Why Engineered I-Joists Are Better Than
Traditional Lumber
Small homes can simplify your life, allowing for more time and resources to focus on things that matter. I-joists provide the same simplicity for your home’s structure. Using engineered I-joists in place of traditional lumber framing shrinks the material list and allows for greater spans in your floor joists. But how can a manufactured product trump the natural strength and durability of wood? By design, of course. Read more…
Wall Framing Basics
It is important to be aware of proper wall framing basics because the walls of your small house will bear the load from the roof down to the foundation and act as the protector against the elements of changing weather for many years to come. Basic carpentry framing for the walls must be accomplished with future projects in mind such as drywall and kitchen cabinet installation. Read more…
Roof Framing Basics
The more faces you have to a roof the more complicated the framing becomes and consequently you will face a significant increase in the cost of construction. As you increase the faces and angles of a roof line the main thing that increases is the time it takes to frame in intricate and complicated geometry. Read more…
Advanced Framing Techniques
Simple framing jobs involve building square walls and level floors. Advanced framing jobs require putting together angles, curves, or compound joints; each requiring different techniques. The DIYer can still perform these types of advanced framing jobs, if they understand the basics of framing concepts. Read more…
Do It Yourself Framing Tips
So you’re ready to begin your do-it-yourself framing project. GOOD FOR YOU. Here are several tips for the first time do-it-yourself (DIY) framer. Here’s 4 solid tips to get your started. Read more…
Essential Framing Tools
In the old days people would build a house with just a saw and a hammer. You could certainly build a house with just those 2 tools, but very few of those houses were straight, nor are many of them still standing today (except maybe some timber frame structures). Read more…
Roof Framing
Roof framing is indeed sometimes quite complicated. However it helps to be able to organize the different types of roofs mentally before approaching this skill for the first time. Keep in mind that there are five basic roof types: hip, gable, shed, gambrel and mansard. Read more…
Floor Framing Made Easy
One of the critical areas in building a house is the floor framing. If the floor of your house is not sturdy and level, it will be noticeable to everyone who walks on the floor. Learning how to correctly do floor framing will go a long way in ensuring that you will be happy with the finished product—a level, sturdy, squeak-free floor. Read more…
Window Framing
When you are building your house there will be places in the walls were you will want to install windows. In order to do this, you will have to frame an opening in the wall that will accept the window unit when you reach that point of the construction project. Unfortunately, you cannot simply cut some of the studs in an existing framed-up wall and put in a window, without some modifications. Read more on window framing…
Truss Types
You’ve been sitting down with your potential house plans and are trying to decide if framing your roof by hand is better than ordering trusses for your house. Building your own stick-framed roof could save you some time and money. But… Read more…
Metal Wall Framing
Metal wall framing consists of U-shaped galvanized sheet metal studs instead. There are benefits and drawbacks but on the whole, metal studs are very worth considering when planning an expansion or remodeling of the home. Read more…