Plain farmhouse — materials
A rough list to take to a sawmill. The frame is cut green — full-sawn timbers straight from the log — and pinned with dry oak pegs: as the timbers dry they shrink onto the pegs, and the drawbored joints pull tighter. The mill cuts every stick to its section and length; the framer cuts the joints.
Each length is the piece’s cut length plus 10 in for tenons and trimming, rounded up to the foot. A piece longer than 24 ft is ordered in two or more lengths joined by a scarf (A2-16), except a post or a rafter is not scarfed. Board feet are full-sawn: width × depth × feet ÷ 12. Sizes follow the model, which is proportioned from measured drawings, not engineered — a frame that will carry a load is sized by an engineer first.
| Section (in) | Length (ft) | Pieces | Board feet | For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 10 | 24 | 2 | 320 | cross girt at a bent |
| 8 × 10 | 17 | 2 | 227 | first-floor girder (summer), lengthwise |
| 8 × 10 | 16 | 1 | 107 | gable end girt, south gable |
| 8 × 10 | 13 | 3 | 260 | gable end girt, north gable · summer beam |
| 8 × 10 | 12 | 1 | 80 | summer beam |
| 8 × 10 | 10 | 1 | 67 | gable end girt, south gable |
| 8 × 8 | 24 | 2 | 256 | sill, gable end |
| 8 × 8 | 20 | 4 | 427 | gable mid post · wing sill, gable end |
| 8 × 8 | 19 | 8 | 811 | wall post, front and rear walls (corner and bent) |
| 8 × 8 | 17 | 12 | 1,088 | sill, front wall · sill, rear wall · wall plate · wing sill, front wall · wing sill, rear wall · wing wall plate |
| 8 × 8 | 16 | 1 | 85 | gable top girt at the plate line, south gable |
| 8 × 8 | 14 | 6 | 448 | wing wall post, front and rear walls (corner and bent) · wing gable mid post |
| 8 × 8 | 13 | 5 | 347 | wall girt, bay 1 (front and rear) · gable top girt at the plate line, north gable · wing gable top girt at the plate line, gable against the house |
| 8 × 8 | 12 | 2 | 128 | wall girt, bay 3 (front and rear) |
| 8 × 8 | 10 | 3 | 160 | gable top girt at the plate line, south gable · wing gable top girt at the plate line, south gable |
| 8 × 8 | 8 | 2 | 85 | cellar post under the girder |
| 8 × 8 | 7 | 3 | 112 | wall girt, bay 2 (front and rear) · wing gable top girt at the plate line, gable against the house |
| 6 × 8 | 17 | 2 | 136 | porch beam |
| 6 × 8 | 10 | 1 | 40 | stairwell header |
| 6 × 6 | 17 | 2 | 102 | porch sill on the piers |
| 6 × 6 | 9 | 4 | 108 | porch post |
| 4 × 6 | 12 | 9 | 216 | collar (none on the two gable pairs — the gable studs stiffen them) |
| 4 × 6 | 10 | 4 | 80 | wing collar (none on the two gable pairs — the gable studs stiffen them) |
| 4 × 6 | 4 | 22 | 176 | opening header |
| 3 × 8 | 17 | 10 | 340 | wing floor joist, gable sill to gable sill · porch roof ledger |
| 3 × 8 | 14 | 20 | 560 | ceiling joist, on the plates beside a rafter |
| 3 × 8 | 13 | 50 | 1,300 | first-floor joist, half span · floor joist, wall girt to summer |
| 3 × 8 | 7 | 9 | 126 | hall joist between the cross girts · stairwell trimmer, front and rear of the opening |
| 3 × 8 | 4 | 5 | 40 | stairwell tail joist, cross girt to header |
| 4 × 5 | 18 | 22 | 660 | common rafter (36.9°, 9/12) |
| 4 × 5 | 15 | 12 | 300 | wing common rafter (36.9°, 9/12) |
| 3 × 6 | 17 | 2 | 51 | porch floor ledger |
| 3 × 6 | 9 | 13 | 176 | porch joist |
| 4 × 4 | 9 | 4 | 48 | down brace, corner post to gable sill (50°), inner half |
| 4 × 4 | 7 | 4 | 37 | knee brace, corner post to plate (45°), inner half of the wall |
| 3 × 5 | 10 | 11 | 138 | porch rafter (11.1°) |
| 3 × 4 | 14 | 32 | 448 | wing wall stud · opening jamb stud, full story |
| 3 × 4 | 10 | 105 | 1,050 | wall stud, front and rear, first story · opening jamb stud, full story · wall stud, front and rear, second story · gable stud, first story · gable stud, second story · gable stud above the plate line, top cut to 9/12 |
| 3 × 4 | 9 | 6 | 54 | gable stud above the plate line, top cut to 9/12 |
| 3 × 4 | 8 | 2 | 16 | gable stud above the plate line, top cut to 9/12 |
| 3 × 4 | 7 | 6 | 42 | gable stud above the plate line, top cut to 9/12 |
| 3 × 4 | 6 | 11 | 66 | gable stud above the plate line, top cut to 9/12 · cripple stud, under a rough sill or over a header |
| 3 × 4 | 5 | 21 | 105 | cripple stud, under a rough sill or over a header · gable stud above the plate line, top cut to 9/12 |
| 3 × 4 | 4 | 31 | 124 | window rough sill · cripple stud, under a rough sill or over a header · gable stud above the plate line, top cut to 9/12 |
| 3 × 4 | 3 | 8 | 24 | gable stud above the plate line, top cut to 9/12 |
| 3 × 4 | 2 | 12 | 24 | cripple stud, under a rough sill or over a header |
11,593 board feet of green timber in 498 pieces.
