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Why do Tudor houses overhang the street?
The upper storeys of some Tudor houses were bigger than the ground floor and would overhang (called a jetty). The origins of the jetty are not entirely known but certainly in a town, it would have the effect of enlarging the floor space above whilst giving maiximum street width.
Why do old houses have an overhang?
Although the exact reason for jettying is not known, the most commonly-cited explanation is the need to provide extra space. While this is plausible – especially in the confined conditions of a medieval town – many of these buildings were in rural areas which did not have the same spatial constraints.
Why did Tudor houses have jetties?
The origins of the jetty are not known but in a town it was very useful for enlarging floor space while getting maximum street width. People used to throw their rubbish out of the window into the street. This was common in Tudor times for the streets to contain a lot of rubbish from the houses along the road.
Why do buildings have overhangs?
Roof overhangs have several important functions: they can protect exterior doors, windows, and siding from rain; they can shade windows when solar heat gain is undesirable; and they can help keep basements and crawl spaces dry.
Why do medieval buildings overhang lower floors?
The origins of jettying is unclear but some reasons put forward for their purpose are: to gain space. the structural advantage of the jettied wall counteracting forces in the joists or tying a stone wall together. to shelter the lower walls of the house from the weather.
Where did half timbered houses originate?
Half-timber work was common in China and, in a refined form, in Japan and was used for domestic architecture throughout northern continental Europe, especially Germany and France, until the 17th century. In England it was popular in regions that lacked stone as a building material.
Why did they build houses in which the second floor was bigger than the ground floor?
The reason is ancient zoning laws. There was a minimum width set for the street (so that wagons and such could be sure to get through), but nothing about the higher floors. So they had overhangs to make the higher floors bigger.
What is the point of an overhang?
The main purpose of an overhang is to give the house protection against strong winds and heavy rain. Aside from preventing water from running over the edge of the house, snow and other debris are also caught by this extended edge.
Does a house need an overhang?
A roof overhang is an essential part of your roofing system to protect your house. If you are simply adding function and protection, or if you want to incorporate a new style to update the exterior of your home, a new roof overhang is a good idea.
Why did half timbering evolve?
Construction Method In the United States, colonists brought these European building methods with them, but the harsh winters made half-timbered construction impractical. The wood expanded and contracted dramatically, and the plaster and masonry filling between the timbers could not keep out cold drafts.
What is a balloon house?
A balloon frame house is built using dimensional lumber fastened with nails, not joinery like the earlier timber frames. So, how is that different from how we build houses today? Well, what makes a balloon frame unique is that the framing members run all the way from the mud sill to the rafters.