Learn to Timber Frame: Craftsmanship, Simplicity, Timeless Beauty

The elegant simplicity of timber frame construction is made accessible to all levels of builders with step-by-step building instructions for one small, easy-to-build timber frame cabin, along with plans for modifying it to suit particular needs and locations.

The first guide to timber framing written specifically for beginners! Expert Will Beemer takes you through the entire process from start to finish, beginning with timber sourcing and ending with a finished building. Using full-color photos, detailed drawings, and clear step-by-step instructions, Beemer shows you exactly how to build one small (12ʹ x 16ʹ) timber-frame structure — suitable for use as a cabin, workshop, or studio. He also explains how to modify the structure to suit your needs and location by adding a loft, moving doors or windows, changing the roof pitch, or making the frame larger or smaller. You’ll end up with a beautiful building as well as solid timber-framing skills that you can use for a lifetime.

Will Beemer (1949-2022) was a founding member of the Timber Framers Guild (tfguild.org). A builder for more than 40 years, he and his wife, Michele, owned and operated the Heartwood School for the Homebuilding Crafts (heartwoodschool.com) until it was purchased by the Timber Framers Guild in 2019. Beemer taught timber framing around the world and was a regular contributor to Timber Framing and Fine Homebuilding.


Jack A. Sobon is an architect and builder specializing in timber-framed buildings. A founding director of the Timber Framer’s Guild of North America and founder of the Traditional Timber Frame Research and Advisory Group, Sobon has devoted his 38-year career to understanding the craft of timber framing. Using only traditional hand tools, he has framed and erected over 50 structures. He is the author of Build a Classic Timber-Framed House and coauthor of Timber Frame Construction. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Sobon teaches and consults nationally on traditional building structures and timber-framing techniques.