Hewing

The term Hewing in construction is a traditional, labour intensive process, where a craftsperson uses heavy cutting tools like axes, broad axes, or adzes to shape raw logs into square or flat-sided timbers. Although such activities as a necessity have been replaced by modern sawmills and machinery, ewing by hand or hand-hewing still continues in some contexts such as the restoration or historic timber frame buildings.

Key elements and skills of hand hewing are the ability to create structural uniformity, transforming tapered, round logs into consistent, flat-sided, and plumb timber to create stable structures.The process removes the outer sapwood layer, revealing the hardwood which is more resistant to insect infestation and decay, this also reduces the weight of the log structural elements. Hand crafted timbers have are remarkable for their rustic appearance with visible tool marks producing flat surfaces for hand crafted tight traditional joints. The improved regularity of the laid logs can help improve the process of sealing the joints, known as chinking, whereby traditionally moss, clay, straw, or later lime is used to seal gaps and improve weather tightness.

The tools used include: A felling or scoring axe for notching, a froe for splitting timbers, a broad axe for smoothing and levelling, and an adze for detail smoothing. The process would start with lining out or preparing the log using chalk lines to establish a level consistent form, joggling to thin down larger amounts of timber to near the mark line and flattening, to achieve the finish level on or near the initial chalk line.

The winner of the IHBC Gus Astley Student Awards for 2025 selected by guest judge, IHBC’s Vice President Torsten Haak, included Jack Parker, (Oxford Brookes) for his work on ‘Hewing’ entitled "SQUARING THE CIRCLE: What is the Role of Hewing in UK Historic Conservation?’. Torsten said of Jack’s work: ‘This was an outstanding and highly engaging piece of work (including author’s own explanatory drawings). Hewing was a technique I had not previously encountered in the UK context, and the dissertation offered a clear, well-structured, and convincing exploration of its relevance. The contemporary significance of the topic is evident, particularly in light of recent high-profile conservation projects in France, such as the restoration of Notre-Dame.

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