• Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Quick and Easy Meals
    • Salad and Veggies
    • Side Dishes
    • Main Courses
    • Breads
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Canning and Preserving
  • Skills
    • Craftmanship
      • Blacksmithing
      • Woodworking
      • Welding
    • Brewing & Distilling
      • Homebrewing
      • Distilling
    • Cooking & Food
      • Cheese & Dairy
      • Drying & Smoking
      • Canning
      • Fermentation & Pickling
    • Homemaking Skills
      • Candle Making
      • Soap Making
      • Spinning & Weaving
  • Projects
    • Workshop
      • Homes & Buildings
      • Sheds & Coops
      • Appliances & Equipment
    • Garden & Outdoor
    • Homemade Products
      • Home Remedies
      • Natural Beauty
      • Cleaning and Home
    • Textiles & Fabric Arts
      • Sewing
      • Knit and Crochet
      • Quilting Skills
      • Weaving
    • Crafts
      • Home Decor
      • Pottery
      • Upcycling
      • Gifts
      • Kids
      • Holiday
  • Gardening
    • Growing Vegetables
    • Growing Fruit
    • Growing Herbs
    • Growing Grain
    • Soil Improvement
      • Composting
      • Worm Farming
      • Fertilizers
    • Aquaculture
  • Animals
    • Raising Poultry
    • Raising Goats
    • Raising Cattle
    • Raising Pigs
    • Raising Horses
    • Raising Rabbits
    • Raising Bees
    • Raising Cats & Dogs
  • Self Sufficiency
    • Emergency Prep
      • Planning
      • How To
      • Skills & Tips
    • Defense & Protection
      • Guns
      • Knives
      • Archery
      • Tools & Weapons
    • Energy & Power
      • Solar Power
      • Fuels
      • Water
    • Home Remedies
Logo
YOUR EXISTING AD GOES HERE
  • Craftsmanship
  • Brewing & Distilling
  • Cooking & Food
  • Homemaking Skills
You are here: Home / Skills / Craftsmanship / How to Make a Wooden Beam | Homesteading Skills

How to Make a Wooden Beam | Homesteading Skills

Reading Time: 3 minutes

January 27, 2023 By Contributor Leave a Comment

Want to know how to make a wooden beam? If you’re planning to start a big project, it’s important that you have a sturdy beam in place. See how here.

How to Make a Wooden Beam

How to Make a Wooden beam

Did you know there are still people out there in the world today who still harvest their own wood? Yes, even in this day and age. Wood is one of the main foundations of building, and while it’s fairly simple to run over to the nearest lumber yard or home improvement store to pick up whayou need, wouldn’t it be cool to create your own wood beams from logs completely from scratch?

Wooden Beam
image via

I am aware that there are several great products you could buy to convert logs into lumber. There are band saws and sawmills available to use. I also have seen how most of these work and I cannot deny it; they are fantastic pieces of equipment. More so if you are the type of person that is looking to make a large amount of lumber. However, if you are not one of those people and you do not need to cut a surplus amount of wood, buying these gadgets would be a complete waste of money that you unknowingly throw away.

Here is a great and cheap alternative to creating the wood beams you need

Step 1: Locate and mark the middle of each of end of the log

Marking Logs
image via

 

Step 2: Use a level that will mark a vertical baseline for you at either side of the log

 

Step 3: Locate a square shaped object or material to mark the dimensions of the beam on either side

A lot of the older barns that remain standing and other post and beam type buildings were built without the help of any machine. All of the shelters built back them were pretty much made from scratch using hand powered equipment only.

Making timbers and beams from scratch on your own with logs is not complex. It is very simple to do and is a straightforward process that almost any able-bodied person can do. If you can make your own wood beams, the rest of your project will be a walk in the park. I am positive that after you do two or three jobs, you will already become an expert. You will know how to get the job done right following the steps here.

YOUR EXISTING AD GOES HERE

When you split the waste slabs away from the outside of the log, use an old style hewing ax. But any chopping ax will do. Some people have a double bit ax that work alright, but honestly if you have a single bit ax, I would recommend that more for safety reasons. That is unless, of course, you are already some master at the double bit already.

 

Step 4: Snap the chalk lines on either end of the log.

 

Step 5: Begin to saw the notches down to the chalk line, about six to eight inches from each other, using your chainsaw.

Woodworking Projects
image via

Now, I never mentioned that this sort of task would be easy to do, but nonetheless, using even the most costly of mills would not make the job any easier. Between the two, I would say the level of difficulty is tied, so you are not missing out on anything that is “easy”. For the speed of making usable timbers, doing this method as a minor advantage compared to machines. If you are looking at both ways economically, this method is the winner without a doubt. From what I have noticed, most people who look for guides like this are not afraid of a little bit of hard work and getting sweaty so long as it is productive. There are also people, like me, who do not want to toss over good money on gadgets they do not even need. Information like this is always valuable.

 

Step 6: Split away the pieces you will not use an ax or with a maul.

Making Wooden beam
image via

 

YOUR EXISTING AD GOES HERE
YOUR EXISTING AD GOES HERE
square-3

Done! The completed beam

Wooden Beam
image via

 

Watch this video for a traditional log hewing from Harry Rogers:

 

Next Up:

  • Create This Rustic Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table

  • How to Build a Wooden Swing Set That Your Kids Will Love

  • Wood Burning Stove Tips

Filed Under: Craftsmanship, Emergency Prep, How To, Planning, Self Sufficiency, Skills & Tips, Woodworking

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

REGISTER TO Get Our FREE Homesteading magazine.

DIY Projects And Get This FREE GIFT

Subscribe To Our Newsletter:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Popular Articles

Top 15 Ways To Make Money On Your Homestead

Kickstart Spring By Starting Your Own Straw Bale Garden

The Best Egg Laying Chickens For Your Homestead

50 Gardening Tips And Tricks To Become A Successful Homesteader

ShadowBirds
YOUR EXISTING AD GOES HERE

Important Pages

  • About Homesteading
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Returns
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Information Disclaimer

Other Great Sites

  • DIY Projects
  • Survival Life
  • Garden Season
  • Outdoor Warrior
  • Sewing.com

Resources

  • Hey Riley
  • Winter Survival
  • Raising Backyard Chickens
  • Canning & Preserving
  • Join Our Newsletter
  • Returns Policy
Homesteading
Email Support: [email protected]
Phone: 512-806-7603

Product returns go to:
1889 E Maule Ave, Ste G
Las Vegas 89119

Copyright © 2023 · Homesteading


This copyrighted material may not be republished without express permission. The information presented here is for general educational purposes only.

MATERIAL CONNECTION DISCLOSURE: You should assume that this website has an affiliate relationship and/or another material connection to the persons or businesses mentioned in or linked to from this page and may receive commissions from purchases you make on subsequent web sites. You should not rely solely on information contained in this email to evaluate the product or service being endorsed. Always exercise due diligence before purchasing any product or service. This website contains advertisements.