Oak trenails that will be used to pin a wooden structure together. The one in the front has been used and pulled out, showing the way forces have permanently deformed the wood.
Treenails used in timber framing of former cooperage and monastery cellar from 1478 at Blaubeuren Abbey
The use of wood as a tenon can be traced back over 7,000 years, as archaeologist have found traces of wood nails in the excavation of early Germanic sites.[2] Trenails are extremely economical and readily available, making them a common early building material.[3]Black Locust is a favorite wood when making trunnels in shipbuilding in North America[4][5] and English Oak in Europe[6][7] due to their strength and rot resistance, while red oak is typical in buildings. Traditionally treenails and pegs were made by splitting bolts of wood with a froe and shaping them with a drawknife on a shaving horse. Treenails are cut from a single piece of wood and perform well because of the natural grain. The grain of the treenail runs perpendicular to the grain of the receiving mortises which adds structural strength. Treenails are typically 1.25–1.5 inches (32–38 mm) in diameter and are hand whittled with rough facets. The mortise is drilled 1⁄16 inch (1.6 mm) smaller than the treenail to create a tight fit and take advantage of friction in the mortise. In cases where the treenail is 24 inches (61 cm) or longer, the treenail should be shaped 1⁄8 inch (3.2 mm) smaller than the other half. In the same case the mortise is drilled in two parts, with a smaller auger for the smaller part of the treenail and a typical auger for the standard part. Other trenails are tapered with the large end being 1⁄8 inch (3.2 mm) longer than the mortise. After treenails are hammered into the mortise, they can be trimmed, split, and wedged with a small piece of oak that increases friction force.[8] As an alternative to the wedge, the treenail can receive a plug or a punch to the center that expands the entire circumference. While this method prevents leaks by reducing gaps, plugs and punches are more likely to fall out in cold temperatures. Ideally, the nose of the treenail is driven 4–5 cm clear of the timber before being trimmed.[9] Unlike metal nails, trenails can not be removed (without great effort) or reused. As the wood shrinks or expand the fibers create a friction that interlocks it into the mortise snugly. If a treenail breaks or fails but the wood it is fastening remains intact the remaining trenail can be cut out and replaced with a larger treenail that fits snugly. In addition, treenails have the ability to move over time and retain structural integrity.
Uses in building structuresedit
Treenails used in the Brown Bridge in Rutland County, Vermont
Early mortise and tenon trusses with spans of less than 30 feet (9 m) used treenail fasteners. When used in a truss, the connecting mortises are drilled off center such that when the treenail is inserted it creates a tighter joint. Because of the large number of trenails required in a truss, the treenails can be turned on a lathe with a head and a tapered end, often kept extra-long for the tightest fit. The bottom chord often requires 2–3 pegs and is the weakest part of the truss. Hence the treenail can not prevent failure in spans of over 30 feet (9 m). In cases where significant shrinkage may occur, it may be necessary to use iron U-straps or reinforcements.[10]
Plank fixing, trenails and red lead paint, Qui Nhơn, VietnamBuilding the Naga Pelangi - fitting the first plank required aligning many treenails
Ancient shipbuilding used treenails to bind the boat together. They had the advantage of not giving rise to "nail-sickness", a term for decay accelerated and concentrated around metal fasteners. Increased water content causes wood to expand, so that treenails gripped the planks tighter as they absorbed water.[11] However, when the treenail was a different wood species from the planking, it usually caused rot. Treenails and iron nails were most common until the 1780s when copper nails over copper sheathing became more popular.[3] As late as the 1870s, merchant ships used treenails and iron bolts, while higher quality ships used copper and yellow metal bolts and dumps. In the 1870s, treenails were typically used in a ratio of four treenails to one bolt, although sometimes more bolts were used. In later corvettes, the ratio was changed to two treenails to one bolt.[12]
Uses in railroadsedit
Similar wooden trenail fastenings were used as alternatives to metal spikes to secure railroad rail-support "chairs" to wooden sleepers (ties) in early Victorian times. Treenails were extensively used constructing railroads in North England.[13]
Referencesedit
^Edwards, Jay Dearborn, and Nicolas Verton. A Creole lexicon architecture, landscape, people. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2004. Print. 237.
