Design concrete footings for residential houses according to the 2018 IRC even if its on solid rock. Footing Basics The footing transmits the loads from above to the soil. So when an aggregate such as gravel , and the soil beneath it is compromised, then it will fail. This is why the many concrete design … Read more
Concrete Foundation Forms 2 x 4’s and 3/4″ forming plywood works best. The form will be lightweight and strong. If they will be reused, then use treated lumber. The 2 x 4’s should be No.2 kiln dried pine simply because it is cheap, easy to work with, and holds nails very well. The plywood needs … Read more
Prepare the Wood for Finishing Finishing wood begins with preparation. All wood should be clean, dry, and free from any protrusions such as nail heads. Any fasteners such as nails or trim screws need to be properly set and filled with wood putty. Use caution with wood filler. Use only small amounts and be sure … Read more
Shear Bracing a Wall Wooden stud walls have to be properly shear braced with structural construction panels in accordance with the local code such as the International Residential Code. The basic rule of thumb is to have a minimum of 4′ of 7/16″ OSB on each corner and no less than 25′ apart. The panels … Read more
The rough opening for a door is directly relational to its size. For prehung single doors, the formula is simple, just add 2″ for the width and 2 1/2″ for the height. Rough Openings for Doors The reason why the rough opening is 2″ wider than the door is because of the door jamb on … Read more
This bridge design is for driveways that must go over a creek. Its simple design features concrete foundations, steel girders, and a wooden floor. Planning for a driveway with a bridge over a creek Sometimes there is no option except for a driveway to have a bridge that spans over a creek. The first step … Read more
Directly compare three types of shingles against two types of metal roofing for pricing, speed, reliability,and durability. Learn the advantages and disadvantages for both applications. Also explore other factors such as how steep the roof is, and whether or not it is new construction or a tear off. Shingles vs Metal Roofing Know that there … Read more
Use this simple lay out technique to accurately space the 1 1/2″ spindles on handrails on a deck. The building code states that a 4″ sphere cannot pass through at any point. A common mistake when installing spindles is to use a 2 x 4 block to gauge the space between the spindles at the … Read more
Building a deck over a driveway on a basement house with a garage door that is positioned beneath it presents some problems not associated with ordinary decks. The most obvious problem is spacing the posts far enough apart so you can drive between them. By spacing these posts further apart additional load is placed on them. … Read more
Brace the posts on a pole barn for wind resistance with steel cables, wall sheathing, or wooden X braces. This is necessary to keep the posts from swaying. Once bracing has been installed, the posts are locked into position. They need to be temporarily braced with two braces (one on each axis) to hold the … Read more