Blog Archives

DRILLING HOLES

Posted by on 19/ 11/ 15

With the boxes in place, drill holes to run cable from the service panel to the outlet boxes. As noted earlier, a h-in. right-angle drill with a 7/-in. Nail Eater wood-boring bit is the tool of choice.

For individual circuits, in which a cable serves only one appliance, reduce the amount of hole drilling by drilling up through the top plate(s) above the appliance and running cable through the attic till you’re above the service panel. Then drill holes down through the wall plates so you can drop the cable to the panel.

For circuits with many wall outlets, drill through studs 12 in. above the outlet boxes, so the cable can bend gradually toward the boxes. (Avoid sharp bends, which can damage wire insu­lation.) All holes should be centered in the studs, so that the cable is at least 1’/ in...

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Cutting cripples and trimmers

Posted by on 19/ 11/ 15

Keep your mind focused when measur­ing and cutting cripples and trimmers.

A mistake here can cause you big headaches and lots of extra work later on. I recall cutting all the top window cripples 1 in. too long for the first floor of an apartment house we were build­ing. I didn’t catch the mistake until after the walls were framed and raised. Every window and door header had to be removed and the cripples shortened. Not a good way to start your week.

To make the job of cutting cripples and trimmers easier, I usually make a story pole. As the name suggests, this is a pole—actually a 2×4—that tells a story, and it’s used to mark multiple measure­ments or to transfer measurements from one place to another...

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Self-Cleaning Windows Reduce Maintenance Demands

Posted by on 19/ 11/ 15

For those of you who say, "I don’t do windows," technology has finally caught up with your sentiment. Several big glass companies market coated glass that resists the buildup of dirt. Product names include Neat® Glass by Cardinal, Activ™ by Pilking – ton®, and PPG’s SunClean®.

By making the glass smoother and hy­drophilic, rainwater collects in sheets on the surface and slides off the glass quickly, clean­ing the window. Some windows include a titanium-dioxide layer that reacts with UV – light to help organic materials decompose, so dirt washes away more easily.

Window Styles

DOUBLE-HUNG

Traditional window composed of two sashes that slide verti­cally. A single-hung window looks identical, but the top sash is fixed.

Pros: Available with a wide va­riety of grille patterns to match d...

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Backer Layout

Posted by on 19/ 11/ 15

Normal backer layout has the layout marks for a backer aligned with the position of the wall that will be nailed into the backer. This isn’t always the case, however. Sometimes it is better to move the backer so it does not line up. For example, you might have a door next to the backer, with only 21/г" between the backer and the rough opening of the door. Instead of having a Ш" trimmer and a 1" king stud, you just attach a Ш" trimmer to the backer and move it over У2".

The best way to mark this on the wall layout is to mark both positions of the backer. The first position is where the backer would align with the wall, and the second is where the backer was moved and where it will be nailed...

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Post Height

Posted by on 19/ 11/ 15

Post height should be figured at the planning stage and your plans should include an elevation view of each side of the house, including any gables. This view will show the posts, the heavy timber girt above them (also called the girding beam) and floor joists, if supported from below by the girt. (The alternative is to hang the floor joists on the girt with metal joist hangers made for the purpose.)

If you are building your own house, chances are that you will be designing it yourself as well. Post height can be figured by working back from the desired ceiling height. For example, let’s say that the plan calls for the ceiling joists to hang from the girts with joist hangers, and, further, that the joists are the same depth as the girts, perhaps ten inches...

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Different Length Studs

Posted by on 19/ 11/ 15

Some walls will have studs of different lengths. Examples are rake walls or walls where the concrete is not level, and the studs are cut to compensate.

In such cases, you will want to write the stud lengths on the plate next to the studs.

Cripples

The cripples to be framed over and under the windows and doors will be laid out on the same layout as the studs. You will mark them with a line and a "C," and indicate their lengths on the plates— for example, C-25V21′. Mark the cripple height for the cripples that go below the window on the bottom plate, and the cripple height for the cripples that go above the window or door on the top plate.

Blocking

Many kinds of blocks are installed in walls...

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Windows

Posted by on 19/ 11/ 15

Moisture Problems Associated with Windows

By far the biggest health concern involving windows occurs when they fail to do their job properly. This job is to let in natural light and allow for ventilation while keeping water out. Windows have drainage channels that are de­signed to shed water away from the building, but if these are not working properly they can channel water into the building cavity, causing serious water damage.

A simple testing procedure can determine if the windows themselves are shedding water properly (see Division 13 for window testing). Windows can be faulty because of manufac­turing defects, mishandling during transport, or improper installation. Windows have a structural weak point where the sill is screwed into the jamb...

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Drainage Features

Posted by on 19/ 11/ 15

The drainage system should be designed, constructed, and maintained with considera­tions for both the hydraulic function and roadside safety. (See Chap. 5.) In addition to channels, elements of the system include curbs, cross-drainage (transverse) structures (pipes and culverts), parallel drainage structures, and drop inlets. The following three options, listed in order of preference, are applicable to each:

• Eliminate nonessential drainage structures.

• Design or modify drainage structures so they are traversable or present minimal hazard to errant vehicles.

• If relocation or redesign is impractical, shield with a traffic barrier if in a vulnerable location.

Curbs may be classified as vertical or sloping types...

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The Right Vertical Layout for Roof Shingles

Posted by on 19/ 11/ 15

TO OBTAIN THE RIGHT LAYOUT,

try this two-step method:

1. Measure across the roof from out side edge to outside edge (parallel with the eave wall), including the planned overhang distance for the shingles. For example, let’s assume that the shingles will overhang the drip edge by / in. Measure in yards

(since the length of a standard shingle is 36 in.), plus remaining inches.

2. Measure in from the left edge by a round number of yards (sav, 5 yards) and mark that distance on the roof. Then refer to the chart below to ensure that all the shingles at the edges of the roof will beat least 13 in. wide (a full tab, plus 3 in.).

Example: Lets say the total dis­tance across the roof, from gable end to gable end, is 10 yd. and 13 in. (including the ‘/-in. overhang at both ends)...

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LOCATING AND MOUNTING BOXES

Posted by on 19/ 11/ 15

After mapping the wiring plan, you can install the boxes. But if you’re wiring someone else’s house, first do a walk-through with the owners so they can approve the locations. Use a builder’s crayon or a heavy marker to indicate boxes or temporarily tack-nail (or screw-fasten) the boxes in place.

Box heights. There are few set rules about locat­ing boxes. Set the bottom of outlet boxes 12 in. above the subfloor, or use a hammer to approxi­mate box height, as shown in the top left photo on p. 244. In housing for disabled occupants, out­let box bottoms should be a minimum of 15 in. above the subfloor. For outlets over kitchen and bath counters, set the box bottoms 42 in. from the subfloor, so they’ll end up 8 in. above the counters and 4 in. above a standard 4-in.-high backsplash.

Locate ...

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