5 Presentation1

Construction and Materials – III (AR-351)
Lecture # 5 (Week 7)
WOOD LIGHT FRAME CONSTRUCTION
Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering & Technology,
Karachi
Course Facilitator:
Fariha Tahseen
E-mail: fariha_tahseen@yahoo.com
Lecture – 5: WOOD LIGHT FRAME CONSTRUCTION Fall 2020 (Online Teaching)
Wood
 Wood is perhaps the best loved of all the materials that we use for
buildings.
 It delights the eye with its endlessly varied colors and grain patterns.
 It is strong and stiff, yet by far the least dense of the materials used for the
beams and columns of buildings.
 It is worked and fastened easily with small, simple relatively inexpensive

tools.
 It is readily recycled from demolished buildings for use in new ones, and
when finally discarded, it biodegrades rapidly to become natural soil.
Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 2

Wood
But wood has its idiosyncrasies. A piece of lumber is never

perfectly straight or true, and its size and shape can change
significantly with changes in the weather. Wood is peppered with
defects that are relics of its growth and processing. Wood can split;
wood can warp; wood can give splinters. If ignited, wood burns. If
left in a damp location, it decays and harbors destructive insects.
The skillful designer and the seasoned carpenter, however, know

all these things and understand how to build with wood to bring out
its best qualities, while neutralizing or minimizing its problems.
Wood Light Frame Construction
•Wood light frame construction is the most versatile of all building systems.
•During the century and a half since it first came into use, wood light framing has
served to construct buildings in styles ranging from reinterpretation of nearly all
the historical fashions to uncompromising expressions of every contemporary
architectural philosophy.
•Light frame buildings are easily and swiftly constructed with a minimal
investment in tools.

Wood Light Frame Construction
•Wood light frame construction has its deficiencies: if ignited, it burns rapidly; if
exposed to dampness, it decays.
•It expands and contracts by significant amounts in response to changes in

humidity, sometimes causing chronic difficulties with cracking plaster, sticking
doors, and buckling floors.
•The framing itself is so unattractive to the eye that it is seldom left exposed in a
building. These problems can be controlled, however, by clever design and
careful workmanship.

History
Developed in the first half of the 19th century when builders recognized that the
closely spaced vertical members used to infill the walls are sufficiently strong
that the heavy posts of the frame could be eliminated.
Its development was accelerated by two technological breakthroughs of the

period:
 Boards and small framing members of wood had recently become
inexpensive for the first time in history because of the advent of the water-
powered sawmill;
 Machine made nails had become remarkably cheap compared to the hand
forged nails that preceded them.

Balloon frame Construction

 The balloon frame was the earliest wood framing system to be
constructed exclusively of slender, closely spaced wooden members.
Joist – floors
Studs – walls
Rafters – sloping roofs
 Heavy posts and beams (with difficult mortise and tenon joinery) was completely
eliminated.
 The balloon frame used full-length studs that ran continuously for two stories from
foundation to roof.
 In time, it became apparent that these were too long to erect efficiently.
The tall, hollow spaces between studs acted as multiple chimneys in a fire, spreading
the blaze rapidly to the upper floors, unless they were closed off with wood or brick
firestops at each floor line.
 Several modified versions were subsequently developed to overcome these
problems.


Platform frame Construction
 A floor platform is built.

 Loadbearing walls are erected upon it.
 A second-floor platform is built upon these walls and a second set of walls
upon this platform.
 The attic and roof are then built upon the second set of walls

the main difference between platform and balloon framing is at the floor-lines.
The balloon wall studs extend from the sill of the first floor to the top plate or
end rafter of the second floor, whereas the platform framed wall is complete for each floor.


Terminology of Platform frame Construction
Sheathing – a facing layer of boards or panels that join and stabilize the pieces into
a single structural unit, ready for the application of finish materials inside and out
Headers, rim joists or band joists – the cross pieces at the ends of the parallel
joists in a floor structure
Subfloor – the sheathing on a floor
Studs – the parallel pieces in a wall structure
Sole plate or bottom plate – the crosspiece at the bottom of the wall
Top plate – the crosspiece at the top of the wall (which is doubled for strength if the
wall bears a load from above)
Trimmer – studs on the sides of the openings of windows and doors to support the
loadbearing headers across the tops.
Sill – head off the bottoms of windows and door openings

Advantages of Platform frame Construction

•It uses short, easily handled lengths of lumber for the wall framing.
•Its vertical hollow spaces are automatically firestopped by the platform framing
at each floor.
•Its platforms are convenient working surfaces for the carpenters who build the
frame.
Disadvantages of Platform frame Construction

•Each platform constitutes a thick layer of wood whose grain runs horizontally.
•This leads inevitably to a relatively large amount of vertical shrinkage in the

frame as excessive moisture dries from the wood, which can cause distress in
the exterior and interior finish surfaces.

