30 x 57 in Arkansas

[n74tg]

I am going to start posting pics and progress reports of my house building project here as well as on the blog shown below in my signature so that people can comment and ask questions easier than having to go to the blog.

The project is a 30 x 57 single story, built over a crawl space.  One end of the crawl space is 3 feet above ground, the other end is 8 feet above.  At the 8 foot end, there is a 12 x 22 basement room that contains a tornado shelter.  The foundation walls are concrete block, built in the dry-stack fashion and coated inside and out with surface bonding cement.  The crawlspace will be sealed up (ie unventilated) so it can be heated and air-conditioned like a basement.

I am just starting the wood construction phase.  Previous pics and progress reports can be found in the blog. 

[n74tg]

My front porch will be a concrete slab, about 5' x 7' and sit atop the block wall foundation, which will be filled with dirt and leftover concrete rubble from pouring my concrete footers.

Collecting all my concrete rubble from around the worksite I came across four black widow spiders. They were in four different locations and were always found under some piece of concrete or inside a concrete block. None of them were found on wood, always concrete.

It was pretty cool the days I was collecting the concrete rubble, like maybe 45 degF, so none of the spiders were moving around very fast. That's good because it made it easier to photo them.
I always knew that black widows had the familiar red hourglass shape on their bellies, but I didn't know that some of them have a row of red diamonds down their back. The largest of these spiders I found had a tail bulb 3/8" to a little larger. I'm thinking a widow of this size could put a pretty good bite on you. Yes, I was wearing good leather work gloves when doing this work. I wear gloves when doing most any work. Still, I don't know if a black widow this large could bite through the gloves.

[Sassy]

Hi n74tg!  Glad things are moving along.  I don't like you little friend, though    I was walking up & down one of our hills collecting quartz rocks to put on a hillside for landscaping where one of our walkways is.  Anyway, I had been doing this for a couple hours & was getting pretty tired so decided to sit down on some rocks.  I looked to my side after sitting there for a bit & saw something red - I looked closer & it was a huge black widow spider!  Yikes, I was standing in less than a second!  Those things give me the hebejebe's!   

[MountainDon]

THe good news on Black Widow Spiders is that the ones you usually run into are males or juveniles. The males bite is much less severe than the female. In fact the male, once he's mated with a female, has his venom sacks dry up. Juveniles aren't yet venomous either. The female does not normally leave her nest which will be right there with her web.

Even though the Black Widows venom is very toxic, a bite injects such a small amount it is highly unlikely for a healthy adult human to die from a bite. Maybe painful, but not usually deadly.

More info
http://www.desertusa.com/july97/du_bwindow.html

http://www.pestproducts.com/blackwid.htm

I still don't like 'em. 

[n74tg]

More About The Porch




Here are a couple of pics about how the porch will be built.  I wanted a splash guard across the back of the porch so that rain will not get on the mudsill and rimjoist.  To make that work I added a four inch extension on the block wall on the back side of the porch.  I cut holes in the wall for the rebar that goes in the slab to go into. 

The dirt is only 3" deep or so, beneath that is a LOT of concrete rubble, four dead black widow spiders (see previous post), and one discarded lawn mower (oil and gas drained out).

A more detailed writeup on this is in the blog (address below).

[glenn kangiser]

Looks good, Tony.  Great use of unnatural resources.  Thanks for posting this here.

[n74tg]

Mudsill and Rim Joist







Building the subfloor comes next, but the first part of that job is putting up the mudsill and rim joist.  I'm using 2x10 floor joists so my rim joist is also 2x10.  The mudsill is 2x8, which is about the same size as the top of the concrete block foundation wall.  With the exception of the front porch area, the mudsill and rim joist are up all around the perimeter. 

Every contractor I've ever seen toe-nails the rim joist down to the mudsill.  It's a lot quicker this way, but I don't like toe-nailing because I've seen it done wrong too many times.   Done wrong the wood splits which compromises the strength of the connection.  I like screws much better than nails and am willing to take the extra time they require to use.   To connect the rim to the sill with screws required that I build everything upside down, then pick it up, flip it over (upright), carry it over and place it on the foundation wall and finally then bolt it down.  Not having a helper, I could do all the steps myself except hold the sill and rim together (properly aligned) while at the same time putting the screws in.  For this reason I built a jig to hold the boards straight (Pic 3).  Using the jig freed up both my hands which made it a lot easier to put the screws in.  If you can't read the text on the pic, you lay the rim joist across the 2x6 blocks, and put the sill against the 2x4 blocks.  The two boards now line up, which allows you to run the screws in from the left side.  If a board is warped, then spacers below the rim joist (sitting on top of the 2x6 blocks) lines things back up straight.     

