Watervliet Shaker Cow and Hay Barn — 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
12 × 12	8	27	2,592	cellar post, 12 in round
9 × 10	28	20	4,200	sill · girder down the middle · wall plate
9 × 10	24	4	720	end sill
9 × 10	23	22	3,795	girt under the middle floor, middle · girt at the loft floor, middle
9 × 10	15	8	900	sill · wall plate
9 × 10	14	2	210	girder down the middle
9 × 10	12	44	3,960	girt under the middle floor, aisle · girt at the loft floor, aisle
12 × 7	13	40	3,640	half-log joist, loft floor (a log hewn flat on top; a sawn 12x7 serves)
9 × 9	36	22	5,346	interior post, first floor to purlin plate
9 × 9	28	30	5,670	girder under an interior line · wall post
9 × 9	14	4	378	girder under an interior line
8 × 10	28	8	1,493	purlin plate, its top dressed to the roof's slope
8 × 10	15	4	400	purlin plate, its top dressed to the roof's slope
8 × 8	23	11	1,349	tie over the driveway
8 × 8	13	48	3,328	girt along a post line, middle floor · girt along a post line, loft floor · girt along a post line in the loft
8 × 8	12	12	768	girt along a post line, middle floor · girt along a post line, loft floor · girt along a post line in the loft
8 × 7	13	30	1,820	joist, loft floor
7 × 8	23	11	1,181	collar
7 × 8	12	22	1,232	tie under the plate
6 × 8	13	36	1,872	joist beside a post line, middle floor, cogged · wall girt, middle floor
6 × 8	12	124	5,952	first-floor joist · wall girt, middle floor
4 × 6	13	170	4,420	joist, middle floor · wall girt
4 × 6	12	20	480	wall girt
4 × 6	8	2	32	wall girt
4 × 6	6	40	480	brace, 4x6
4 × 6	5	97	970	header · rough sill · wall girt
4 × 6	4	33	264	rough sill · header · wall girt
4 × 6	3	25	150	header · wall girt · rough sill
4 × 6	2	6	24	header · wall girt
3 × 6	29	122	5,307	rafter
4 × 4	10	24	320	opening post
4 × 4	9	4	48	opening post
4 × 4	7	24	224	opening post
4 × 4	6	29	232	opening post
4 × 4	4	384	2,048	brace · opening post
4 × 4	10	1	13	opening post
2 × 6	23	3	69	gable nailing girt
2 × 6	12	22	264	gable nailing girt
2 × 6	10	4	40	gable nailing girt
2 × 6	6	2	12	gable nailing girt
2 × 6	5	16	80	gable nailing girt · header · rough sill
2 × 6	4	22	88	header · gable nailing girt · rough sill
2 × 6	3	6	18	rough sill · gable nailing girt
2 × 4	13	1	9	opening post
2 × 4	11	4	29	opening post
2 × 4	10	4	27	opening post
2 × 4	9	13	78	opening post
2 × 4	8	3	16	opening post
2 × 4	6	4	16	gable stud

66,564 board feet of green timber in 1614 pieces.

166 members are longer than a 24 ft stick — a post or a rafter is not scarfed, so these are a special order at full length.

36 members are longer than a 24 ft stick with their scarfs' laps and are ordered at full length: the drawings set where they are scarfed.

Pegs: 2909 of dry oak, 1 in by 14 in, estimated joint by joint — order a tenth over.

