QuickTip: Moving Heavy Timbers

Theresa and I were lucky enough to be able to help the builders on a Extreme Makeover: Home Edition build in Lewes, Delaware after we interviewed (or should I say were ambushed by) Ty Pennington and had a lovely chat with Sabrina Soto.

The project we were tasked with by the builder was to build three stacked-timber window wells–which we made by stacking up  interlocking layers of pressure treated 6×6. Well, these window wells were deep, which means we had to move lots of 6×6 into position for cutting–and there were a couple of hundred cuts to make.

I don’t know about you, but I consider a 14 foot long 6×6 to be heavy, which means that while I need to move it, I also need to move it as efficiently as possible to conserve my strength and max out production. Did I mention there was the population of a small town on this jobsite and I was working alone? Anyway…

One really efficient way I have found to move timbers alone is to drive the claw of my hammer into the end grain of a timber. As the wood fiber closes around the claw it creates a handle of sorts. I can lift up one end of the timber and pivot on the other so I can get it in position for cutting without lifting the entire weight of the wood at one time. To get the hammer out, I kick the head sideways with my foot. Comes out every time.