Heartwood on the Road: Timber Framing in South Carolina February 16-22, 2026 $1,630 We're taking our core curriculum on the Road! Join us in South Carolina to learn the basics of timber framing. Timber framing is a traditional framing technique that is incorporated into all building projects at the Heartwood School. In this class, we […]
Dates: March 6-7, 2026 Cost: $470 Overview: We will answer your business questions through small groups and informal discussions. Topics will include: starting up a business (legal structure, insurance), marketing, sales, operations (employees, management), contracts and contract types, leadership, and estimating the cost and sale price of producing a timber frame. We will share resources […]
In this timber framing course, we will layout timbers using the traditional square rule method developed in the early 1800s. Participants will learn proper hand tool use and sharpening techniques and will also have the opportunity to make pegs using a shaving horse and draw knife. The instructors will provide demonstrations of how to layout […]
This course combines the core of our previous timber framing, homebuilding, and apprenticeship curriculums into one package for those seeking a career in timber framing or a deeper understanding of the skills needed to build their own timber frame. It's ideal for those who seek more opportunities for development than are provided in our one-week […]
In this timber framing course, we will layout timbers using the traditional square rule method developed in the early 1800s. Participants will learn proper hand tool use and sharpening techniques and will also have the opportunity to make pegs using a shaving horse and draw knife. The instructors will provide demonstrations of how to layout […]
Overview: Cruck frames use large curved timbers to transfer the weight of the roof directly down to the foot of the posts. Besides being structurally efficient and allowing the wall frames to be lighter, their soaring arches create a beautiful interior space. Usually, each pair of cruck blades is halved from the same tree. Since […]
In this timber framing course, we will layout timbers using the traditional square rule method developed in the early 1800s. Participants will learn proper hand tool use and sharpening techniques and will also have the opportunity to make pegs using a shaving horse and draw knife. The instructors will provide demonstrations of how to layout […]
This course combines the core of our previous timber framing, homebuilding, and apprenticeship curriculums into one package for those seeking a career in timber framing or a deeper understanding of the skills needed to build their own timber frame. It's ideal for those who seek more opportunities for development than are provided in our one-week […]
In this timber framing course, we will layout timbers using the traditional square rule method developed in the early 1800s. Participants will learn proper hand tool use and sharpening techniques and will also have the opportunity to make pegs using a shaving horse and draw knife. The instructors will provide demonstrations of how to layout […]
OVERVIEW: Scribing is an art as much as a craft, requiring a good eye and a steady hand. It involves laying out and transferring joinery intersections from one timber to another using plumb bobs, levels, and marking devices instead of tape measures and math. This traditional method is useful for incorporating out-of-square, naturally curved, or […]
Overview: In this class we will be taking a deep dive into French Scribing, a centuries-old technique for laying out joinery with minimal numeric calculation or math. It is particularly useful for joining out-of-square timbers and curved timbers that have been milled with flat faces. (For an introduction to scribing with round logs, you'll want […]
Overview: Here is an opportunity to learn the few, but necessary, knots (a dozen or so) needed by the timber framer to safely lift heavy loads and tying off timbers for shipment. Students will practice these knots until they own them. All the elements of a knot, bend, and hitch will be covered. The rigging […]
Overview: Learn the basics of masonry heater construction with a combination of classroom learning and hands-on building. Masonry heaters are efficient wood-burning stoves for home heating, distinguished by their substantial mass when compared to a woodstove, which allows for rapid burning of a large wood load combined with a slow release of the resultant heat. […]
This course is offered as a comfortable space to learn the basics of timber framing for people who may not feel welcomed in the almost-uniformly male culture found in construction. It is specifically and only for women and gender non-conforming folks and will be taught by two women timber framers. Students should expect to come […]
In this course, we will explain the architectural and structural basics for designing timber frame structures that are both functional and beautiful. It is geared towards both novice timber frame designers and builders as well as professional engineers and architects who want to know how to incorporate timber framing in their projects. We begin with […]
In this timber framing course, we will layout timbers using the traditional square rule method developed in the early 1800s. Participants will learn proper hand tool use and sharpening techniques and will also have the opportunity to make pegs using a shaving horse and draw knife. The instructors will provide demonstrations of how to layout […]