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Framed wood roof structures are typically constructed using joists or rafters. Joists are usually horizontal where rafters are sloped. Both are regularly spaced (16 inches is common). They may consist of logs, sawn or engineered lumber, glulam, solid timber, etc. Their size and spacing is determined by their unsupported length (span), their spacing, the expected […]
Wood trusses are often used for roof and floor structures in single family homes and other building of limited size. Wood trusses usually do not exceed 60 feet in length. Modern wood trusses are typically pre-engineered and prefabricated at a truss shop, and then delivered to the building site. ‘Pre-engineered’ in this case means the […]
Wood framed load bearing walls (sometimes referred to as ‘stick framed’) are common in residential and commercial construction. Many buildings are constructed entirely of wood framed walls at both the interior and exterior. 2x sawn lumber is most commonly used for wood framed walls. While wood framing varies with the specific structure and need, all […]
A roof structure is a key part in completing the building envelope. It supports gravity loads such as roofing, rooftop structures, hung interior fixtures, and interior ceilings finishes. It also supports the weight of attic insulation, and often plumbing, HVAC, and electrical systems. A roof structure allows the roofing system (shingles, metal, etc.) to protect […]
The exterior walls of many homes and other structures are constructed using concrete masonry unit (CMU). The base material of CMU, or ‘block’ masonry is concrete. This is different than brick masonry whose base material is typically clay or shale. Brick is also used for home construction, often in an aesthetic or cladding capacity. While […]
Continuous footings, also referred to as “strip” or “spread” footings, are concrete footings most often used to support the load bearing walls of a building. This type of footing is shaped as a long rectangular box that is continuous below the supported wall, that with the wall forms the base of an upside down “T”. […]
Load bearing walls support and transfer significant loads, usually floor or roof structures. Usually the primary load supported is gravity and the wall transfers this into whatever supports the wall below. Often this is the building’s foundations, but a load bearing wall may also be supported by a beam or lower wall. Walls separate spaces […]
Sawn or engineered lumber joists are often used to frame residential floors. The structure of a typical wood framed floor typically involves three primary structural components. The first of these is the subfloor decking (or sheathing). This forms what is sometimes referred to as the “subfloor” located just beneath the finished, exposed flooring such as […]
A concrete slab on grade is what its name implies: a slab of concrete placed directly on the ground, or grade. The focus here will be slabs that are unreinforced or reinforced only with welded wire fabric. These slabs are supported directly by the soil immediately beneath the concrete. Such slabs are commonly used for […]
Piles can be thought of long and slender structural members (or columns) placed in the ground below the supported structure. Corrugated sheets of steel are also called piles but they are not considered here. Piles are often used in construction where the bearing capacity of the surface soil is poor. They are made of concrete, […]
