BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

2. WOOD FRAME AND LIGHT RC CONSTRUCTION

2.1. TYPES OF WOOD FRAMING SYSTEMS

1. Light Wood Framing

a). Balloon Frame. This the lightest form of framing, in which the studding and corner posts
are set up in continuous lengths from first floor line or sill to roof plate. Boards called
ribbons are notched and nailed into the studs and corner posts at the proper height to
support the second story joists. A joist is brought against a stud wherever possible. This
type of frame is lacking in rigidity and is liable to sway and tremble in heavy winds.

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b) Combination Frame. A modification of the old braced frame which was of heavy timbers
with every joint mortised and tenoned. The modification consists of lighter timbers and
less mortising and pinning to save material and labor.

Girts are framed into the corner posts at the second story level joists as well as to brace
the whole frame. The girts which support the floor joist are called drop girts; those
parallel to the joists are called raised or flush girts. The studs run from sill to girt and
from girt to roof plate. Diagonal braces run from sill to corner posts and from the corner
posts to the roof plate. This type of construction is more rigid than the balloon frame.

c) Platform Frame. Where the ground and second floor level structures are supported by
their respective platforms.

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2. Heavy Wood Framing of Beam and Girder Framing. This is the type of framing used in the
Philippines in which the floor joists are carried by girders, and the roof trusses or rafters by
girts which frame into the posts. Studs rest on floor sills and extend up the girder or girt in
every floor.

2.2. JOINTS AND SPLICING

2.2.1. TYPES OF WOOD JOINTS

1. Plain Joint (Lap Joint). The plain joint is used in very hasty construction for temporary
framing and is made by lapping one piece over the other and nailing then together. It is
not a very strong joint.

2. Butt or Square Joint (End Joint). The butt joint is made by placing full thickness of wood
directly against the second piece. The butt end should be squared and the sides against

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which it butts smooth so that the pieces will be perpendicular to each other. The joint is
toe-nailed.

3. Oblique Joint. This type of joint is made when the two pieces do not meet at right angles,
e.g. bracings. One piece is cut at an angle to fit the other and the two pieces nailed
securely together.

4. Spliced or Scabbed Joint. ( See Splices ).

5. Mortise and Tenon Joint. This type of joint is used for building wooden framework where
great strength and rigidity are all important. It is made by cutting a hole or mortise in one
piece and a tenon or tongue in the second piece to fit the hole in the other. The tenon
may extend fully through the other piece or only part of the way.

6. Halved Joint. This joint is made by cutting half the thickness of the wood from each piece
at the ends to be joined so as to bring the sides flush. The purpose of this type of joint is
to maintain a level surface at the joint.

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7. Rabbet Joint. This joint is made by cutting a shoulder or edge from one piece to receive
the other piece. It is used in window or door frames, or in shelf and drawer construction.

8. Dado Joint. This is similar in shape and purpose to the rabbet joint. In the dado joint a
groove is made in one piece at right angles to the grain of the other board. If nails are
used, they are needed only at the end piece since the groove will provide the necessary
strength to hold the other piece in place.

9. Miter Joint. The miter is a joint between two pieces which come together at a corner. It is
a finish joint and should not be used where strength is an important requirement. It is
made by cutting the two ends at angles complementary to each other, usually 45°, and
then butting them together. The joint is secured by clamp nails or finishing nails,
corrugated fasteners or dowels, or by gluing.

10. Dovetail Joint. This type of joint, used for cabinet work and furniture work, is strong and
durable. It is made by cutting a pin in the shape of a dovetail in one piece to fit a groove
similarly shaped in the other piece.

11. Coped Joint. The coped joint is used when fitting one piece of moulding at right angles to
the second piece.

Other types of joints include the shiplapped joint and the tongue and grooved joint.

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COMMON WOOD JOINTS FOR FURNITURE

VARIATION OF LAP JOINTS

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VARIATIONS OF MORTISE-AND-TENON JOINTS

2.2.2. SPLICES

The function of a splice is to connect two or more pieces of timber in such a way that the joint
will be as strong as a single timber of equivalent size. Splices are of three types: for
compression, tension and bending.

A. Splices for Compression

1. Scabbed or Fished Splice. Two pieces of timber are squared at their ends and fitted
together. Two short wood pieces called scabs or metal plates called fishplates are
fastened on either side of the pieces to be joined. The scabs or fishplates serve to keep
the splice straight and to prevent buckling.

2. Halved Splice. The halved splice is better for direct compression, and when combined
with scabs or fishplates, may be used where there is some tension. This splice is made
by cutting half the thickness of each piece to the required length and putting the halved
sections together.

