Heartwood School

Course Descriptions

Upcoming Courses

Timber Framing Intensive
May 1, 2023 - May 20, 2023 $3,500
This course combines the core of our previous timber framing, homebuilding, and apprenticeship curriculums into one package for those who seek more opportunities for development than is provided in our one-week courses.
Read More

Stereotomy: Building the "Moore" End Table
Jun 3, 2023 - Jun 4, 2023 $490 FULLJoin Waitlist
In this two-day workshop, students will build their own Moore End Table. Students will be taught how to use the visuospatial part of the brain to visualize in 3D, draw in 2D, and then construct their trestle.
Read More

Converting Trees to Timber
Jun 5, 2023 - Jun 10, 2023 $1,450 FULLJoin Waitlist
In this course, students will learn how to grade timbers for strength and appearance, understand how to maintain a woodlot, safely and efficiently cut trees, and convert those round logs into square timbers.
Read More

Demystifying Roof Geometry - The Stereotomical Approach
Jun 5, 2023 - Jun 9, 2023 $1,120
Roof geometry is a challenge most framers must face eventually. These problems can be solved either mathematically or visually (drawing by hand). The skill of drawing complex shapes and practicing stereotomy has been taught for centuries by the French, German, and Japanese carpentry traditions; it enables the carpenter to directly measure working angles and scale dimensions rather than calculating them.
Read More

Timber Framing
Jun 12, 2023 - Jun 17, 2023 $1,200
Timber framing is a traditional framing technique that is incorporated into all building projects at the Heartwood School. In this class, we will lay out and cut the joinery for a complete frame and assemble it, and then raise it at the end of the course.
Read More

The Art of Drafting
Jun 19, 2023 - Jun 20, 2023 $420
Drawing has always been an essential tool for building. This two-day course will teach the skills to put pencil to paper, the traditional art of drafting. Students will learn about the types of drawing mediums, drafting tools and aids, drawing to scale, the various views, lettering, and drawing conventions.
Read More

Business Practices for Timber Framers
Jun 22, 2023 - Jun 23, 2023 $400
We may know how to design and cut the ultimate timber frame, but do we know how to build our business for success? 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.
Read More

Cruck Framing
Jun 25, 2023 - Jul 1, 2023 $1,400
Cruck frames use large curved timbers to transfer the weight of the roof directly down to the foot of the posts. In this workshop, we will build a small, two-bent cruck frame, from tree selection to layout to raising.
Read More

SketchUp for Timber Framing: Intro
Jul 6, 2023 - Jul 8, 2023 $600
This course introduces SketchUp, a powerful and effective, yet user-friendly, 3D computer drawing and modeling program.
Read More

Timber Framing
Jul 10, 2023 - Jul 14, 2023 $1,000
Timber framing is a traditional framing technique that is incorporated into all building projects at the Heartwood School. In this class, we will lay out and cut the joinery for a complete frame and assemble it, and then raise it at the end of the course.
Read More

Timber Framing with Power Tools
Jul 16, 2023 - Jul 21, 2023 $1,200
In this course, we will fabricate and raise a timber frame, but with a modern twist, safely integrating power tools into the process.
Read More

Scribe Joinery 1- Introduction to Scribing
Jul 23, 2023 - Jul 28, 2023 $1,200
Students in the scribe joinery course will learn to join round timbers to both square and other round pieces, and out-of-square timbers to other out-of-square faces on adjoining pieces, practicing various methods developed by a variety of cultures and adapted for modern use.
Read More

Timber Frame Design & Joinery Decisions
Jul 24, 2023 - Jul 26, 2023 $600
This course is geared towards timber framers and covers the architectural and structural basics for designing timber frame structures that are both beautiful and functional.
Read More

Timber Framing for Women & Gender Non-Conforming Folks
Jul 30, 2023 - Aug 4, 2023 $1,100
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.
Read More

Raising & Rigging
Aug 7, 2023 - Aug 11, 2023 $1,050
This course teaches the few, but necessary, knots needed by timber framers to safely lift heavy loads and equipment. All the elements of a knot, bend, and hitch will be covered, and more.
Read More

SketchUp- Adding to your Skill Set- SketchUp to Layout (200)
Aug 17, 2023 - Aug 18, 2023 $400
This class is for students who have a good command of the basics of SketchUp as described in the beginner class and are ready to learn additional skills. We'll start with a brief overview of components, scenes, and styles, and learn how to use tags to turn on and off features in different scenes.
Read More

Timber Framing
Aug 20, 2023 - Aug 26, 2023 $1,400
Timber framing is a traditional framing technique that is incorporated into all building projects at the Heartwood School. In this class, we will lay out and cut the joinery for a complete frame and assemble it, and then raise it at the end of the course.
Read More

Converting Trees to Timber
Aug 28, 2023 - Sep 2, 2023 $1,450 FULLJoin Waitlist
In this course, students will learn how to grade timbers for strength and appearance, understand how to maintain a woodlot, safely and efficiently cut trees, and convert those round logs into square timbers.
Read More

Timber Frame Preservation
Sep 11, 2023 - Sep 15, 2023 $1,000
A guide to understanding, documenting, and repairing historic timber framed buildings. Students will learn how to document and date historic structures using both traditional methods and high-tech gadgetry. The course will address the evolution of preservation philosophy, the United States Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, and applying for grants and tax credits, as well as the repair of timber framed buildings.
Read More

Scribe Joinery 2- French Scribe
Oct 8, 2023 - Oct 14, 2023 $1,400
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. With the use of a full-scale chalk line drawing on the floor, paired with steady hands and simple tools like a plumb bob, pencil, and straight edge, students will learn to transfer the unique shape of each timber to adjoining members, along with layout for mortise and tenon joinery.
Read More

Timber Framing
Nov 12, 2023 - Nov 18, 2023 $1,400
Timber framing is a traditional framing technique that is incorporated into all building projects at the Heartwood School. In this class, we will lay out and cut the joinery for a complete frame and assemble it, and then raise it at the end of the course.
Read More