Tudor Houses – Timber Frame Construction

As you would imagine, based upon the amount of timber and straw used in construction, together with the fact that the Tudors had a preference for very narrow streets and houses being built in very close proximity, that hygiene and particularly fire were a constant hazard

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A few months ago I wrote two articles which considered the influence of the Romans (circa 43AD to 410AD) on the UK built environment and explained how their ingenuity, forward planning and ability to introduce change allowed them to leave a lasting legacy, which is still evident today.  I also stated that ‘it is only by looking at our historic built environment that we can fully appreciate the skills and ingenuity of the people of their time. Our predecessors would not have had access to modern building equipment and modern techniques that are available today’.  With this in mind, and a little more up to date in historical terms is the construction of timber framed houses, particularly during the Tudor Period (circa 1485 to 1603).  It is worth pointing out that although this method of construction was used before and after the Tudor period it is during this period that construction of timber frame houses really evolved.

A wattle and daub panel - Source: http://www.regencyceilings.co.uk/

A timber framed Tudor house is very distinctive and recognisable with most people being able to identify with the ‘black’ timber frame and ‘white’ infill panels.  In fact Tudor houses are often referred to as black and white houses.  The large and often bulky timber frames, usually made from oak, were connected together with a combination of timber joints and timber pegs.  Once the timber frame had been constructed the walls would be in-filled around the frame with a technique know as 'wattle and daub'.  This was a method of weaving small branches between parts of the timber frame and then 'plastering' onto the weaved branches a mixture of clay, horsehair and sometimes horse dung! with water,  This could be smoothed when wet and when it dried out it provided an effective wall finish that would be reasonably weather tight.  The wattle and daub would later be painted with a lime wash giving a white colour finish, and the timber frame would be covered in tar to provide additional protection and to give it its distinctive black colour finish.

The vast majority of timber framed houses would incorporate a thatched roof, although for the wealthy this may have included a more expensive tile finish, together with a chimney to allow smoke from an open fire to discharge into the atmosphere.  Chimneys were usually constructed of brick, although poorer houses would simply incorporate a hole in the roof, located just above the fireplace.  Windows would also be made from timber, however as glass was very expensive, most houses would have timber shutters, which would be opened during the day to provide some natural light.  Inside floors primarily remained as dirt, which were covered in reeds or straw.  This would be changed periodically to freshen up the internal environment.

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As you would imagine, based upon the amount of timber and straw used in construction, together with the fact that the Tudors had a preference for very narrow streets and houses being built in very close proximity, that hygiene and particularly fire were a constant hazard.  It was these factors that contributed to the great plague and the eventually to the great fire of London in 1666.  Although these events occurred in the Stuart period, which followed the Tudors, the vast majority of buildings in London at the time were Tudor constructed timber framed buildings.  London had been devastated by the plague or black death for two years prior to 1666.  The disease was spread by fleas, which were carried by the rodent population and was killing as many as 1,000 people a week in London in 1666. London was extremely crowded, with buildings tightly spaced.  Sanitation was unheard of, with raw sewage flowing through open drains and people throwing their trash from balcony windows directly into the streets.

The great fire of 1666 is believed to have started in a rundown neighbourhood, in a bakery in Pudding Lane near the Tower of London.  At the time fires were commonplace in London and the fire received little attention until it entered a group of warehouses where animal fat, oil, and alcohol were being stored which intensified the fire. In the end over 15,000 buildings were destroyed by the fire, representing over two thirds of the city. A few years later, after the devastation caused by the fire the UK Government introduced the first London Building Act, which for the very first time tried to regulate construction. This however related to London only and nationwide regulation was not introduced until many years later.

Take a look at the excellent video below, produced by six university students from De Montfort University in cooperation with the British Library, which allows you to step back in time to appreciate what life would have been like just before the great fire.  The video provides an insight into the narrow streets and general construction and proximity of buildings.  It is easy to see how a fire could be some widespread and devastating in such an environment.

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Information/opinions posted on this site are the personal views of the author and should not be relied upon by any person or any third party without first seeking further professional advice. Also, please scroll down and read the copyright notice at the end of the blog.

External Decorations - Routine Property Maintenance – Part 2

Nature gives us the choice of whether to ignore our buildings externally and let them deteriorate or to undertake regular maintenance and improve their life expectancy and aesthetic appeal.  We have no control over nature but we do have control over how we react to it. 