Platform frame Construction Concept
1. Foundation
2. First floor platform
3. First floor walls
4. Second floor platform
5. Second floor walls
6. Roof/ceiling

Step 1 – Foundations for Light Frame Structures

Typical Basement Foundation

• Excavation to at least below frost line
• Cast-in-place concrete strip footing
• Cast-in-place concrete foundation wall, 8 to 12 inch thick, 8’ to 10’ tall


Sill Plate Anchors
 In wood-frame construction, the sill plate should be anchored to the foundation wall
with bolts hooked and spaced about 8 feet apart. In high-wind and storm areas, well-
anchored plates are very important.
 A sill sealer is often used under the sill plate on poured walls to take care of any
irregularities which might have occurred during curing of the concrete.
 Anchor bolts should be embedded 8 inches or more in poured concrete walls and 16
inches or more in block walls with the core filled with concrete.
 If termite shields are used, they should be instilled under the plate and sill sealer.


Combined Slab and Foundation
 The combined slab and foundation, sometimes referred to as the thickened-

edge slab, is useful in warm climates where frost penetration is not a
problem and where soil conditions are especially favorable.
 It consists of a shallow perimeter reinforced footing poured integrally with

the slab over a vapor barrier.
 The bottom of the footing should be at least 1 foot below the natural grade
line and supported on solid, unfilled, and well-drained ground.


Vapor Barrier Under Concrete Slab
The most desirable properties in a vapor barrier to be used under a

concrete slab are:
(a) Good vapor transmission rating (less than 0.5 perm) ;
(b) resistance to damage by moisture and rot; and
(c) ability to withstand normal usage during pouring operations.


Protection Against Termites

1. Poured concrete foundation walls.
2. Masonry unit foundation walls capped with reinforced concrete.
3. Metal shields made of rust-resistant material. (Metal shields are effective only if they
extend beyond the masonry walls and are continuous, with no gaps or loose joints. This
shield is of primary importance under most conditions.)
4. Wood-preservative treatment. (This method protects only the members treated.)
5. Treatment of soil with soil poison. (This is perhaps one of the most common and effective
means used presently.)

Step 2 – Floor framing and Bridging
• Sill Plates are anchored to foundation

• Girders are placed
• Floor joists are laid
• Sub flooring is applied


• A nominal 3 inch, preservative treated sill plate is attached to the

foundation with closely spaced anchor bolts.
• Large, square washers ensure adequate strength in the bolt-to plate

connection.

Floor Joists
 Floor joists are selected primarily to meet strength and stiffness requirements.
 Strength requirements depend upon the loads to be carried.
 Stiffness requirements place an arbitrary control on deflection under load. Stiffness is also
important in limiting vibrations from moving loads—often a cause of annoyance to
occupants.
 Other desirable qualities for floor joists are good nail holding ability and freedom from
warp.
 Wood floor joists are generally of 2-inch (nominal) thickness and of 8-, 10-, or 12-inch
(nominal) depth. The size depends upon the loading, length of span, spacing between
joists, and the species and grade of lumber used.


• Floor framing with 2x12 solid member joists

Step 3 - Ground Floor Platform
• Sections of walls
are assembled
lying down on the
floor platform.
• Temporary bracing
holds walls in
proper alignment.
• Wall sheathing may
be applied before
the walls are stood
up, or later, after
the frame is fully
erected.

Subfloor
Sub flooring is used over the floor joists to form a working platform and base
for finish flooring.
It usually consists of
(a)square-edge or tongued-and grooved boards no wider than 8 inches and
not less than ¾ inch thick or
(b) plywood ½ to ¾ inch thick, depending on species, type of finish floor,

and spacing of joists


WALL FRAMING
 The term "wall framing" includes primarily the vertical studs and horizontal
members (soleplates, top plates, and window and door headers) of exterior
and interior walls that support ceilings, upper floors, and the roof.
 The wall framing also serves as a nailing base for wall covering materials.
 The wall framing members used in conventional construction are generally nominal 2- by 4-
inch studs spaced 16 inches on center.
 Depending on thickness of covering material, 24-inch spacing might be considered.
 Top plates and soleplates are also nominal 2 by 4 inches in size.
 Headers over doors or windows in load-bearing walls consist of 2- by 6-inch and deeper
members, depending on span of the opening.






