The massive ridge beam and deep I-joist rafters in this custom Passive House aren’... More
The solid CLT panels simplify making the building envelope airtight, and they help... More
Nail heads that penetrate the applied protective barrier on the face of the panels... More
Q: We're remodeling a 1930s vintage San Diego home and have to seismically reinforce its cripple walls with plywood, shear transfer plates, and hold-downs. Because all the framing is very dry and most of the cripples measure only 1 foot to 2 feet in lengt More
Q. We’re framing a gable-roofed house with roof trusses. The roof includes a bumpout with a smaller gable roof that intersects the main roof, forming two valleys. A valley set will be installed on top of the main roof sheathing. The sheathing along the valley doesn’t have blocking for continuous nailing, and I’d rather not nail sheathing to sheathing. Should I install blocking between the framing members of the valley set to provide better nailing? More
Q: When we pulled off the siding and sheathing from the gable end of an existing house in preparation for an addition, we were surprised to find that the roof has a 4x12 structural ridge beam supporting common rafters. We had assumed that the roof was fra More
Q: The local framing inspector told us that our L-corners are not acceptable. He... More
Q: Here in Wisconsin, I have always built my homes with 2x6 studs, R-19 fiberglass batts, and 1/2-inch OSB sheathing. I am considering switching to 2x4 studs, R-13 batts, and 1-inch R-7 foam sheathing, using metal T-braces for racking resistance. The cost of the two systems appears to be about the same. I like the fact that the foam sheathing stops thermal bridging at the studs. My question is: Will the metal T-braces provide a frame that is rigid enough? More
Do you have to double 2x12 trimmer rafters when installing a skylight? Can you remove collar ties in an attic? Just how strong is a toe-nail? We asked four engineers to answer these and other structural questions. More
Q: Collar ties don’t seem necessary in attics where the rafters come all the way... More
