Blog Archives

Ceiling Framing

Posted by on 21/ 11/ 15

Ceiling joists must have bearing support similar to that of rafters. The bearing must be Ш" on wood or metal, and not less than 3" on masonry or concrete.

The most important thing to remember about ceiling joists is that if they are used to tie the rafter­bearing walls at opposite ends of the building, then those joists must be securely attached to the walls, to the rafters, and to each other at the laps. If the ceiling joists do not run parallel with the rafters, an equivalent rafter tie must be installed to provide a continuous tie across the building.

The IRC calls for a minimum ceiling clearance of 7′. The IBC requires 7′-6" with the exception of bathrooms, kitchens, laundry, and storage rooms, where it can be 7′.

There are three exceptions to this rule...

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Installing the gable-end truss

Posted by on 21/ 11/ 15

Two 16d toenails into top plate

 

Two 16d nails into frieze block

 

Gable-end truss

 

Joist chord

 

Frieze block

 

Metal gusset

 

Installing the gable-end truss

the pile, and with the ridge point behind them, walk along the plates to the other end of the house frame. There, they flip the truss over with the ridge pointed out lying flat across the walls. Subsequent trusses lie on top of the first about every 2 ft like fallen dominoes.

Before raising the first truss upright, nail a 2x on edge against the outside wall frame near the center of the building. The gable-end truss will be nailed to this 2x, which will help hold the truss plumb (see the drawing above). At this point, you can raise a gable-end truss upright
and move it out flush with the outside of ...

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CHOOSING CAULKS AND SEALANTS

Posted by on 21/ 11/ 15

If you walk down the caulk and sealant aisle at any well-stocked hardware store or home center, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the variety of products available. For quite a few years now, the terms “caulk" and “sealant" have been used interchangeably. In techni­cal terms, sealants are supposed to be more flexible than caulks, meaning that they are able to expand and contract with the move­ment of materials. But even caulk and sealant manufacturers have different definitions for these materials. For this reason, it’s smart to ask local builders and knowledgeable building-material suppliers which caulks and sealants are recommended for various jobs.

Although manufacturers haven’t cleared up the distinction be­tween caulks and sealants, they have improved their labeling with regard t...

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XS-HOUSE

Posted by on 21/ 11/ 15

With a couch, a stainless steel desk, sink and fireplace, a wet bath, two closets and lots of shelv­ing, plus a sleeping loft above, this portable structure was designed to house one full-time resident comfortably. A small refrigerator below the counter and a hot-plate are also included. If you were to count the loft, this house would actually be about 130 square feet.

1. Great Room 2. Kitchen 3. Wet Bath 4. Loft.

Square feet: 89

House width: 8’

House length: 15’

Road Height: 13’-5” Dry Weight: 4700 lbs

Porch: 3’x 7%’

Great Room: 6’ x 6%’ Kitchen: 4’ x 4[1]/2’

Bathroom: 4’x2’

Ceiling height: 6’ 6”

Loft height: 3’ 8”

-sizes are approximate

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. Standard Cabinet Dimensions

Posted by on 21/ 11/ 15

Letter refers to "Figuring Dimensions" at left.

. Standard Cabinet Dimensions

The arched valance over the farmhouse sink picks up curves in other rooms, including the double doors to the dining room, at right. In between, is a quiet alcove with enough room for cookbooks, a chair, and a computer.

 

image623

Recommended Counter Space and Clearances

 

Minimum Kitchen Work-Space Clearances

 

SPACE DIMENSION (in.

In front of base cabinet

36

Between base cabinet and facing wall

40

Between facing appliances

48

Work space plus foot traffic

60

 

image624

Подпись: Each work area-food prep, cooking, and cleanup-should have adequate counter space so a cook can work efficiently, with enough clearance to move safely. Counters with dishwashers underneath must be at least 24 in. wide; otherwise, 18 in. is the minimum. See “Minimum Kitchen Work-Space Clearances," at right.image625

a slight bend to your elbow. If the standard counter height of 36 in. above the finish floor isn’t right for you, lowering or raising it an inch or two may do the trick...

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Face the Sun, and Shade the Glass

Posted by on 21/ 11/ 15

The first step to passively cooling your home is to stop the heat before it ever comes in. This is where siting and shading come into play. When designing a new house, you have a great opportunity to take advantage of orientation, but it’s also important (and often ignored) when adding to or altering an existing house.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, a house that faces south is optimal because that is where the sun comes from. Southern orientation makes it easier to control the amount of sunlight that enters the house. Even in the South, designing a house with a long east-west axis (minimal exposure to the east and west, maximum exposure on the north and south) allows you to take the best advantage of the sun...

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CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR INSULATION

Posted by on 21/ 11/ 15

Most locales have an energy code that defines how well insulated your house must be. Check with the building inspector in your community for this information. Rather than requiring so many inches of fiberglass or rigid foam, these codes define insulation requirements in terms of R-value, or resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating value. For example, code may require that exterior walls be R-11 or R-19. As it turns out, a 2×4 wall with fiberglass insulation designed for a 31/2-in. wall has an R-value of 11. Denser batts that increase the R-value to 15 for a 2×4 wall are available. A 2×6 wall with 5V2-in.-thick fi­berglass has an R-value of 19. Don’t try to stuff R-19 fiberglass batts into a 2×4 wall, though...

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DESIGN OF MULTIPLE-MOUNT SIGN SUPPORTS

Posted by on 21/ 11/ 15

Multiple-mount sign-support assemblies (Fig. 7.22) are required whenever the surface area or width of the sign is too large to withstand the wind and ice loads. Each state has guidelines, in the form of tables and graphs, that are used to select the size and numbers of supports required to withstand the prevalent environmental loads in different parts of the state. These guidelines should be used to determine the required size and number of supports. The design of multiple-sign-support assemblies requires considerations that

FIGURE 7.22 Multiple-mount sign support.

in some instances differ from single-sign-support assemblies. These considerations

include the following:

• Tests have demonstrated that vehicles leaving the roadway at an angle can strike more than one support if support...

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Build Quality, Gravity and Inertia

Posted by on 21/ 11/ 15

Note that in all of the joining methods described above, the beams are not diminished in cross-section, so full shear and bending strength is maintained.

1 cannot over-emphasize the importance of maintaining a good standard of “build quality.” One member should bear flat on another, without wobbling. The end of a beam should bear at least four inches on the supporting post or beam below, if possible. Timbers should be vertically plumb and horizontally level. The design should assure that the line of thrust is always transferred directly in compression from one member to another.

By paying attention to the build quality, you enlist a great ally, which is the force of gravity...

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Frangible Couplings

Posted by on 21/ 11/ 15

Acceptable single-sign-support performance can be achieved with the use of frangible couplings and load concentration couplers (Fig. 7.21). These couplings are either fabricated from die cast aluminum or extruded from an alloy. The couplers are used as inserts that bolt the support post plate to the anchor piece plate. They present a weak point on the sign-support assembly that fractures upon impact. The majority of applications for frangible couplings are for multiple sign supports. These couplings are discussed more fully in Arts. 7.5.2 and 7.8.2.

7.4.1 Considerations in Design of Slip Bases

Failure of slip base designs to release properly can be due to the bolt torque, the gauge or thickness of the keeper plates, or the weight of the support...

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