Project 2: Light Wood Frame Construction

Dates to Remember:

Feb. 14, Teams must be formed and names recorded during class
Feb. 28, 9:30 am Project Due in Red Room, AAS Second Floor. Attendance is required.

F.A.Q. Project 2 - answers to frequently asked questions (email or other) will be posted as needed throughout the project.

Overview  
                                                                           
This project is intended to help students develop an understanding of the principles of platform frame construction - the most common construction type in the United States   The vehicle for the exercise is to design a small cabin, build a detailed framing model of a portion of the building, and produce associated drawings.  The project should be developed in groups of two, so you will need to find a partner to work with.

Project Description
The client would like you to design a small cabin located on a relatively flat site in rural Latah County, just outside Troy, Idaho.  The maximum total floor area is 400 square feet.  The owners desire a simple and elegant design that is economical to build and energy efficient to operate.  They will need to obtain a building permit, so the design must satisfy code requirements for construction and energy efficiency as outlined by Latah County (see attached).  The clients wish to do much of the work themselves.  They would like you to provide them with a detailed model that illustrates the configuration of foundation and framing for a wall and two corners and the associated part of the roof of the building  (about 25-30% of the total volume).  It should include the foundation, frame, thermal and moisture protection, exterior finishes and interior wall, ceiling and floor finishes (do not include paint, wallpaper, carpet, furnishings or other decorative surfaces or elements)

Pre-design Planning & Resources
Read Chapters 11-14 in the Text and 4.26-40, 5.41-49, 6.19-30 in Ching before beginning the project.  Make notes of key issues that you need to address in the design development of the wood frame structure.

A handout that explains essential considerations for a wood light frame structure in Latah County will be distributed in class - one per group. This contains building code information that is required in order to successfully complete the project.

You will find that Ching's Building Construction Illustrated has some excellent drawings.

Design Considerations
Consider using a relatively simple design concept that allows time to develop a thorough understanding of the essentials of this framing system.  Some of the following issues will direct the design development and should be determined early on in the process.

• Roof shape and pitch, rake & eave type
• Ceiling height and type: vaulted or flat ceiling
• Foundation type: concrete perimeter footing & wall, frost protected concrete slab, all-weather wood, etc.
• Dimension of exterior wall framing thickness as it relates to energy requirements
• Guidelines from the reader and hand-out to establish estimated sizes of wood framing members.
• Latah County guidelines to size foundation and determine minimal insulation levels.

Requirements
Examples of past models, and drawing guidelines are available on the web. Please note that these examples typically include more square footage that you are allowed in this project. Work in teams of two students to produce the following:

MODEL @ 1" = 1'- 0"     (Basswood or poplar, no balsa)          
This model will illustrate all the layers that are required in the construction of a light wood platform frame structure.  An approach that illustrates the layers being "peeled away" will work well.  Because wood framing is a very flexible system, there are a number of variations to standard wood framing that can be applied, depending on the design idea.  Be sure to select the assembly that works best for the design you have developed. (See model examples) The model must include the following:

• 1 full exterior wall
• 2 corners and about 4’ of the adjacent walls
• 1 window opening
• 1 door opening
• a portion of the roof (used to illustrate the entire roof assembly)
• a portion on an interior wall
• the portion of the foundation as required to support walls and roof shown in model.

Furthermore, points will be deducted if the model and model base exceed the following dimensions:

7" x 24"

REFERENCE DRAWINGS @ 1/4" = 1'- 0"                 
These drawing used to describe the entire building and identify the locations illustrated in the model and details.  They should not be as detailed as the model or detail drawings, but should include the building and site within 10 feet of the building.

• Floor Plan of cabin (8 1/2" x 11" in format) Use a dashed line to indicate the area illustrated in the model.  Use a solid line with arrows to indicate the section cut line.

• Building Section of cabin (8 1/2" x 11" in format).  This should show the general configuration of roof, walls, floor and foundation. Use a dashed line to reference the location of the details described below.

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS, 2 @ 1 1/2" = 1'- 0"                 
Construction Detail Drawings - one drawn (hand or digital) by each team member, will be used to illustrate how connections are made between different components of the assembly (i.e. roof to wall, wall to foundation)  The construction detail should illustrate all the components of the building assembly at the location of the detail, and how the attachment between the components is made.  Be sure to show the method of attachment (nailing, specialty connection such as anchor bolts and straps, etc) and description of the material (2 x 8 floor joist  24" o.c.).  Be sure to include insulation and other thermal & moisture resistant components.

The details must be titled and labeled (See Drawing Examples). They should illustrate:

• Connection between Foundation and Wall  (8 1/2" x 11" format)
• Connection between Wall and Roof (8 1/2" x 11" format)
• If more than two students are on the team select an additional detail.

WORKSHEET
The worksheet provided with this assignment should be completed, stapled to the drawings and submitted with the model. An editable version of the worksheet can be downloaded from the class web site.

MEDIA
Use basswood or poplar (no Balsa) to represent the primary structural elements of the project.  These materials should be available at the UI Bookstore, craft and hobby shops, and some hardware stores, and should be as close to scale as possible. The UI Bookstore has been alerted about this project.

Select other model materials as appropriate to represent materials such as siding, roofing, insulation and interior wall & ceiling finishes (such as drywall). The wood framing must be complete, but other components that make up the wall and roof assembly are best illustrated using a peel-away technique. Doors and windows are not required. Because the goal is to illustrate the components of a wood frame structure not normally visible, do not include decorative elements such as paint, wall paper, floor coverings, etc.

Each drawing (including the floor plan) should be on a sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" paper (3 sheets total).  They may be done by hand or on the computer, and should include the title and scale of the drawing, and labels as required.  There are also several examples provided on the class website that illustrate drawing layout and contents.  Use them as a presentation guideline, but be sure to include all the information described above. Review the Text, Ching, and the examples on this web site for additional information & ideas. 

Help
The lead TA for this project is Justin Bowman. If youhave questions about the project, contact Justin, or if he is not available, contact TA who was assigned to your group for the first project.

Professor Armpriest is available during her office hours.

Evaluation & Due Date
The project is due at 9:30 am, Tuesday, February 28 and will be presented in the Third Year Crit Space (2nd Floor AAS).

Each project will be evaluated based upon the criteria stated above. A copy of the summary evaluation criteria check sheet may be downloaded (see below).

Links & Downloads (from this site)