A wall member includes: a lower member in a shape of a plate including a first rear face, a first side face, and a first angle between the first rear face and the first side face being a first acute angle; an upper member in a shape of a plate to be combined with the lower member, the upper member including a second rear face, a second side face opposed to the first side face of the lower member, and a second angle between the second rear face and the second side face being a second acute angle; a fitting portion (recess and projection) enabling a lower face of the lower member and an upper face of the upper member to be fitted with each other; and a hole through which an axial member is arranged in a vertical direction.

Precut and pre-machined boards, a kit, and methods for constructing prefabricated structures are described. Each board includes at least one grooved notch for in a top or a bottom of the board for forming a cross lap joint. Two such boards can be joined together by interlocking the respective grooved notches forming a cross lap joint. Each grooved notch includes a first shoulder and a second shoulder extending perpendicularly from a cheek. A first groove is disposed on a first side of the board adjacent to the first shoulder and a second groove is disposed on a second side of the board adjacent to the second shoulder. The grooves ensure secure interlocking of the boards at the cross lap joint without requiring glue or fasteners. The grooves also cover gaps in joint inhibiting wind, water and light from penetrating the joint.

A beam and bolting construction method and an example dwelling (10) according to the method are provided. The method involves preliminary steps of selecting a site and determining a bolt array (19) and selection of dimensions and materials. Actual construction steps include forming a foundation slab (14) having vertical bolts (18) embedded therein in accordance with the bolt array (19). Alternating layers of beams (B), having aligned bolt bores (52) for receiving the bolts, are successively laid down over the bolts (18), with sides meeting at corners (29) with alternating sides encompassing the corner bolt. Once a desired height is achieved, washers (72) and nuts (78) are placed on the bolts and are tightened to desired pressure levels. The dwelling (10) is formed with beams (42) compressed together by threaded bolts (18) in a bolt array (19).

A timber structural member includes: a first timber round having a first cooperating longitudinal surface, a second timber round having a second and a third cooperating longitudinal surfaces, and a third timber round having a fourth cooperating longitudinal surface. The first cooperating surface cooperates with the second cooperating surface, and the third cooperating surface cooperates with the fourth cooperating surface. The timber rounds are secured together to form a structurally integral unit in which the first cooperating surface is in contact with the second cooperating surface, and the third cooperating surface is in contact with the fourth cooperating surface, and the first, second and third timber rounds are substantially parallel to each other. The timber rounds are secured to each other by a plurality of spaced fasteners provided at acute and obtuse angles from a longitudinal axis of the structural member and extending through the timber rounds.

A logging notch assembly having a head member and a body member. The head member includes a head front face, a tapered upper face diagonally positioned downwards towards the head front face, a top face with a head connector member protruding from a central region of the top face, and a tapered lower face diagonally positioned upwards towards the head front face. The bottom face incudes a head channel positioned through a central region of the bottom face and receives the head connector member, a pair of side faces with an upper surface positioned between the top face and a side face of the pair of side faces, a lower surface positioned between the side face and the bottom face, an end surface positioned between the upper surface and the lower surface.

A saferoom/tornado shelter is made primarily of wood and includes walls that can withstand missile impact testing as recommended under Federal guidance and regulations. The saferooms of the present invention can be designed for a single family or small business, or can be designed as a larger community shelter. The wood wall can accommodate various architectural finish treatments and enhancements much more easily than a concrete or steel building saferoom. The walls can be made from dimensional lumber, stacked along its width and the saferooms can be assembled without the need for glue, wood screws or the like.

Construction systems and methods of the invention provide building constructions systems which may be assembled, such as for example, by stacking and interconnecting standardized modular blocks between standardized modular posts. The modular posts may be comprised of a sleeve of WPC or other composite material surrounding a reinforced concrete core. The blocks, posts and other components in accordance with the principles of the invention may have a variety of geometries and features. These components may together form the basis of a modular, standardized method and system of constructing dwellings or other buildings.

Techniques are disclosed for finishing roughed-in walls with faux logs such that the finished walls have the appearance of being made using actual square logs. In one example, such faux logs are fabricated using conventional 2 (two-by) lumber to produce the square log appearance. These faux logs are then stacked and attached to the face of outside and/or inside walls. Walls fitted with such faux logs appear to be built of square logs. Variations provide for chinking between courses of faux logs. The height of each faux log course can be as little as a few inches to well over a foot or more. With one variation, the height of a faux log course can appear to be several feet or more.

A plurality of metalogs form a freestanding wall or fence, or structure comprising walls, upper floors whenever applicable and/or roof of a building. Each metalog has an axis. A stiffener extends through a set of aligned holes in the metalogs at right angles to the axes. One or more additional stiffeners may similarly extend through one or more additional sets of aligned holes in the same metalogs. The stiffeners function to resist forces acting in a direction parallel to the axes of the metalogs and therefore enhance the stability of the structure and obviate otherwise required X-bracing.

A timber structural member includes: a first timber round having a first cooperating longitudinal surface, a second timber round having a second and a third cooperating longitudinal surfaces, and a third timber round having a fourth cooperating longitudinal surface. The first cooperating surface cooperates with the second cooperating surface, and the third cooperating surface cooperates with the fourth cooperating surface. The timber rounds are secured together to form a structurally integral unit in which the first cooperating surface is in contact with the second cooperating surface, and the third cooperating surface is in contact with the fourth cooperating surface, and the first, second and third timber rounds are substantially parallel to each other. The timber rounds are secured to each other by a plurality of spaced fasteners provided at acute and obtuse angles from a longitudinal axis of the structural member and extending through the timber rounds.