A timber brace (Dutch “karbeel” or “korbeel”) is a short, angled timber strut set between a vertical post and a horizontal beam or plate, stiffening the corner and shortening the beam’s span.
Characteristics
A brace bridges the right angle where a post meets a beam, forming a small triangle in the corner. That triangle is what gives the connection its strength.
- It resists racking, keeping the frame square under sideways forces.
- By carrying part of the load, it shortens the effective span of the beam above.
- It transfers load smoothly from the beam back down into the post.
In historic buildings, timber braces are often more than structural. Because they sit at eye level in the frame, they were frequently moulded, chamfered or carved with decorative profiles, turning a functional strut into an ornamental feature.
Application
Timber braces are a hallmark of traditional timber-frame construction. They appear in the corners of framed walls, in roof structures and beneath cantilevered or projecting parts of a building, where the extra support is especially useful. Modern timber and heavy-frame construction still uses the same principle wherever a stiff, well-braced joint is needed between a post and a beam.
Related terms
- Timber frame
- Strut
- Corbel
- Post
Want to learn more about construction terms? Visit our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.