DIY Network

Raising the Walls: New Framing Technologies From "Home IQ" episode DHIQ-105

Most of the construction techniques being used in the Oberg's home are traditional, but Brad Oberg wanted to incorporate some non-traditional framing techniques to build a better home. He asked his builder to consult with IBACOS, a research-and-development company that specializes in new building techniques. Viewers will not only see some of these new technologies being used in framing the home, but will hear from several experts. Viewers will also learn about the advantages and some of the problems that can occur when using new technologies.

"When we talk about a better home, we're talking about a home that has higher level of performance," Eric Newhouse, Systems Integration Designer at IBACOS, said. "Especially with respect to durability, energy efficiency, comfort, health and safety."

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	SpaceJoists™
	Figure A

A Sample of Some New Technologies Utilized on the Oberg Home

• SpaceJoists? -- These joists are built with a web of openings that make it easier to run the plumbing, electrical and other mechanical systems that will be installed later during the construction process. These beams also are less susceptible to shrinkage because they're made from pre-shrunk wood, which means the floors shouldn't squeak as the house ages.

  Note: Unfortunately, working with new technologies is "not" always easy. For example, with new technologies it will take time for construction crews to know the advantages and disadvantages of such technologies. During the construction of the Oberg house, there was a question about the "bounce" in the new joists. In fact, when it was time for the ceramic-tile floors to be installed, the installer refused because he said the floor had too much bounce and that the tiles would crack. The said the joists needed to be reinforced. At this point it was unclear if these type of problems (figure A) could be avoided. The manufacturer suggested that the more experience the builder has with these particular joists, better results will be yielded in the future. Yet the builder believes more research needs to be done to see if the product can actually live up to its claims.
  

  	Figure B
  	Figure C

• Insulation -- Research has shown that wood is "not" the best insulator, so for the Oberg house the experts looked for ways to replace wood with insulation. Bruce Dickson, Project Manager at IBACOS, explains that there is a method called "optimum value engineering" (of the framing package), where you look at the whole house and find ways to take lumber out of the house without jeopardizing the integrity of the structure. One "new" way, according to IBACOS, is to frame window openings using fewer 2 x 4 wood studs, leaving more room for insulation.

  To implement this new method, the workers reduced one stud on each side of the window (figure B) in the window framing, and since the Oberg home has 18 windows, this eliminated a lot of lumber. They also eliminated one stud in each corner (figure C), which was new ground for the framers -- but a change requested by the owner.

  Another challenge in utilizing new technologies is that they can cause delays in construction and higher cost because the routine of the workers is altered.

	Figure D
	Figure E