^ abJohnson, W. (1986-01-01). "Historical and present-day references concerning impact on wood". International Journal of Impact Engineering. 4 (3): 161–174. doi:10.1016/0734-743X(86)90003-5.
^Specter, Peter (1996). Planking and Fastening. WoodenBoat Books. p. 66. ISBN9780937822418.
^Christy, Wyville (1904). Practical Treatise on the Joints Made and Used by Builders in the Construction of Various Kinds of Engineering and Architectural Works ... C. Lockwood and son. p. 99.
^Christy, Wyville J. (1904). "Practical Treatise on the Joints Made and Used by Builders in the Construction of Various Kinds of Engineering and Architectural Works".
^Curtis, W.H. (1919). The Elements of Wood Ship Construction. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Book Company.
^Adams, J.R. (2013). A Maritime Archaeology of Ships: Innovation and Social Change in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe. Oxbow Books. ISBN978-1842172971.
^Nelson, Lee H. (1996). "Early Wooden Truss Connections vs. Wood Shrinkage: From Mortise-and-Tenon Joints to Bolted Connections". APT Bulletin. 27 (1/2): 11–23. doi:10.2307/1504495. JSTOR 1504495.
^Kettunen, P. O., Wood Structure and Properties. Uetikon-Zuerich: Trans Tech Publications, 2006. 377. Print.
^Thearle, Samuel James Pope (1876). Naval Architecture: A Treatise on Laying Off and Building Wood, Iron, and Composite Ships. W. Collins, Sons & Company. p. 232. wood architecture treenails.
treenail, treenail, also, trenail, trennel, trunnel, wooden, dowel, used, fasten, pieces, wood, together, especially, timber, frames, covered, bridges, wooden, shipbuilding, boat, building, driven, into, hole, bored, through, more, pieces, structural, wood, mo. A treenail also trenail trennel or trunnel is a wooden peg pin or dowel used to fasten pieces of wood together especially in timber frames covered bridges wooden shipbuilding and boat building 1 It is driven into a hole bored through two or more pieces of structural wood mortise and tenon Oak trenails that will be used to pin a wooden structure together The one in the front has been used and pulled out showing the way forces have permanently deformed the wood Contents 1 History and general use 2 Uses in building structures 3 Uses in ships 4 Uses in railroads 5 ReferencesHistory and general use edit nbsp Treenails used in timber framing of former cooperage and monastery cellar from 1478 at Blaubeuren AbbeyThe use of wood as a tenon can be traced back over 7 000 years as archaeologist have found traces of wood nails in the excavation of early Germanic sites 2 Trenails are extremely economical and readily available making them a common early building material 3 Black Locust is a favorite wood when making trunnels in shipbuilding in North America 4 5 and English Oak in Europe 6 7 due to their strength and rot resistance while red oak is typical in buildings Traditionally treenails and pegs were made by splitting bolts of wood with a froe and shaping them with a drawknife on a shaving horse Treenails are cut from a single piece of wood and perform well because of the natural grain The grain of the treenail runs perpendicular to the grain of the receiving mortises which adds structural strength Treenails are typically 1 25 1 5 inches 32 38 mm in diameter and are hand whittled with rough facets The mortise is drilled 1 16 inch 1 6 mm smaller than the treenail to create a tight fit and take advantage of friction in the mortise In cases where the treenail is 24 inches 61 cm or longer the treenail should be shaped 1 8 inch 3 2 mm smaller than the other half In the same case the mortise is drilled in two parts with a smaller auger for the smaller part of the treenail and a typical auger for the standard part Other trenails are tapered with the large end being 1 8 inch 3 2 mm longer than the mortise After treenails are hammered into the mortise they can be trimmed split and wedged with a small piece of oak that increases friction force 8 As an alternative to the wedge the treenail can receive a plug or a punch to the center that expands the entire circumference While this method prevents leaks by reducing gaps plugs and punches are more likely to fall out in cold temperatures Ideally the nose of the treenail is driven 4 5 cm clear of the timber before being trimmed 9 Unlike metal