New Home Framing
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One of the first dechsions to make when starting a new home framing project is what materials to use. Wood framing is standard on many homes, but to ensure that walls will be straight where cabinets will hang, it is necessary to avoid using rapid-growth light spring wood; although the rapid growth makes it faster and cheaper to produce, it can cause the lumber to twist and bow when it dries out, causing walls to become wavy. These wavy walls can cause a variety of problems for contractors who need to install cabinetry and countertops or do finish work. Instead, steel wall studs should be used. Alternatively, ôspecial engineered lumber that is perfectly straight and will remain so even as the house acclimates insteadö can be used (1). One of the disadvantages of wood-framed homes is their limited durability. Wood is subject to termites, rotting, and mildew, and when the wood becomes damaged, the houseÆs structure is threatened.Steel is an excellent alternative to wood. Steel framing contractors use computers to design the framing to meet with local building codes, and they can use architect plans designed for a wood-framed house to create a computer-generated drawing for a steel home, plus a parts list needed to replace the lumber. One advantage of using steel framing is that the parts arrive predrilled, numbered, and color-coded for easier framing. Another advantage is environmental; a typical home uses about six recycled cars worth of steel compare
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a crawl space, or a slab, although houses in wet or coastal areas are sometimes put up on posts. To make a crawl space the crew digs a set of trenches and holes and then pours concrete into them to form a concrete beam for the house to rest on; if the site slopes, the beam will be stepped instead of flat. A crawl space is superior to basements and slabs in several senses. It elevates the house off the ground, which is good in damp or termite-prone areas, is relatively inexpensive, and provides an easily serviceable area for duct work and plumbing (4).
Preparation for a basement differs in that the crew digs a square hole about 8 feet deep instead of a series of trenches and holes. On top of the concrete slab at the bottom of the hole are concrete or cinder-block walls. For a slab, the crew makes a trench around the outside approximately 2 feet deep and then completely levels the area for the pad. Then the concrete is poured directly on the ground, with little labor involved. The slab works best on level ground in warmer climates; in colder climates, the freezing can shift the concrete. Once the concrete is poured, it is necessary to wait for two weeks while it cures before further work can be done (4).
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1350
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)
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