19 members are longer than a 24 ft stick and are scarfed.
Pegs: 213 of dry oak, 1 in by 10 in, estimated joint by joint — order a tenth over. Keys: 1 dry oak key for the tusk tenons.
Boards: floors about 1,845 sq ft at 1 1/2 in thick (≈2,767 board feet); roof boards about 1,707 sq ft at 1 in (≈1,707 board feet). Add for waste.
Not in this list: stone, brick and mortar; siding, trim, windows and doors; roofing; nails. Nothing here is priced.
Cut list, piece by piece
| Piece | Qty | Section (in) | Cut length (in) | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cellar post under the girder | 2 | 8 × 8 | 78 1/2 | A6-22 foot on a stone pad · head under the girder, A6-02 tenon |
| Sill, front wall | 1 | 8 × 8 | 366 1/2 | A6-17 corner · A6-17 corner; scarfed A2-16 |
| Sill, rear wall | 1 | 8 × 8 | 366 1/2 | A6-17 corner · A6-17 corner; scarfed A2-16 |
| Sill, gable end | 2 | 8 × 8 | 277 1/2 | A6-17 corner · A6-17 corner |
| First-floor girder (summer), lengthwise | 1 | 8 × 10 | 350 1/2 | pocket in the gable cellar wall: its stone brought up under the end, beside the sill · pocket in the gable cellar wall, the same; on 8x8 cellar posts at the bents; scarfed A2-16 |
| First-floor joist, half span | 28 | 3 × 8 | 138 3/4 | A4-14 cogged over the inner half of the sill · A3-16 dovetail into the girder |
| Wall post, front and rear walls (corner and bent) | 8 | 8 × 8 | 212 5/8 | A6-22 foot on the sill · A6-02 head tenon into the plate; A6-05 girts housed and pegged |
| Wall girt, bay 1 (front and rear) | 2 | 8 × 8 | 138 3/4 | A6-05 housed tenon into the post, 2 pegs · same |
| Wall girt, bay 2 (front and rear) | 2 | 8 × 8 | 69 1/4 | A6-05 housed tenon into the post, 2 pegs · same |
| Wall girt, bay 3 (front and rear) | 2 | 8 × 8 | 126 1/2 | A6-05 housed tenon into the post, 2 pegs · same |
| Knee brace, corner post to plate (45°), inner half of the wall | 4 | 4 × 4 | 71 7/8 | A6-03 foot on the post · A6-03 head under the plate |
| Wall stud, front and rear, first story | 19 | 3 × 4 | 106 | A2-07 stub tenon into the sill · A2-07 stub tenon into the girt |
| Opening jamb stud, full story | 44 | 3 × 4 | 98 5/8 – 147 5/8 | A2-07 stub tenon · A2-07 stub tenon |
| Opening header | 22 | 4 × 6 | 30 – 33 | A2-07 into the jamb · same |
| Window rough sill | 17 | 3 × 4 | 30 | A2-07 into the jamb · same |
| Cripple stud, under a rough sill or over a header | 42 | 3 × 4 | 9 5/8 – 54 1/8 | A2-07 stub tenon · butts the rough sill or header |
| Wall stud, front and rear, second story | 18 | 3 × 4 | 98 5/8 | A2-07 stub tenon into the girt · A2-07 stub tenon into the plate or top girt |
| Gable mid post | 2 | 8 × 8 | 220 5/8 | A6-22 foot on the gable sill · A6-05 end girts and the top girts |
| Gable end girt, south gable | 2 | 8 × 10 | 98 1/4 – 171 1/4 | A6-05 into the corner post · A6-05 into the mid post |
| Gable top girt at the plate line, south gable | 2 | 8 × 8 | 98 1/4 – 171 1/4 | A6-05 into the corner post · A6-05 into the mid post |
| Down brace, corner post to gable sill (50°), inner half | 4 | 4 × 4 | 97 3/4 | A6-03 head on the corner post · A6-03 foot on the sill |
| Gable stud, first story | 16 | 3 × 4 | 104 | A2-07 stub tenon into the sill · A2-07 stub tenon into the girt |
| Gable stud, second story | 18 | 3 × 4 | 98 5/8 | A2-07 stub tenon into the girt · A2-07 stub tenon into the plate or top girt |
| Gable stud above the plate line, top cut to 9/12 | 40 | 3 × 4 | 17 – 107 | A2-07 stub tenon into the top girt · birdsmouthed under the end rafter |
