JLC ??OCTOBER 1992
Interview: Rafter Framing
With Wood I-Beams
For greater
speed and
longer
spans, wood
I-beams
make good
sense
Two men can easily position a
24-foot I-beam rafter. The
wood I-beams are lightweight
and straight enough that they
don't need crowning.
Wood I-beam joists arebecoming
much more common in
residential floor systems.
But using the same components for roof
rafters is met with some skepticism. For
that reason, we went to Mike Hoch of
Sunbuilt Homes in Champaign, Ill. He
and his partner, Mark Hieronymus,
build both spec and custom homes.
They began using wood I-beams in their
roof framing several years ago, and they
have become loyal fans of those manufactured
members. Here's what Hoch
had to say about them.
JLC: Why did you start using wood