Modern Hammer Beam Roof

It is believed to have been first used in the great hall of westminster palace fig.

Modern hammer beam roof.

This timber truss works well in a variety of spans and roof pitches and is one of the most popular designs. A spectacular modern example of a hammer beam roof is the new gothic roof of st george s hall at windsor castle designed by giles downe and completed in 1997. The hammer beam roof is the crowning achievement in english gothic architecture and open timber roof design. The hammer beam truss this is a type of truss much used for supporting open timbered roofs especially in gothic halls and churches.

There are many ways to embellish this design from through tenons and radius cuts to decorative pendants or finials. Decorative metal strapping adds the special touch of the blacksmith s craftsmanship to this truss design. The hammer beam is the short beam at the base that. The craftsman timber truss combines beautiful features from both the hammer beam and the king post truss.

The roof of richard ii s westminster hall in london 1402 with a 70 ft 21 m span is an excellent example. It uses reinforced posts curving slightly outward from the wall to support the weight. Hammer beam hb trusses are certainly an engineering marvel and are one of the most open and regal truss types out there. The hammer beam bent is often associated with religious structures great halls or great rooms.

Here at vtw we occasionally create traditional hb trusses but we often work with and design modified hb trusses. A hammerbeam roof can have a single double or false hammerbeam truss. 48 built in 1397 and different forms of it may be seen in many of the english buildings of the fifteenth century. Hammer beam roof english medieval timber roof system used when a long span was needed.

A hammerbeam roof is a decorative open timber roof truss typical of english gothic architecture and has been called the most spectacular endeavour of the english medieval carpenter. These short beams are called hammer beams and give this truss its name. They are traditionally timber framed using short beams projecting from the wall on which the rafters land essentially a tie beam which has the middle cut out. Without a metal tie rod and turnbuckle deep wall posts and or concealed steel connectors are needed to handle the forces this configuration will develop.

Not a true truss the construction is similar to corbeled masonry see corbel in that each set of beams steps upward and inward by resting on the ones below by means of curved braces and struts. This replaced the previous flatter roof which was destroyed in the 1992 windsor castle fire.