| Gable end girt, north gable | 2 | 8 × 10 | 134 3/4 | A6-05 into the corner post · A6-05 into the mid post |
| Gable top girt at the plate line, north gable | 2 | 8 × 8 | 134 3/4 | A6-05 into the corner post · A6-05 into the mid post |
| Cross girt at a bent | 2 | 8 × 10 | 277 1/2 | A6-05 into the front post · A6-05 into the rear post; A6-32 summers, A3-16 joists |
| Summer beam | 2 | 8 × 10 | 126 1/2 – 138 3/4 | A6-32 tusk tenon and peg into the girt · same |
| Floor joist, wall girt to summer | 22 | 3 × 8 | 134 3/4 | A3-16 into the wall girt · A3-16 dovetail into the summer (A6-32) |
| Hall joist between the cross girts | 7 | 3 × 8 | 69 1/4 | A3-16 into the girt · same |
| Stairwell trimmer, front and rear of the opening | 2 | 3 × 8 | 69 1/4 | A3-16 into the girt · same |
| Stairwell header | 1 | 6 × 8 | 104 | A2-08 tusk tenon into the trimmer · same |
| Stairwell tail joist, cross girt to header | 5 | 3 × 8 | 30 | A3-16 into the girt · A3-16 dovetail into the header |
| Wall plate | 2 | 8 × 8 | 366 1/2 | A6-02 on the post heads · same; scarfed A2-16 over a post |
| Common rafter (36.9°, 9/12) | 22 | 4 × 5 | 202 1/4 | A6-20 seat on the plate, 12 in tail · A6-44 foot lapped to the joist beside it, pegged · A6-19 at the ridge |
| Collar (none on the two gable pairs — the gable studs stiffen them) | 9 | 4 × 6 | 129 1/2 | A6-12 to the rafter · same |
| Ceiling joist, on the plates beside a rafter | 10 | 3 × 8 | 293 1/2 | on the plate · A6-44 the rafter's foot lapped into its side, pegged · same |
| Wing sill, front wall | 1 | 8 × 8 | 192 | A6-17 corner · A6-17 corner |
| Wing sill, rear wall | 1 | 8 × 8 | 192 | A6-17 corner · A6-17 corner |
| Wing sill, gable end | 2 | 8 × 8 | 224 | A6-17 corner · A6-17 corner |
| Wing floor joist, gable sill to gable sill | 8 | 3 × 8 | 184 | A4-14 on the inner half of the sill · same |
| Wing wall post, front and rear walls (corner and bent) | 4 | 8 × 8 | 147 5/8 | A6-22 foot on the sill · A6-02 head tenon into the plate; A6-05 girts housed and pegged |
| Wing wall stud | 20 | 3 × 4 | 147 5/8 | A2-07 stub tenon into the sill · A2-07 stub tenon into the plate or top girt |
| Wing gable mid post | 2 | 8 × 8 | 155 5/8 | A6-22 foot on the gable sill · A6-05 end girts and the top girts |
| Wing gable top girt at the plate line, south gable | 2 | 8 × 8 | 108 | A6-05 into the corner post · A6-05 into the mid post |
| Wing gable top girt at the plate line, gable against the house | 2 | 8 × 8 | 71 1/2 – 144 1/2 | A6-05 into the corner post · A6-05 into the mid post |
| Wing wall plate | 2 | 8 × 8 | 192 | A6-02 on the post heads · same |
| Wing common rafter (36.9°, 9/12) | 12 | 4 × 5 | 168 3/4 | A6-20 seat on the plate, 12 in tail · A6-19 at the ridge |
| Wing collar (none on the two gable pairs — the gable studs stiffen them) | 4 | 4 × 6 | 108 | A6-12 to the rafter · same |
| Porch post | 4 | 6 × 6 | 91 3/8 | A6-22 stub tenon into the porch sill · A6-02 tenon into the porch beam |
| Porch sill on the piers | 1 | 6 × 6 | 366 1/2 | on stone piers under the posts · scarfed A2-16 |
| Porch floor ledger | 1 | 3 × 6 | 366 1/2 | F5-12 lag-bolted to the front sill · same |
| Porch joist | 13 | 3 × 6 | 96 | A4-14 cogged over the porch sill · on the floor ledger (A2-23), spiked |
| Porch beam | 1 | 6 × 8 | 366 1/2 | A6-02 on the post heads · same; scarfed A2-16 over a post |
| Porch roof ledger | 1 | 3 × 8 | 366 1/2 | F5-12 lag-bolted to each wall post · same |
| Porch rafter (11.1°) | 11 | 3 × 5 | 100 3/4 | A6-20 bird's mouth seated on the porch beam · hung on the roof ledger (F5-12) |