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Most people already have an accurate concept of bending, or moment. Someone drawing a string back on a bow to shoot an arror applies a bending force within the bow…the hand holding the bow acts as a point load on a simply supported member. Someone holding a wood stick at each end and breaking it […]
Pressure treatment is used to protect wood lumber from decay. The process begins with dry lumber placed inside a large pressure vessel. A vacuum is first applied to remove air from the wood cells. Then a preservative solution is introduced and forced into the wood under high pressure. This ensures deeper penetration compared to surface […]
Tips for painting:
Nails are typically better in shear and faster to install, but have less withdrawal capacity than screws. No withdrawal capacity is given to nails installed into end grain (such as the end of a…
The quality of lumber available at local lumber yards has decreased over past decades. There are several reasons for this, including the depletion of old-growth timber, new forestry practice of harvesting younger trees, etc. Given this unfortunate state of affairs, a few pointers are provided below for selecting your lumber for that next project. But […]
From simple wood framing to complex anchoring systems, fasteners such as nails, screws, bolts, expansion anchors, tapcons, lag bolts, and powder-actuated fasteners each serve specific purposes based on load requirements, materials, and environmental conditions. Nails are probably one of the oldest and most commonly used fasteners, particularly in wood construction. They are typically made of […]
Stem wall and basement wall foundations transfer building loads to the ground while also forming part of the building enclosure. The difference between the two is that a stem wall is usually found at the perimeter of a crawlspace, where a basement wall usually encloses useable or even living space. A stem wall foundation typically […]
Doors and windows are important components of a building’s structural and environmental performance. They represent portions of a building’s envelope, which obviously separates interior spaces from the exterior environment. As such they are considered structural components. The building’s envelope must resist wind pressures, water intrusion, and air leakage while maintaining thermal performance. Openings are typically […]
Columns, or posts, carry axial compressive loads from beams and sometimes other components down to the foundation or other supporting component below. The capacity of of columns is governed by stability as much as by strength. Three of the more common materials used for columns in residential and smaller buildings are sawn lumber wood posts, […]
A beam is a horizontal or near horizontal member that usually supports gravity loads applied perpendicular to its length. These loads can include the self weight of the structure and its contents. The loads are usually directly applied by joists, trusses, slabs, etc. onto the top of the beam, but beams may also carry suspended […]