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B. Splices for Tension

1. Square Splice. This is a modification of the compression halved splice. It has an extra
notch to keep it from slipping and is usually used in combination with scabs or fishplates.

C. Splices for Bending

1. Scarfed Splice. When a piece of timber is subjected to bending as in a horizontal piece
supporting a weight, the upper part is subjected to compression while the lower half is
under tension. A splice for bending should, therefore, combine the features of the tension
and compression splice. The upper part should be cut square to offer the maximum
resistance to compression while the lower half is beveled on the end, since there is no
tendency to crush the timber. To overcome the tendency to pull apart at the bottom, a
fishplate or scab is placed at the bottom and bolted securely.

2.2.3. TIMBER CONNECTORS

Timber connectors are metal devices used to provide added strength at bolted joints. They
eliminate complicated framing of joints, simplify the design of heavy construction, and save
much time and labor. Among the various types of timber connectors are:
1. Split Rings. These are made in sizes of 2-1/2, 4 and 6 in. in diameter. They are used for
heavy construction.
2. Toothed Rings. These are toothed and corrugated. They are made in 2, 2-5/8, and 4 4 in.
dia. They are used between two timber frames for comparatively light construction.
3. Claw Plates. One side is clawed and other smooth. They are used either singly, in timber to
metal connections, or in pairs in timber to timber connections. The
female plate is adaptable for use when the connector must lie flush
with the timber surface.
4. Shear Plates. When installed these lie flush with the timber
surface. They are used singly or in pairs. In timber to metal
connections the plate is placed with its back towards the metal.

2.2.4. ISOLATED FOOTINGS

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2.2.5. PAVING AND SLAB ON GRADE

1 Paving and Paving Patterns

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2 Concrete Slab on Grade

Concrete slabs on grade require the support of a level, stable, uniformly dense or properly compacted
soil base containing no organic matter. When placed over soil of low bearing capacity or expansive
soils, a concrete ground slab must be designed as a mat or raft foundation, which requires
professional analysis and design by a qualified structural engineer.

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3 Concrete Slab on Grade Joints

Three types of joints are done in order to accommodate movement in the plane of a concrete slab on
grade;

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2.2.6. FLOOR FINISHES

*MERCADO, JOSE L. The Architectural

Reviewer, Vol. II: Materials and Methods of
Construction

*MERCADO, JOSE L. The Architectural

Reviewer, Vol. II: Materials and
Methods of Construction

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2.2.7. CHB WALL CONSTRUCTION

TYPES OF CONCRETE BLOCKS

*MERCADO, JOSE L. The Architectural

Reviewer, Vol. II: Materials and Methods
of Construction

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*MERCADO, JOSE L. The Architectural

Reviewer, Vol. II: Materials and
Methods of Construction

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*MERCADO, JOSE L. The

Architectural Reviewer, Vol. II:
Materials and Methods of
Construction

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2.2.8. POSTS

Wood posts may be solid, built-up, or spaced. In selecting a wood post, the following
should be considered: lumber species, structural grade, modulus of elasticity, and
allowable compressive, bending and shear stress value permitted for the intended use. In
addition, attention to be paid to the precise loading conditions and the types of connections
used.

Wood posts are loaded axially in

compression. Failure can result in crushing
of wood fibers if the maximum unit stress
exceeds the allowable unit stress in
compression parallel to the grain. The load
capacity of the post is also determined by its
slenderness ratio. As the slenderness ratio
of a post increases, a post can fail from
buckling.

Wood Post-Beam Connections

Alternate Method to Anchor Pier
and Beam Foundations

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2.2.9. WOOD FLOOR FRAMING SYSTEM AND FLOOR FINISHES

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2.2.10. WALL FRAMING SYSTEM & WALL FINISHES

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2.2.11. CEILING FRAMING SYSTEM & CEILING FINISHES

2.2.12. WOOD ROOF FRAMING SYSTEM AND ROOFING

1. TYPES OF TRUSSES

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2. PARTS OF A TRUSS

3. TYPES OF RAFTERS

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4. CORRUGATED G.I. ROOFING

*MERCADO, JOSE L. The Architectural

Reviewer, Vol. II: Materials and
Methods of Construction

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5. METAL SEAM ROOFING

6. BATTEN SEAM ROOFING

*MERCADO, JOSE L. The Architectural

Reviewer, Vol. II: Materials and
Methods of Construction

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7. CLAY / CEMENT TILE ROOFING

*MERCADO, JOSE L. The Architectural

Reviewer, Vol. II: Materials and
Methods of Construction

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2.2.13. WOOD STAIRS

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2.2.14. DOORS AND DOOR HARDWARE

1. FLUSH/PANEL WOOD DOOR

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