What is a standvink?
A standvink (Dutch, also moerstijl) is an intermediate post standing free in the room that supports a beam, usually running along the length of the building. It does not stand against a wall but in the middle of the space. On both sides of the post there are braces: angled struts that give the beam extra support and stiffen the structure. Post and braces together form a V or Y shape. In English timber-frame terms it is simply a post with knee braces (or arch braces) carrying a beam.
You mainly find them in old Dutch farmhouses and windmills, where they support a long main beam roughly halfway along its span.
In the Zaan region and in traditional hay barns the word is also used for an angled post or strut in the roof structure.
Application
- Recognise its role. Such a post often carries a large part of the floor or loft above. It is structural, even if it seems to be ‘in the way’ in the middle of a room.
- Do not just remove it. To open up the space, the load must be carried another way, for example with a steel beam. Have a structural engineer design this and get consent first if the building is listed.
- Check the foot. The bottom of the post often sits on a stone pad. Damp and manure in old stables rot the foot, and the beam above sinks with it.
- Inspect the mortise and tenon joints. Loose or split joints between post, braces and beam reduce stiffness. Repair with timber pegs rather than random screws.
- Restore like for like. Use a similar timber species and section when replacing, and keep as much original material as possible.
Common mistake: removing the braces because they reduce headroom. Without them, the post can tilt and the beam’s effective span becomes much larger.
Related terms
- Brace
- Farmhouse
- Mortise and tenon joint
- Structural engineer
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