nails trenails can not be removed without great effort or reused As the wood shrinks or expand the fibers create a friction that interlocks it into the mortise snugly If a treenail breaks or fails but the wood it is fastening remains intact the remaining trenail can be cut out and replaced with a larger treenail that fits snugly In addition treenails have the ability to move over time and retain structural integrity Uses in building structures edit nbsp Treenails used in the Brown Bridge in Rutland County VermontEarly mortise and tenon trusses with spans of less than 30 feet 9 m used treenail fasteners When used in a truss the connecting mortises are drilled off center such that when the treenail is inserted it creates a tighter joint Because of the large number of trenails required in a truss the treenails can be turned on a lathe with a head and a tapered end often kept extra long for the tightest fit The bottom chord often requires 2 3 pegs and is the weakest part of the truss Hence the treenail can not prevent failure in spans of over 30 feet 9 m In cases where significant shrinkage may occur it may be necessary to use iron U straps or reinforcements 10 Uses in ships editSee also Lashed lug boat Sewn boat Treenailed boat and Mtepe nbsp Plank fixing trenails and red lead paint Qui Nhơn Vietnam nbsp Building the Naga Pelangi fitting the first plank required aligning many treenailsAncient shipbuilding used treenails to bind the boat together They had the advantage of not giving rise to nail sickness a term for decay accelerated and concentrated around metal fasteners Increased water content causes wood to expand so that treenails gripped the planks tighter as they absorbed water 11 However when the treenail was a different wood species from the planking it usually caused rot Treenails and iron nails were most common until the 1780s when copper nails over copper sheathing became more popular 3 As late as the 1870s merchant ships used treenails and iron bolts while higher quality ships used copper and yellow metal bolts and dumps In the 1870s treenails were typically used in a ratio of four treenails to one bolt although sometimes more bolts were used In later corvettes the ratio was changed to two treenails to one bolt 12 Uses in railroads editSimilar wooden trenail fastenings were used as alternatives to metal spikes to secure railroad rail support chairs to wooden sleepers ties in early Victorian times Treenails were extensively used constructing railroads in North England 13 References edit Edwards Jay Dearborn and Nicolas Verton A Creole lexicon architecture landscape people Baton Rouge Louisiana State University Press 2004 Print 237 Radkau Joachim 2012 Wood A History Polity ISBN 978 0745646886 a b Johnson W 1986 01 01 Historical and present day references concerning impact on wood International Journal of Impact Engineering 4 3 161 174 doi 10 1016 0734 743X 86 90003 5 Specter Peter 1996 Planking and Fastening WoodenBoat Books p 66 ISBN 9780937822418 Spectre Peter H 1996 Planking and Fastening ISBN 9780937822418 Christy Wyville 1904 Practical Treatise on the Joints Made and Used by Builders in the Construction of Various Kinds of Engineering and Architectural Works C Lockwood and son p 99 Christy Wyville J 1904 Practical Treatise on the Joints Made and Used by Builders in the Construction of Various Kinds of Engineering and Architectural Works Curtis W H 1919 The Elements of Wood Ship Construction New York NY McGraw Hill Book Company Adams J R 2013 A Maritime Archaeology of Ships Innovation and Social Change in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe Oxbow Books ISBN 978 1842172971 Nelson Lee H 1996 Early Wooden Truss Connections vs Wood Shrinkage From Mortise and Tenon Joints to Bolted Connections APT Bulletin 27 1 2 11 23 doi 10 2307 1504495 JSTOR 1504495 Kettunen P O Wood Structure and Properties Uetikon Zuerich Trans Tech Publications 2006 377 Print Thearle Samuel James Pope 1876 Naval Architecture A Treatise on Laying Off and Building Wood Iron and Composite Ships W Collins Sons amp Company p 232 wood architecture treenails The Civil engineer amp and architect s journal Kent 1841 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Treenail amp oldid 1202423601, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
