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Post & Beam and
Timber Frame Homes
A Practical Approach to Building
a Post & Beam Home
Superior Quality. Strength. Style.
A Modern Interpretation of a Proven Post & Beam Building Method
Ancient post & beam structures like this barn are among the oldest wood structures still standing.
Topsider homes use large laminated beams and solid timbers bolted together with massive steel collars and couplings. This system is essentially the same approach used in strong, enduring old New England post & beam barns and is based on one of the earliest forms of wood construction. Since 1968, Topsider has applied these time-tested post & beam principles to custom-designed homes using modern engineering, precision fabrication and panelized construction.
Topsider’s Post & Beam Building System uses no interior or exterior load-bearing walls because the large post & beam timber frames carry the structural loads. This gives clients exceptional custom-design flexibility without sacrificing structural integrity.
Architectural Flexibility
Because the structural loads are carried by the post & beam framework rather than conventional load-bearing walls, Topsider homes offer open floor plans, raised or vaulted ceilings, large glass areas, and exceptional freedom in custom-designed post & beam homes and timber frame houses. Homes can be designed in traditional, contemporary or modern styles, and each is individually adapted to the client’s building site, lifestyle and design preferences.
Luxurious high-vaulted-ceiling great room with beautiful exposed beams adding dramatic post & beam architectural character to the space.
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This Florida Keys home utilized Topsider’s robust post & beam structure for maximum hurricane resistance.
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This custom residential home combines traditional post & beam framing with contemporary design.
Engineered for Demanding Conditions
Topsider’s sturdy post & beam structural system is the reason this pedestal home on Florida’s Gulf Coast has survived numerous storms and hurricanes.
Topsider’s precision-engineered post & beam building system is well suited and well known for elevated coastal and hurricane-prone construction, where structural strength, high-wind performance and foundation flexibility are critical. Homes can also be engineered for heavy snow loads, seismic conditions and other demanding environments. Homes can be designed for slabs, crawlspaces, basements, pilings, stilts and pedestals.
This Topsider mountain home in upstate New York is engineered to withstand heavy snow loads with its post & beam construction, which also allows large open living spaces.
Precision Engineering
and Fabrication
Roof and floor trusses and other structural members are made using large laminated timber beams and posts. These are preassembled in jigs at our Clemmons, North Carolina factory and then knocked down (KD) into efficiently shipped and handled building components.
Large post & beam trusses are precision-preassembled in jigs at Topsider’s factory, then disassembled for efficient shipping and handling on site in knock-down (KD) form.
Engineered Steel Connections
Large laminated structural beams and posts are joined together and held in place by heavy-duty precision-engineered steel couplings, connectors and brackets.
Prepared for Shipment
Topsider’s prefabricated post & beam building components and panelized systems are loaded for efficient shipment to building sites throughout the U.S. and worldwide.
Designed for Efficient Local-Builder Assembly
Local builders are provided detailed plans, engineering, specifications, assembly information and technical assistance to guide construction from start to finish.
Built for Extraordinary Places
High Wind & Hurricane Engineering
Engineered for hurricane-prone regions and high wind loads.
Heavy Snow-Load Engineering
Built for heavy snow loads.
Seismic Engineering
Engineered for seismic conditions and earthquake zones.
Slab, Crawlspace & Basement Foundations
Adaptable to slabs, crawlspaces and basements.
Pilings, Stilts & Pedestals
Engineered for pilings, stilts and pedestals.
Local Builder Construction & Worldwide Delivery
We ship complete home packages worldwide for local builder construction.
On-Site Assembly and
Local Builder Construction
On site, engineered steel couplings allow the timber frame posts, beams, trusses and braces to bolt together in Erector Set fashion. Floor, wall and roof panel components are then attached to create the building shell. Local builders can complete the homes using familiar builder-friendly construction methods. Once enclosed, interior work can proceed using familiar construction techniques.
Factory preassembly of components and pre-fitted connections help assure an accurate fit during field assembly. It’s a blend of proven post & beam technology and modern precision-engineered, prefabricated, panelized construction that helps local builders stay on schedule.
Topsider’s post & beam structural components are precision-fabricated and pre-fitted for quick and efficient assembly on site. Massive laminated beams are connected and securely held in place with engineered steel couplings and connectors.
Precision-made, preassembled wall, floor and roof panels are quickly and easily installed to complete the basic house shell structure.
Interior framing of a Topsider home using conventional techniques, methods and materials familiar to local residential builders.
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