Island School of Building Arts Timber Post & Beam Courses
ISBA Timber Post & Beam: Each 40 hour course teaches a separate set of skills, and can be taken individually...It is recommended all courses be taken to fully understand the process.
Week 1 Post & Beam Drawings
Course Contents
Skills
1. The Plan
1.1 Methodology
Plan Grid Layout
1.2 Parts and Terminology
1.3 Project Drawing Views
Blueprint Reading
1.3 Plan Views
1.3 Elevation Views
1.3 Sectional / Detail Views
2. Joinery Design
2.1 Full Tenon and Mortise
2.2 Peg Tenon and Mortise
2.3 Kneebrace - Tenon and Mortise
2.4 Shouldered Half-lap
Joinery Design
2.5 Shouldered Corner Dovetail
2.6 Shouldered / Housed Dovetail
2.7 Butted and Splined Splice
2.8 Splayed Wedged Scarf
3. Shop Drawings
3.1 Plan Grid
Centerline Referencing
3.1 Post Labeling
Labeling System
3.1 Beam Labeling
3.2 Posts
Modular Components
3.3 Single - Shouldered Kneebraces
Pythagorian Theorem
3.4 Gable Wall Beams
3.5 Sidewall Beams
3.6 Tie Beam
3.7 Ridge Beam
Structural Beam Sizing Calculations
3.8 Spread Sheet
Component Inventory Control
All Tools Included
Course Duration 40 hours
$700 Register Now
Week 2 French Scribed Piece-sur-Piece
Course Contents
Skills
1. Centerline
1.1 Material Preparation
Surface Prep
1.2 Leveling Joinery Face
Joinery Face id.
1.2 Centerline Referencing
Centerline Referencing
1.3 Squaring Line
Square Ruler
2. Post Tenons
Safe Work Habits, Tool Safety, Site Safety
2.1 Mid Post Full Tenons
Square Ruler Layout
2.2 Corner Post Peg Tenons
Measuring Tape
2.2 King Post (opposing) Tenons
Ink Line
3. Gable Plate Beams
3.1 Centerline Referencing
Spirit Level
3.2 Splayed Wedged Scarf Template Layout
Template Layout
3.3 Layout of Joinery Waypoints
Joinery Waypoints
3.4 Gable Beam Post Mortises
3.5 Gable Beam Shouldered Half-Lap
4. Kneebraces
4.1 Determining the Kneebrace Math
4.2 36” Kneebrace Layout
Face Layout
4.3 Single - Shoulder Kneebrace Tenon
4.4 Mathematical Curve
Quarter Point Layout
4.5 36” Kneebrace Mortise
5. Sidewall Plate Beams
5.1 Centerline Layout on Bowed Timbers
Bowed Timbers
5.2 Butted Splice with Spline Connection
5.3 Post and Kneebrace Mortises
Centerline Referencing
5.4 Shouldered Half-Lap
Square Ruler Layout
5.5 Shouldered Dovetail (Female)
5.6 Shouldered Dovetail (Male)
Template Fabrication
5.7 Bladed Scarf
5.8 Ridge Beam Joinery
6. Pegging Design and Layout
6.1 Post Pegging Template
6.2 Kneebrace Pegging Template
Template Layout
6.3 Spline Pegging Template
6.4 Drawboring Layout
7. Second Floor Frame (optional)
7.1 Shouldered Corner Dovetail (optional)
7.2 Floor Joist Layout
7.3 Housed 2” Lap
7.4 Joist Housing
7.5 Housed Dovetail
Component Inventory Control
All Tools Included
Course Duration 40 hours
$700 Register Now
Week 3 Joinery Cutting/Fitting
Course Contents
Skills
1. Post Tenons
Safe Work Habits, Tool Safety, Site Safety
1.1 Mid Post full tenon
Circular-saw 10”
1.2 Corner Post peg tenon
Power Planer 6”/12”
1.3 King Post (opposing) tenons
Straight-edge Guides
2. Gable Plate Beams
2.1 Splayed Wedged Scarf: Cutting / Fitting
Template Testing
2.2 Joinery Waypoints
2.3 Gable Beam Post Mortises
Chain Mortiser
2.4 Fitting Posts to Beams
Hand Plane
2.5 Gable Beam Shouldered Half-Lap
Framing Chisels
2.6 Fitting Shouldered Half-Lap
Mallets & Beetles
3. Kneebrace
3.1 Single - Shoulder Kneebrace Tenon
3.2 Quarter Point Layout - Cutting a Curve
Electric Chainsaw
3.3 36” Kneebrace Mortise
Clamps & Hold-downs
3.4 Fitting Kneebraces to the Post and Beam
Trouble-shooting
4. Sidewall Plate Beams
4.1 Butted Splice with Spline Connection
4.2 Fitting Spline Connections
Mechanical Advantage
4.3 Post and Kneebrace Mortises
4.4 Shouldered Half-Lap
Western Handsaw
4.5 Shouldered Dovetail (Female)
Japanese Pullsaw
5. Tie Beam
5.1 Shouldered Dovetail (Male
5.2 Fitting Shouldered Dovetail
Tool Sharpening
5.3 Bladed Scarf
5.4 Ridge Beam Joinery
6. Pegging
6.1 Drilling Tenons
Electric Drill
7. Second Floor Frame (optional)
7.1 Shouldered Corner Dovetail
7.2 Floor Joist
7.3 Housed 2” Lap
7.4 Joist Housing
7.5 Housed Dovetail
All Tools Included
Course Duration 40 hours
$700 Register Now
Week 4 P&B Frame Assembly, Wall, Roof systems
Course Contents
Skills
1. Timber Finishing and Packaging
Template Testing
1.1 Edging, Planing
Power Planer 12&rdquo
1.2 Repair & Finish
Power Router
1.3 Packaging
Banding
2. Project Framework Assembly
Safe Work Habits, Tool Safety, Site Safety
2.1 Spread Sheet
Production Control
2.2 Raising Script
Construction Flow
2.3 Project Frame Raising
Teamwork Skills
3. Raftered Roof Framing
3.1 Common Rafter Length
Roofing Terms
3.2 Roof Math
Pythagorean Theorem
3.3 Rafter Square Tables
Rafter Square
3.4 The Constant Method
Circular-saw
3.5 Rafter Stepping-O
Square Ruler
4. Modular Infill Wall System
4.1 Modular Infill Wall
E.P.S. Panel Fabrication
4.2 Frame and Panel Construction
Acrylic Stucco
4.3 Infill Panel Installation
Finish
All Tools Included
Course Duration 40 hours
$700 Register Now
Close this Window
2026© Island School of Building Arts