Structural glued laminated timber, exposed to view inside along the roof lines- the post, beam and plank system- is an ideal construction for this home. Interior walls can be added but are not usually required for support. Glass-filled walls and sweeping view are as much a part of this system as the framework itself. The structural members are both strength and beauty. Post Double up on studs, use solid or glued laminated wood columns or steel pipe columns. Double horizontal plates atop wood columns provide outside bearings for the rafters. Planks 5/4 or 1 1/2 inch thick wood deck can span 4 or 8 feet. Beams   Ridge 5 1/8" x 13 3/4" spans approx 18 feet. *Raftersif 4' spacing 3 1/8" x 8 1/4" to 16 feet. if 8' spacing 3 1/8" x 9 5/8" to 16 feet. *Includes 2 ft. overhang. Post, plank and beam construction works equally well with or without a basement. Frank Lloyd Wright offered these principles; "Ordinarily a home should not have a basement; in spite of everything you do, a basement is a damp place. The family tends to throw things into it and rarely goes there because it is almost sure to be an ugly place." Of the attic he said "Good living space should not be wasted in an attic any more than in a basement. A house with planned waste space with the idea of converting it into rooms is not likely to be a well-planned house." The options beyond this simple and typical ranch design are numerous. Ridge beams and clerestory with rafters, three hinged arches, A-frames, pitched and tapered curved beams (PTC), and curved members to almost any conceivable shape are available. Truss configurations are another option. Residence Page 3 HOME