The Lookout

The view of the gardens was all I envisioned it to be.

While I think of myself as a practical man, the entire project had but one goal - - to showcase a grand view of the wonderful plants that reside in our gardens.

No, when considering time, energy, and cost, it is not practical, but what is beauty worth?

The primary timbers required for the frame by design are 6×6 and 7×7’s between 10’ and 12’ in length.  Dead or dying logs from red oak, white oak, ash, and hickory were selected from the timber meeting my size requirements.  Felling the trees, transporting them to the saw mill, and then to the project site is quite time consuming.  The moisture content of the logs and the density of hardwood combine to make these timbers extremely heavy and difficult to maneuver unassisted.

The balcony base was constructed with 6×6 treated timbers using the same half lap joinery.  The viewing deck above boasted a roomy 8’ ×10’ observation platform.  The stairwell was also built with treated lumber and posts in a traditional fashion providing a 360° ascent to the second story of the frame, leading to the balcony.  The entry way to the structure is framed with 1¼" black pipe to offer an interesting contrast.

The excursion through the lower portion of the frame seemed a little vacant.  Perhaps violating the decorum of garden beauty and classical form, another black pipe assembly was constructed which supported two large lion heads and the bust of the Greek god of vineyards, Bacchus. Flying owls above greet the visitor en-route to the balcony.

As with the pavilion, the first step of construction is to erect a deck oriented to provide the optimal garden view. Once completed, this deck provides the flat surface required to facilitate joinery and bent assembly.  Rather than using traditional mortise and tenon joinery, the bents (gable end trusses) would be assembled using half lap joints.  These mating half laps would be secured using large lag screws.  (Yes, ardent timber framing builders (the purists) would find this method as heresy and to that end, I bow my head in shame.)  Sometimes the consumption of time and energy is so overwhelming that we yield to easier methods.

Often, when I must clean out our chimney flues, I have a compulsion to tarry - - as I gaze out over the entirety of the hosta gardens.  A view from 30 feet of altitude offers a wonderful perspective for garden viewing.  Such moments are so exhilarating that I longed for a more convenient “birds-eye view” experience.

Our pavilion (discussed in “Project Details”) already provides a viewing platform combined with timber frame architecture.  My vision for a lookout would offer a loftier perch and would incorporate yet another example of timber frame architecture.  My design concept envisioned three distinctive structures:

• A timber frame structure utilizing native hardwood beams harvested from dead trees in our timber.
  
• A balcony erected in front of the frame to provide a viewing platform.
  
• A stairwell at the rear of the frame to gain access to the frame’s upper floor leading to the balcony.
  

The location of the deck was selected to take advantage of "pulling" trees that would be utilized for tilting up the bents.  After assembly, the hardwood bents weighed in at about 3700 pounds each. Therefore, I became reluctant to attempt the raising with my come-alongs as I have always done previously.  I did the unthinkable - - I hired a boom truck.  In less than one hour, both bents were vertical and temporarily secured - a little money well spent.  Similar to the pavilion construction, the joining girts, braces, and purlins secured the bents together and redwood 2×6 ceiling boards decked the roof.  Simulated shake shingles provide some degree of weather proofing to this open frame.