Beams and Bulkheads
- It is important to study each beam in your house and how they will
affect living area. A beam used to to hold up the first floor for
example could possibly need to be dropped below the finished ceiling
height. If this happens you need to picture how this will look in the
living area. If the ceiling height in the basement was 9′ tall then a
12″ dropped beam will reduce the height of the ceiling in this area to
8′ tall. A worse scenario would be a dropped beam in an 8′ ceiling
reducing your final height to 7′. Be sure and study how this will all
work before you begin any construction.

Deflection in your floor
- What is deflection you ask? Here is a definition. “A variation in
position or shape of a structure or structural element due to effects
of loads or volume change, usually measured as a linear deviation from
an established plane rather than an angular variation”. In other words,

when a load is applied to a surface such as a plywood or an OSB floor,
that floor will often bend downwards in relation to the amount of
weight applied and the structural capability of the subfloor and the
joists underneath.

The minimum code today regarding deflection in
a floor system is represented as L/360. This symbol is a way of
creating a common denominator to measure stiffness. The manufacturers
of engineered wood and solid lumber rate their products based on these
standard test methods. For L/360 it means the deflection in the floor
cannot exceed 1/360 of the span (one inch over 360 inches). So on a
30-foot span, the maximum deflection is one inch. On a fifteen-foot
span, the maximum deflection is a half-inch.

The reason I explain
this to a homeowner is that even though the code reads that L/360 will
pass, most manufacturers suggest using a minimum L/480 floor. If you
are going to have an island in your kitchen or ceramic tile floors in
your home, it would not be a good idea to have too much deflection
occurring which could crack tile and grout.

Roof Trusses with energy heels
- Conventional pre-built roof trusses hinder the home’s energy saving
performance because they fail to leave enough space at the eaves for
adequate insulation. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to insulate the
space where the side walls and the roof of the home intersect. This
band around the top of the house can allow heat to easily escape. Not
insulating this area can increase the odds of ice dams to develop in
the winter months.

The best practice for energy-efficient roof
framing is the use of raised heel roof trusses; these offer both
structural stability and room for more insulation, which helps to
increase a home’s energy efficiency. A raised heel truss adds an
extension to the top of the exterior wall, allowing for the full depth
of insulation to be applied. Installation of this style of roof truss
isn’t any more difficult than traditional pre-built trusses although
the cost will be more for the raised heel.

Now you are aware of
the areas to look at before framing your home. Utilizing the items
above will certainly make your home ownership more enjoyable.