Window and Door Framing

The members used to span over window and door
openings are called headers or lintels. As the span of the opening
increases, it is necessary to increase the depth of these members to
support the ceiling and roof loads. A header is made up of two 2-
inch members, usually spaced with 3/8-inch lath or wood strips, all
of which are nailed together.


Masonry Veneer Over Frame Walls

 If masonry veneer is used for the outside finish over wood-frame walls, the foundation must
include a supporting ledge or offset about 5 inches wide. This results in a space of about 1 inch
between the masonry and the sheathing for ease in laying the brick.
 A base flashing is used at the brick course below the bottom of the sheathing and framing, and should be lapped
with sheathing paper.
 Weep holes, to provide drainage, are also located at this course and are formed by eliminating the mortar in a
vertical joint.
 Corrosion-resistant metal ties—spaced about 32 inches apart horizontally and 16 inches vertically—should be used
to bond the brick veneer to the framework.
 Where other than wood sheathing is used, secure the ties to the studs.
 Brick and stone should be laid in a full bed of mortar; avoid dropping mortar into the space between the veneer and
sheathing.
 Outside joints should be tooled to a smooth finish to get the maximum resistance to water penetration.


Step 4 – Building Upper Floor Platform

Lecture – 5: WOOD LIGHT FRAME CONSTRUCTION October 2020 (Online Teaching)
Construction & Materials III (AR 351) – Fall 2020 46

Lecture – 5: WOOD LIGHT FRAME CONSTRUCTION October 2020 (Online Teaching)
Step 5 –
The second-story walls
Construction & Materials III (AR 351) – Fall 2020 47

Step 6 – Framing the Attic Floor and Roof

Ceiling joists are used to support ceiling finishes.
They often act as floor joists for second and attic floors and as ties between
exterior walls and interior partitions.
Since ceiling joists also serve as tension members to resist the thrust of the
rafters of pitched roofs, they must be securely nailed to the plate at outer
and inner walls.
The sizes of the joists depend on the span, wood species, spacing between
joists, and the load on the second floor or attic.






Step 7 – The sheathed frame is completed






References:
Fundamentals of Building Construction

Materials & Methods
By
Edward ALLEN & Joseph IANO
Details for Conventional Wood Frame Construction

By American Forest and Paper Association

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Construction and Materials – III (AR-351)

 It is worked and fastened easily with small, simple relatively inexpensive

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 2

But wood has its idiosyncrasies. A piece of lumber is never

The skillful designer and the seasoned carpenter, however, know

Wood Light Frame Construction

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 4

Wood Light Frame Construction

•It expands and contracts by significant amounts in response to changes in

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 5

Its development was accelerated by two technological breakthroughs of the

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 6

Balloon frame Construction

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 7

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 8

Platform frame Construction

 A floor platform is built.

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 9

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 10

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 11

Terminology of Platform frame Construction

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 12

Advantages of Platform frame Construction

Disadvantages of Platform frame Construction

•This leads inevitably to a relatively large amount of vertical shrinkage in the

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 13

Platform frame Construction Concept

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 14

Step 1 – Foundations for Light Frame Structures

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 15

Typical Basement Foundation

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 16

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 17

Sill Plate Anchors

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 18

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 19

Combined Slab and Foundation

 The combined slab and foundation, sometimes referred to as the thickened-

 It consists of a shallow perimeter reinforced footing poured integrally with

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 20

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 21

Vapor Barrier Under Concrete Slab

The most desirable properties in a vapor barrier to be used under a

(a) Good vapor transmission rating (less than 0.5 perm) ;

(b) resistance to damage by moisture and rot; and

(c) ability to withstand normal usage during pouring operations.

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 22

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 23

Protection Against Termites

2. Masonry unit foundation walls capped with reinforced concrete.

4. Wood-preservative treatment. (This method protects only the members treated.)

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 24

Step 2 – Floor framing and Bridging

• Sill Plates are anchored to foundation

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 25

Construction & Materials III (AR 351) 26

• A nominal 3 inch, preservative treated sill plate is attached to the