Source: Google Images

I am not a mechanic but like most people I am aware that if I do not take care of my car then it will eventually break down. Regardless of what you may know about cars, most people (but not everyone!) can do basic things such as checking oil and water levels, checking and maintaining tyre pressures as well as filling up with fuel and occasionally even cleaning the car!  In a similar way buildings require 'regular basic maintenance' in order to prevent more long term issues manifesting themselves, which if not carried out can prove to be very expensive to rectify.  Last week I discussed the importance of undertaking maintenance to buildings and introduced a number of routine basic maintenance tasks including clearing rainwater gutters, cutting back trees, shrubs and vegetation and washing down UPVC.  This week I offer some further advice in respect of external decorations.

How many times do you walk or drive past a building, which is in a very poor state repair and asked yourself why the occupants have allowed this to happen?  Allowing the external envelope of a building to deteriorate will not only give a very negative visual impression, but also create an environment for materials/components to deteriorate and decay. As an example let us consider softwood timber, which is used externally for numerous building components including windows, doors, soffit and fascia boards, barge boards, cladding and so on.  Different treatments are available, including oil and water based preservatives, which are designed to reduce the risk of moisture ingress into the timber and therefore protect and increase the serviceable life of the material.  These however do not last forever and even in the event that pre-treated timber is used it will still require regular coatings to maintain the protection.  Where pre-treated timber is not used, it is necessary to provide an alternative protection, which in most cased will be a painted finish.  Once the protective coating to the timber deteriorates, be that preservative or paint, the timber then becomes vulnerable to decay, particularly wet rot. As a general rule of thumb, the time frame for routinely carrying out external decorations is between three and five years, however this will vary depending on a number of factors. 



Timber Splice Repair - Source: Google Images

Firstly, preparation of decorated surfaces.  Even if timber is in the early stages of decay, it is still necessary to deal with the decay before applying the decorative finish.  There is not much point in just painting over decaying timber (and I have seen this many times), and hoping that the problem will some how rectify itself!  In these situations, depending on the extent of decay it may be necessary to cut out effected parts and introduce new timber (something called a splice repair), if the decay is less serious it may be more appropriate to remove areas of decaying timber and then fill with a good quality timber filler, or in serious cases it may be necessary to replace the whole component. Whatever the circumstances the repair must be appropriate depending on the extent of decay.

Secondly, quality of materials – It is essential that the correct products are used when undertaking external decorations.  You only need to visit one of the large national DIY outlets to see that there are numerous manufacturers who provide a range of products for all sorts of applications.  This seemingly unlimited choice is sometimes the problem.  Many people do not read the labels properly (sometimes not at all) and end up buying a product that is not appropriate.  A common example of this is where internal quality gloss paint is used for external applications. 

The other issue in respect of quality of materials is cost.  The quality of products can vary significantly and the cheapest price very rarely represents best value.  It often proves to be more cost effective to use more expensive products because they are likely to be better quality and therefore last longer.  More expensive products do not always guarantee this however a little bit of research into a product (nowadays with the internet you read other customers reviews) will help you to decide.  Using well know established brands may also be worth considering.  These again may prove to be more costly, however they are well known brands for a reason! 

Finally, quality of workmanship – You do not need to be a tradesperson to undertake decorations to your building, as most people can lift and use a paintbrush!   This may be true for applying a finishing coat and works of a simple nature, however a little more knowledge is required when undertaking the majority of external decorations. 

Depending on the surface to be decorated, after preparation, it may be necessary to apply an undercoat or primer, followed by a number of finishing coats.  Certain products will also come with a list of ‘manufacturers instructions’, which must be followed in order to make the finish effective.  Failure to understand and apply an appropriate level of workmanship will result in a sub-standard finish, which will undoubtedly require addressing much sooner than you would want.  I would suggest that poor workmanship was the most common factor for many of the external defects that I come across when undertaking inspections.  Therefore, in some circumstances it is likely to be more cost effective to employ the services of someone who has got the correct level of knowledge and expertise, than attempting the work yourself to try to save a few pennies.

Decorating externally on a routine basis is fundamental to maintaining and improving the serviceable life of building components and materials.  For the purposes of this article I have considered external joinery, however all materials/components should be considered in a similar way.  Nature gives us the choice of whether to ignore our buildings externally and let them deteriorate or to undertake regular maintenance and improve their life expectancy and aesthetical appeal.  We have no control over nature but we do have control over how we react to it. 

The video below shows a method of repairing a timber window frame which has suffered wet rot decay.  If the timber had decayed any further it is likely that a splice repair would be necessary. 

Information/opinions posted on this site are the personal views of the author and should not be relied upon by any person or any third party without first seeking further professional advice. Also, please scroll down and read the copyright notice at the end of the blog.