Resources
Inadequate Panel Spacing – a common but costly mistake.
August 5, 2010Ambient Temperatures and moisture conditions cause a constant state of expansion and contraction in every substance there is, whether solid, liquid or gas. This explains why bridges have expansion joints, why sidewalks have expansion joints and why you have to space structural panels such as OSB and plywood by 1/8” at joints to give them a chance to move as conditions change.
Improper Spacing Makes the Top 10
Spacing panels 1/8” should be a basic fact of life for builders and their crews. But according to the APA (the Engineered Wood Association) a lot of builders and their framing crews don’t know or realize just how important spacing really is. The APA spends a significant amount of time doing field inspections all over the country. It compiled a top 10 list of common mistakes that builders make and presented them at the International Builders Show earlier this year. Incorrect spacing is one of the leaders and is responsible for wavy, buckling OSB and plywood sheathing on roofs and walls right across the nation and we all know that means siding, roofing and flooring problems.
Insist on 1/8” Increments
It’s a shame that something as simple as proper spacing can cause so many costly headaches. Whether the requirement for 1/8” spacing it’s not known, forgotten or even worse ignored, not providing the proper spacing makes everyone look bad, the builder, the site superintendent, the framer, the dealer and the panel manufacturer. We can’t point a finger at someone else and say education is your job because we all have to share that responsibility so when you see a floor, a wall, or a roof being sheathed, insist 1/8” spacing be left between the panels. It will save everyone time and money (your money). Callbacks are expensive so let’s reduce them. The panels are sized to allow for this spacing and a 10d nail makes an easy and great 1/8” spacing guide. It’s so easy to do this one right – just space the panels 1/8”.
Category: Windstorm News | Tags: expansion joints , panel spacing , wall sheathing2010 Trade Shows to visit and learn about Windstorm Wall Sheathing from Norbord.
March 23, 2010| January | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jan 19-22 | IBS (NAHB Builders Show) | Las Vegas, NV |
| February | ||
| Feb 3-4 | Southern Building Materials Assoc | High Point, NC |
| Feb 9-10 | Illinois Lbr Dealers Association Trade Show | Peoria, IL |
| Feb 15 | Cateret County HBA | NC |
| Feb 16 | Wood Solutions Fair | Atlanta, GA |
| Feb 18 | Wood Solutions Fair | Charlotte, NC |
| March | ||
| Mar 2 | Onslow County NC HBA | NC |
| Mar 24 | BuilderMart | Baltimore |
| Mar 26-27 | JLC Live | Providence, RI |
| April | ||
| Apr | Atlantic Building Conf | Atlantic City |
| Apr 1 | North East Florida Building Materials Assoc | Jacksonville, FL |
| Apr 28 | NJ 2010 Bldg Safety Conference | Atlantic City NJ |
| May | ||
| May 4 | Wood Solutions Fair | Minneapolis, MN |
| May 12-15 | Southern Building Show | Atlanta, GA |
| May 15-18 | National Green Building Show | Raleigh, NC |
| June | ||
| Jun 21 | South Carolina HBA | Hilton Head, SC |
| July | ||
| July 22-24 | South East Builders Conf | Orlando, FL |
| September | ||
| Sep 15 | Florida Building Materials Assoc | Orlando, FL |
| Sep 16-17 | 21st Century Show | Charlotte, NC |
| Sep/Oct | Wood Solutions Fair | Chicago, IL |
Coastal Contractor Online – Jul/Aug 2007 – Solving the Uplift Puzzle
March 23, 2010As building codes struggle to simplify prescriptive guidelines for wind-resistant structures, new measures for handling uplift emerge.
Click here to read the full article
Structural Performance of Wood-Frame Buildings in the Aftermath
March 23, 2010Below is a published report on the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. The team consisted of APA and IBHS (Institute for Business and Home Safety) members, and offers excellent insight into the structural performance of wood-frame buildings in the region.
Click here for a PDF of the full report
Windstorm sponsors
March 23, 2010Click here to read the full article
Category: Windstorm News | Tags: Windstorm OSB keep looking »
