DIY Network

Post & Beam: Back at David Ely's Home From "Assembly Required" episode DASR-108

In this episode of Assembly Required, tag along on a prefab post and beam build as David Ely’s New Hampshire crew toughs out zero degree weather to stay on schedule. Also, catch back up with the Deflavio family as they race to build their Vermont ski home before the first winter flakes fall.

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David Ely’s Home

The Douglas fir frame of David’s post and beam home is in place. On day three of the build, the crew works to complete a weather tight shell. In most parts of the country, construction would halt to a stop during horrible winter weather, but in New England, it’s just another day on the job (figure A).

The panel truck slides up the snowy road with huge packages holding the wall and roof panels that will close-in the structure (figure B). Like the posts and beams, the panels were all pre-made in Yankee Barn’s shop (figure C) and it should be as easy as unloading and fastening them to the frame – if the crew can get the packages off the truck (figure D).

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Crew leader Brian Bellavance gets his team into action "hooking up" the wall panels and flying them over to the right spot on the post and beam frame (figure E). The crew applies construction adhesive to the decks and to the face of the corner posts (figure F). They then guide the crane and lift the wall panels into position, resting the bottom on the first floor deck (figure G). The guys use nine inch spikes to secure the panels into place at the plate line, the outside corners, on the structural posts and the decking (figure H).

Figure D

Figure E

Figure F

The last of the wall panels go up and Brian’s crew readies themselves to close-in the roof (figure I). The roof panels need to go up quickly to keep the inside of the house dry and ice free (figure J). These panels were also prefabricated at the factory. The exteriors are CDX plywood, ready to shingle and each is pre-insulated and built with a vent space above the insulation. This helps keep the shingles cool and prevents ice dams in the winter. The interior is pre-finished, in David Ely’s case, with a standard pine v-groove (figure K).

Figure G

Figure H

Figure I

The roof panels on the front side of the house fly into place without a hitch. But David’s small site is steep and rocky, making it almost impossible for the crane to work there.

On day five of the build, snow and ice do not let construction run smoothly. The crane fights with a snow bank to put the last of the roof panels into place, the most difficult because it’s narrower than the others (figure L). It’s a precise operation, especially in the snow. When the panel is in place, the main structure of the house is weather tight. Brian’s crew can finally take time to refuel after all of their hard work.

Figure J

Figure K

Figure L

Figure M

Brian and his crew love the satisfaction of a job well done. David Ely can’t believe his prefab post and beam house went from foundation to weather tight shell in just five snow-filled February days (figure M).

RESOURCES :

Yankee Barn Homes
Website: www.yankeebarnhomes.com

Millstream Structures
E-mail: mss.inc@adelphia.net

The Studio
Website: www.thestudioatmadriver.com