When we use salvaged material, the timbers are generally resawn from very large timbers that have boxed hearts and the expected heart checks. The advantages of heart checks in salvaged timbers, however, is that they've already happened. Thus, our framers can orient the timber to conceal any large checks. We intend for our structures to see the next ice age, so the lateral forces generated by quakes aren't a problem. The issue is vertical acceleration.
Earthquakes shake the ground sideways and tip things over.
A seismic wave, on the other hand, can snap the ground up and down, just as you might shake out a rug or tablecloth. The strongest timber frame could land in one, wholly intact piece, but two feet off its foundation. We attach the perimeter posts of all our homes securely to the foundation walls with anchoring straps. Either tapered or stepped, gunstocked posts add drama and strength, while lightening the frame's appearance. We have gunstocked the underside of a heavy summer beam, tapering it up to the center from both ends and giving it an arch-like feel.