Build Your Own House

I am building an alternative house, rammed earth, recycled timbers.
I plan to have three large natural bush poles holding up the main ridge beams.
The house is split level and the bush poles will be holding up two vertically parrallel ridge beams.
In the past where only one beam is being held I have notched the top, sat the beam in the notch and then bolted the post to the beam.
These new posts will be approx 5m high and I will have a beam at the top which I propose to do the same way, But I will also have a beam about 1.5m from the top. These beams are old bridge timbers 150mm by 350mm and about 3.5m between supports. They are old hardwood probably ironbark or tallowwood.
It has been suggested that I may have trouble with Council if I notch the poles for the lower beam.
My question is does anybody know what the building requirements for this situation is? Would the diameter of the pole make a difference as to wether it is notched or not? I am planning on a minimum of 300mm.

The usual approach with bush or recycled timber is to use massive overkill - determine the requirements for a low grade of unseasoned hardwood and then add plenty of margin.

By the time you have removed enough wood to get your beam flat against the post you already have a pretty good notch - plenty of meat to sit the beam on anyway. Just don't bury the beam in the post.

Do you not need engineering for post and beam construction? If so, ask your engineer. If not, what standard/manual/spec do you work from?

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Bruce
Draftie

The Council when I got building approval needed engineering specs for timber but not plans. Ie the size of the beams required. I am using beams much larger than specified. The size of the poles was not specified but as I am using tree trunk rather than milled beams would assume these would be much larger than would be required. I am simply using standard DIY building manuals as my guide on how to connect the beams together. These only show single beam supports not multiple level supported beams. Hence my question. I have looked for a local builder with alternative experience to provide onsite advise but have been unable to find one.

I am a draftie, not a builder, but as a general rule posts (columns) are in compression rather than tension, so they can be surprisingly thin. Having a beam fixed at a lower level should actually help to brace the post. I wouldn't bury the whole beam in the post, just notch enough to get a good flat surface and a bit of a lip to sit the beam on.

Have you seen this one? http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6313 ... nstruction

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Bruce
Draftie