Library builder

John Banta was called to the home of a woman who was employed as a cook by the television in­dustry. Her task was to create samples of the same recipe in various stages of preparation, from raw ingredients to oven-ready mixtures to finished product. The prepared foods were then delivered to the television studio so […]

Medium density fiberboard (MDF) is sheet — good material used for interior nonstruc­tural applications such as cabinetry boxes and shelving. Traditionally, MDF has been bound with urea-formaldehyde-based glues, making their use unacceptable in a healthy house. The following products are formaldehyde-free and may be available laminated with plastics or hardwood veneers: • Arreis: Scientific Certification […]

Many manufactured composite board prod­ucts designed for interior use contain urea — formaldehyde binders. They outgas form­aldehyde for many months and contribute significantly to the indoor pollution level. In standard construction, these interior-grade composites are used in many finish applica­tions including cabinetry, molding, shelving, and trim. They should not be used in a healthy home. […]

Roof sheathing is placed on top of roof fram­ing members and under the roofing. As with exterior sheathing, exterior-grade plywood or OSB is most commonly used for this purpose. Unlike wall sheathing, roof sheathing will be exposed to high temperatures and will there­fore be subject to more intense outgassing. Roof sheathing usually has less time […]

Exterior sheathing in wood frame construc­tion is attached to the outside of the frame and makes up the surface to which the exte­rior finish is applied. Before manufactured sheet goods such as plywood were available, ix or 2x material was nailed to the studs for this purpose. In standard wood frame construc­tion today, exterior-grade plywood […]

Solid beams, round logs, or 2X joisting are commonly used for shorter roof spans. Man­ufactured trusses, typically made of compos­ite wood products and assembled into profiles engineered for strength, are commonly used for longer spans. They have several advantages over solid lumber. They are less expensive, use wood resources more efficiently, have greater span capabilities, […]

Sill Plates Sill plates or mudsills are decay — and insect — resistant wood members used in frame con­struction wherever wood comes into contact with concrete or soil. For many centuries be­fore toxic petrochemicals came to be used, builders had devised natural means for avoid­ing rot and insect infestation. They commonly charred the portions of […]

Wood surfaces and edges exposed to the weather will usually be surface treated to make them more weather resistant. Wood that is not naturally rot resistant and that will come in contact with moisture must be treated for rot and mold resistance. Creosote and penta­chlorophenol are two commonly used wood preservatives that are quite toxic. […]

Although Germany has been a leader in the Bau — Biologie and healthy housing movement, it was only two decades ago that the general public there became aware of multiple chemical sensitiv­ity disorder. This awareness followed the experi­ences of thousands of people who were exposed to lumber treated with both the preservative pentachlorophenol and the […]

Wood has historically been used as a compo­nent of a breathing wall system, whether it be the half-timber, wattle-and-daub construc­tions of medieval Europe or the log cabins of our ancestors in North America. (See Divi­sion 4 for an explanation of the breathing wall concept.) Wood is an advantageous material in a healthy home because it […]