Boards: plank floors (first, middle and loft) about 13,284 sq ft at 2 in thick (≈26,567 board feet); roof boards about 7,096 sq ft at 1 in (≈7,096 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, 12 in round	27	12 × 12	78 – 79	on the cellar floor · under the girder, pinned (A6-22)
Sill	2	9 × 10	147	lapped at the corner (A6-17) · scarfed A2-16 over a bent
Sill	8	9 × 10	288	scarfed A2-16 over a bent · scarfed A2-16 over a bent
Sill	2	9 × 10	147	scarfed A2-16 over a bent · lapped at the corner (A6-17)
End sill	4	9 × 10	268	A6-17 tenon into the side sill · scarfed A2-16 behind the middle girder
Girder under an interior line	2	9 × 9	138	housed into the end sill (A6-17) · scarfed A2-16 over a cellar post
Girder under an interior line	8	9 × 9	288	scarfed A2-16 over a cellar post · scarfed A2-16 over a cellar post
Girder under an interior line	2	9 × 9	138	scarfed A2-16 over a cellar post · housed into the end sill (A6-17)
Girder down the middle	1	9 × 10	138	housed into the end sill (A6-17) · scarfed A2-16 over a cellar post
Girder down the middle	4	9 × 10	288	scarfed A2-16 over a cellar post · scarfed A2-16 over a cellar post
Girder down the middle	1	9 × 10	138	scarfed A2-16 over a cellar post · housed into the end sill (A6-17)
First-floor joist	120	6 × 8	124 – 130 1/2	A3-16 housed into the sill or girder · A3-16 housed into the girder
Wall post	22	9 × 9	322	A6-22 tenon into the sill · A6-02 head tenon into the plate
Interior post, first floor to purlin plate	22	9 × 9	413 1/4	A6-22 tenon into the girder · A6-02 head tenon into the purlin plate
Girt under the middle floor, aisle	22	9 × 10	130 1/2	A6-05 housed and pegged into the wall post · A6-05 housed and pegged into the interior post
Girt at the loft floor, aisle	22	9 × 10	130 1/2	A6-05 housed and pegged into the wall post · A6-05 housed and pegged into the interior post
Tie under the plate	22	7 × 8	130 1/2	A6-05 housed and pegged into the wall post · A6-05 housed and pegged into the interior post
Brace	212	4 × 4	37 7/8	A6-03 brace tenon into the post · A6-03 into the girt
Brace	66	4 × 4	37 7/8	A6-03 brace tenon into the post · A6-03 into the tie
Brace	22	4 × 4	37 7/8	A6-03 brace tenon into the post · A6-03 into the collar
Girt under the middle floor, middle	11	9 × 10	257	A6-05 housed and pegged into the interior post · same
Girt at the loft floor, middle	11	9 × 10	257	A6-05 housed and pegged into the interior post · same
Tie over the driveway	11	8 × 8	257	A6-05 housed and pegged into the interior post · same
Collar	11	7 × 8	257	A6-05 housed and pegged into the interior post · same
Girt along a post line, middle floor	20	8 × 8	133 1/2 – 135	A6-05 housed and pegged into the post · same
Wall girt, middle floor	20	6 × 8	133 1/2 – 135	A6-05 housed and pegged into the wall post · same
Girt along a post line, loft floor	20	8 × 8	133 1/2 – 135	A6-05 housed and pegged into the post · same
Girt along a post line in the loft	20	8 × 8	133 1/2 – 135	A6-05 housed and pegged into the post · same
Brace, 4x6	40	4 × 6	58 1/4	A6-03 brace tenon into the post · A6-03 into the girt
Joist, middle floor	110	4 × 6	144 – 145	laid on the girt · laid on the girt
Joist beside a post line, middle floor, cogged	20	6 × 8	144 – 145	A4-14 cogged over the girt · A4-14 cogged over the girt
Half-log joist, loft floor (a log hewn flat on top; a sawn 12x7 serves)	40	12 × 7	144 – 145	laid on the girt (A6-29) · laid on the girt (A6-29)
Joist, loft floor	30	8 × 7	144 – 145	laid on the girt · laid on the girt
Opening post	85	4 × 4	32 – 106	A2-07 stub tenon into the girt or sill below · A2-07 stub tenon into the girt above
Header	43	4 × 6	13 1/2 – 47	A2-07 tenon into the post · same
Rough sill	21	4 × 6	24 – 46	A2-07 tenon into the post · same
Opening post	1	4 × 4	105	A2-07 stub tenon into the girt or sill below · A2-07 stub tenon into the girt above
Wall girt	179	4 × 6	8 – 135	A6-05 housed and tenoned into the post, or butted to an opening's post · same
Opening post	25	2 × 4	81 3/8 – 144	A2-07 stub tenon into the girt or sill below · A2-07 stub tenon into the girt above
Rough sill	7	2 × 6	19 – 41	A2-07 tenon into the post · same
Header	7	2 × 6	35 – 45	A2-07 tenon into the post · same
Gable nailing girt	61	2 × 6	22 1/2 – 257	A6-05 housed and tenoned into the post, or butted to an opening's post · same
Gable stud	4	2 × 4	51 1/4	standing on the collar · cut to the end rafter's underside
Wall plate	2	9 × 10	147	square at the gable · scarfed A2-16 over a post
Purlin plate, its top dressed to the roof's slope	2	8 × 10	147	square at the gable · scarfed A2-16 over a post
Wall plate	8	9 × 10	288	scarfed A2-16 over a post · scarfed A2-16 over a post
Purlin plate, its top dressed to the roof's slope	8	8 × 10	288	scarfed A2-16 over a post · scarfed A2-16 over a post
Wall plate	2	9 × 10	147	scarfed A2-16 over a post · square at the gable
Purlin plate, its top dressed to the roof's slope	2	8 × 10	147	scarfed A2-16 over a post · square at the gable
Brace	40	4 × 4	37 7/8	A6-03 brace tenon into the post · A6-30 under the purlin plate
Brace	40	4 × 4	37 7/8	A6-03 brace tenon into the post · A6-03 into the plate
Rafter	122	3 × 6	331 3/8	A6-19 tongue and fork at the ridge, pegged · A6-20 seated across the wall plate