diff --git a/include/ipmid/message/types.hpp b/include/ipmid/message/types.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b79ddba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/ipmid/message/types.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright © 2018 Intel Corporation
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+#pragma once
+
+#include <bitset>
+#include <boost/multiprecision/cpp_int.hpp>
+#include <ipmid/utility.hpp>
+#include <tuple>
+
+// unsigned fixed-bit sizes
+template <unsigned N>
+using fixed_uint_t =
+    boost::multiprecision::number<boost::multiprecision::cpp_int_backend<
+        N, N, boost::multiprecision::unsigned_magnitude,
+        boost::multiprecision::unchecked, void>>;
+// signed fixed-bit sizes
+template <unsigned N>
+using fixed_int_t =
+    boost::multiprecision::number<boost::multiprecision::cpp_int_backend<
+        N, N, boost::multiprecision::signed_magnitude,
+        boost::multiprecision::unchecked, void>>;
+
+using uint1_t = fixed_uint_t<1>;
+using uint2_t = fixed_uint_t<2>;
+using uint3_t = fixed_uint_t<3>;
+using uint4_t = fixed_uint_t<4>;
+using uint5_t = fixed_uint_t<5>;
+using uint6_t = fixed_uint_t<6>;
+using uint7_t = fixed_uint_t<7>;
+// native uint8_t
+using uint9_t = fixed_uint_t<9>;
+using uint10_t = fixed_uint_t<10>;
+using uint11_t = fixed_uint_t<11>;
+using uint12_t = fixed_uint_t<12>;
+using uint13_t = fixed_uint_t<13>;
+using uint14_t = fixed_uint_t<14>;
+using uint15_t = fixed_uint_t<15>;
+// native uint16_t
+using uint24_t = fixed_uint_t<24>;
+
+// signed fixed-bit sizes
+using int2_t = fixed_int_t<2>;
+using int3_t = fixed_int_t<3>;
+using int4_t = fixed_int_t<4>;
+using int5_t = fixed_int_t<5>;
+using int6_t = fixed_int_t<6>;
+using int7_t = fixed_int_t<7>;
+// native int8_t
+using int9_t = fixed_int_t<9>;
+using int10_t = fixed_int_t<10>;
+using int11_t = fixed_int_t<11>;
+using int12_t = fixed_int_t<12>;
+using int13_t = fixed_int_t<13>;
+using int14_t = fixed_int_t<14>;
+using int15_t = fixed_int_t<15>;
+// native int16_t
+using int24_t = fixed_int_t<24>;
+
+// bool is more efficient than a uint1_t
+using bit = bool;
+
+// Mechanism for going from uint7_t, int7_t, or std::bitset<7> to 7 bits
+// use nrFixedBits<uint7_t> or nrFixedBits<decltype(u7)>
+namespace types
+{
+namespace details
+{
+
+template <size_t N>
+struct Size
+{
+    static constexpr size_t value = N;
+};
+
+template <unsigned Bits>
+constexpr auto getNrBits(const fixed_int_t<Bits>&) -> Size<Bits>;
+template <unsigned Bits>
+constexpr auto getNrBits(const fixed_uint_t<Bits>&) -> Size<Bits>;
+template <size_t Bits>
+constexpr auto getNrBits(const std::bitset<Bits>&) -> Size<Bits>;
+
+} // namespace details
+
+/**
+ * @brief mechanism to get N from a type like fixed_int_t<N>
+ *
+ * helper template to extract N from a fixed_(u)int_t variable
+ *
+ * @tparam T - a type of fixed_int_t<N> or fixed_unint_t<N>
+ *
+ * @return size_t - evaluates to a constexpr size_t of N
+ */
+template <typename T>
+constexpr auto nrFixedBits =
+    decltype(details::getNrBits(std::declval<T>()))::value;
+
+} // namespace types