle and I build intermediate deck between water edge to cabin. Idea is using available material which is drift wood.
Main member of this structure is post and double tie beam and floor joist beam on top. First, we went out and hunt some materials. Find that the size and shape are desirable. Drift wood is heavy because it wet and rocks are sloped and slippery so it is a bid hard work to gather all materials to the spot.
Drilling to rock was very easy. We cut up re-bar and epoxied into rock and wood. Structure are in rotation mode from the bottom of the post, post is in compression and fitting it in perpendicularity is the key so no shear strength applied to the pin. Beam connection to the rock is where the most force is getting and it is tension force. So made the pin location as far as it could from the end of the beam.
No tape measure or scribe, all cut by feeling and leveled by eye. Front face floor joist beam were placed with curved beam which makes three post angle in round shape as well. Find the most flat face and place up, other beams were straight but place the but and top of the logs to make the face of three logs to be as even as possible. Front beam had a few high spot, middle beam were slightly higher than front and back so used straight board to guide all the way to shave the middle beam to achieve the flat. It worked out well.
We did not had enough decking materials so it is just placed on top so we could sit down and had beer!
Exposed heavy timber rafters add great value to the look of the house. These rafter has slot on top that slide up to extended truss rafter end. Screw and glue to secure from the top.Perfect solution for rafter end.
This is truss is used as non structure truss at gable end. It is totally capable to carry load. Steel in middle looks like structural component but it isn’t, it is design feature.
We build play structure with WRC(Western Red Cedar) Structure were connected with monkey bar that is leaned to be stabilized. One long beam on top is notched in main structure and fastened with through bolt. This beam hangs tire swing one side and regular swing on other side. With adult hanging and play hard, structure can shake but with kids, this structure is stable as self standing, no anchor. Monkey bar were custom made, powered coated yellow, lots of accessory from Home Depot, all corner of timber were chamfered round, every hardware give consideration not to heart kids. After structure assembled, got kids decided where to place every single piece of accessory as I installed.
When some one build barn, there are few reason why they like to build with timber frame. Basically, building does not require for insulation but open space, it has to build with post and beam style not stick frame. Usually it is high pitch roof with gable vent to release the moisture. In this design by Karl Willms, it has raised portion of frame that has window vent to release the moisture, keeping roof shape flat to match the main house which is under the construction at same time.
February 23rd and 24th, we were at the Buildex show. We got honorables best booth at the show.
Roof truss were all recycled western red cedar, it was lighter than D.Fir, could of set up all by hand. entire show, my body was so soar from the set up.
We met many peoples at the show, thanks every one who stopped at our booth.
Our next show is in Abbotsford Log and Timber show, March 13th and 14th.
This frame is made out of three same unit so it can move later. Due to moving, I made it to 12×12 in size. To maximize the floor space, we made bunk bed and good storage space at the 6 feet and 7 feet high. Also making window with nook to utilize space. Window was purchased from Wayne Morstad at Colbe window 250-215-3292. I asked if he has any left over window and they did have one cancellation of the windows that I could use 90% of what they had. Very helpful and knowledgeable parson, I will recommend any one to contact him for any windows also folding windows.
This is my new try out timber frame, I am hoping to complete by my daughters birthday.
The concept of this unit is that it will be part of our new home when we are ready. So 3 12×12 separate unit is connected with through bolt only. All joinery is made so we can lift the unit.
Ceiling beam was new system, it seems very strong.
Floor and ceiling with 3″ styro form.
To utilize the floor space, I made ceiling height to 10′, making bunk bed at 6′, connection whole way for kids to craw in at 7′ height with 1″ plywood.
Glass into the timber. This is one of the detail I wanted to finalized for while. Now we have made sample. Yes, we made mistake. Now we know what to watch for it.
We got one real project to put entire wall with glass into timber. Our next move is to integrate the opening mechanism in.
This is the light that we bought from IKEA and made into kind of sign where people enter to the restaurant. Light is very cheap only 40 dollars and rock are from my house. Made logo in Illustrator and traced well because the light behind. Waxed paper were not easy to penetrate the ink but it gave the effect that made more interesting. I definitely will do this again.
My daughter Mizuki always admire my work, she gave me such a good time in my life. Kiyo is new crew that reach his hand to where I need, thanks Kiyo!
Shin also pronounce as “Kokoro” It describe heart, mind, ideas that comes out from sprits. But it also gives image of honesty, sincerity by looking at character. I am taking this as design in our activity.
Gi also pronounce as “Waza” It is skill that achieved from long continuous discipline, that experts from normal skills. This is part we are taking and I have to admit I still have long way to go.
Zai means material. This one character also combine from two character which is “Tree” on left side and “Talent” on right size. I should take tree is excellent versatile materials.
I have been separating Design, Craftsmanship and material to be separate factors so we can focus to target higher achievement as we move on. This concept that I had for while came together more definite by writing in three character in Japanese.
Especially, material is important. We are cutting tree, finishing their life. If we do not make good use of this, we might just live in plastic house. Now, our mission is to design with the heart, train ourselves so we do give another good life to trees.
inspirations (called Nice Work) and the other, Daizen Joinery, for interesting accomplishments.
