Engineering and Construction

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The foundation sill plate, usually made of preservative-treated wood for added resistance to insects and moisture, is bolted to the foundation as a base for the wood framing (Figure 5.18,  A, B, and C). A single sill, as shown in the details here, is all that is required by code, but in better-quality  work, the sill may be doubled or made from thicker stock for greater stiffness. A thicker sill plate may also  be required in areas of high seismic risk, to provide a stronger connection between the wood framing and  the foundation anchor bolts. Because the top of a foundation wall is usually somewhat uneven, the sill may  also be shimmed up at low spots with wood shingle wedges or plastic shims to provide a more level, even base  for subsequent framing. A  sill sealer, made of compressible or resilient  material, should be inserted between  the sill and the foundation to reduce air infiltration through the gap. Some  sill sealer materials also discourage  moisture wicking up from the foundation into the wood framing (Figure 5.22). Conventional anchor bolts  are sufficient to hold most buildings on their foundations, but tall frames or those subject to high winds  or strong earthquakes may require more elaborate attachments (Figures 5.39-5.41).

Figure 5.22 Carpenters apply a preservative-treated wood sill to a sitecast concrete foundation. A strip of compressible glass fiber sill sealer has been placed on the top of the concrete wall, and the sill has been drilled to fit over the projecting anchor bolts. Before each section of sill is bolted tightly, it is leveled as necessary with wood shingle or plastic shims between the concrete and the wood. As the anchor bolts are tightened, the sill sealer squeezes down to a negligible thickness. A length of bolted-down sill is visible at the upper right. The basement windows were clamped into reusable steel form inserts and placed in the formwork before the concrete was cast. After the concrete was cast and the formwork was stripped, the steel inserts were removed, leaving a neatly formed concrete frame around each window. A pocket in the top of the wall for a steel beam can be seen at the upper left.

Figure 5.39 Strap tie hold-downs are made of galvanized steel straps with hooked or deformed ends cast into the concrete foundation wall (top). After the wall is framed, the exposed length of strap may be nailed directly to framing or, as seen here, nailed through the sheathing into the studs or posts behind (bottom). The number, size, and spacing of nails used to fasten the strap depend on the magnitude of the loads that must be resisted and the capacity of the wood member to hold nails without splitting. In the top image, anchor bolts cast into the top of the foun- dation wall that will be used to secure the sill plate in place are also visible.

Figure 5.40 Hold-downs made from threaded rod and steel plate anchors can resist much greater forces than strap tie hold-downs. They may be used at each fl oor level to securely tie the full height of the building frame to its foundation. For the type shown here, the nuts at the ends of the threaded rods may require retightening after the fi rst heating season to compensate for wood shrinkage, which can mean that access holes must be provided through the interior wall surfaces. Other models rely on spring-loaded tapered shims or other mechanical compensation so as to be self-adjusting.

Figure 5.41 A heavy-duty seismic hold-down similar to that illustrated in Figure 5.40. The anchor rod with one end cast into the concrete foundation wall protrudes through the preservative-treated wood sill where its threaded end is bolted to the anchor. The anchor in turn is bolted to a 4 4 (89 89 mm) post with fi ve bolts of substantial diameter. A conventional foundation anchor bolt with an oversized square washer is also partially visible to the right of the hold-down. Also note the thicker-than-normal, 3-inch nominal (64-mm) sill plate, a common feature in wood light framing designed for high seismic forces.

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The erection of a typical platform  frame (referred to, imprecisely, as  rough carpentry in the architectÕs specifications) can best be understood by following this post s sequential  isometric diagrams, beginning with  Figure 5.19. Notice the basic simplici- ty of the building process: A platform  is built on top of the foundation.  Walls are assembled horizontally on the platform and tilted up into place.

Another platform or a roof is built on top of the walls. Most of the work is accomplished without the use of ladders or scaffolding, and temporary  bracing is needed only to support the walls until the next level of framing is  installed and sheathed.

The details of a platform frame  are not left to chance. While there  are countless regional and personal  variations in framing details and techniques, the sizes, spacings, and  connections of the members in a  platform frame are standardized  and closely regulated by building  codes, even down to the size and  number of nails for each connection (Figure 5.21) and the thicknesses and nailing patterns of the sheathing panels.

Figure 5.19 Step Three in erecting a typical platform frame building: the ground- fl oor platform. Compare this drawing with the framing plan in Figure 5.17. Notice that the direction of the joists must be changed to construct the cantilevered bay on the end of the building. A cantilevered bay on a long side of the building could be framed by merely extending the floor joists over the foundation.

Figure 5.20 Alternative ways of constructing an interior line of support for ground-fl oor joists. Space is left over the tops of the beams in B and D to allow for drying shrinkage in the joists.

Figure 5.21 Platform framing members are fastened according to this nailing schedule, which framing carpenters know by memory and which  is incorporated into most building codes and construction standards.

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An experienced carpenter can frame a simple building from the most minimal drawings, but the framing for a  larger or custom-designed structure may need to be planned as carefully as for a steel- or concrete-framed building (Figure 5.16). The architect or engineer determines an effcient layout and the appropriate sizes for joists and rafters, and communicates this information to the carpenters by means of  framing plans (Figures 5.17 and 5.51). For most purposes, member sizes can be determined using standardized structural tables that are part of residential building codes, or, for more complex framing or special conditions, custom engineering may be required. Larger-scale  section details, similar to those seen throughout this chapter, are prepared for major connections in the building system. The architectural floor plans serve to indicate the locations and dimensions of walls, partitions, and openings, and the exterior elevations show the outside faces of the building, with vertical dimensions or elevations indicated as required. For most buildings,  building sections are also drawn that cut completely through the building, showing the dimensional relation- ships of the various floor levels and roof planes and the slopes of the roof surfaces.  Interior elevations are often prepared for kitchens, bathrooms, and other rooms with elaborate interior features.

Figure 5.16 A floor plan and building section are two important components of the construction drawings for a simple house with wood light framing. The ground floor is a concrete slab on grade.

Figure 5.17 A framing plan for the ground-floor platform of the building

Figure 5.51