Buying all those screws would be expensive, but one day at the local building supply center I found a drastically reduced price table with a 25# pail of 3" exterior grade wood screws.  I weighed the pail to make sure it was full (it was).  As these were the same screws I was going to buy inside I felt like I had really come across some good luck. 

My mudsill boards are 14' long, the rim joist are 12' long.  That means there are lots of overlapping in the boards.  Everywhere there is an overlap I have to do some sort of toe-nailing, but I'm doing it with screws.  To avoid splitting the wood at the toe-nail I used a ¾" spade bit to drill a pilot hole (1/4"-3/8" deep).  Putting the screw in the pilot hole means there is more wood there for the screw to grab, which lessens the tendency to split the wood.  I also pilot drill down through the pilot hole with a 1/8" bit.  This further reduces the tendency for the wood to split.  (Pic 2)

It seems most any wood you buy, even if it was straight as an arrow when you bought it; letting it sit stacked (even in a dry garage) for any length of time guarantees some of them will warp.  But, I found that using the ¾" pilot hole trick could also be used to connect and align the top of two rim joist boards that didn't want to line up perfectly.  (Pic 1)

Solvitur Ambulando - latin for "finding solutions as we go".  Maybe that's what this blog should be named.  I'm finding "lots" of opportunity to solve problems doing this project, more than I ever expected.  

[glenn kangiser]

There are some places the inspector may give you a bad time about screws.  Seems they will shear upon shrinkage of the wood or expansion / contraction.  I've heard its not code due to that. 

[n74tg]

Glenn:
I'm building "out in the county"; so NO inspectors; also NO building permit requirements.

And lastly, the way these screws are put in (ie from the bottomside of the sill), they are all in tension, except the "toe-nailed" screws, which because my angle of installation is greater than 45 degrees also puts them mostly in tension as opposed to shear.

Still, thanks for the thought.

[glenn kangiser]

My pleasure, Tony-- just wanted to make sure you had no problems.

[n74tg]

Glenn (and John, and PEG, and anybody else who wants to weigh in on this):

Since my last post I've been thinking about this some more.  The only way I can see that shear could come into play would be if I get differential shrinkage or expansion between rim and sill; ie one expands (or shrinks) more than the other.  Then, I agree, shear forces would exist.  If the rim just wants to "bow up", then the forces created would be almost pure tension, something that screws excel at.

So, maybe my question for you is, have you ever seen differential shrinkage or expansion sufficient to shear nails or screws.  To be fair here, along the walls where floor joists will butt into the rim joist there is one 3" screw every 24" lengthwise along the rimjoist.  In other words, in a twelve foot long segment of rim joist there are 6-8 screws.  And then, finally, these screws are roughly 1/8" shank diameter, coated exterior grade screws.  We're not talking drywall screws here. 

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

[MountainDon]

An example of deck screws vs nails and a problem. I'd take a photo but the subject is all covered with snow. We have a mostly concrete brick patio paver sidewalk that the preschool kids ride bikes around. There is one section that is a board/plank affair. PT 4x4 lay on the ground. Thirty-two inch long 2x6 planks are laid across them. The planks are secured to the 4x4s with deck screws. The walk has been in place for over 15 years. I used screws because I wasn't sure how long it was going to stay or if it would do the job. Well, it has lasted without any serious problems. The PT wood has lasted with only a piece or two needing replacement due to splitting or severe cupping.

But, the screws keep shearing off. I believe it's due to a combination of slight shifting of the 4x4 timbers with wet/dry freeze/thaw cycles and the constant tricycle traffic. Add in the planks themselves getting wet and then being baked dry in the summer sun. There's no movement I can see, but the screws shear off.  It's not a terrible problem for this situation. Not bad enough to warrant doing bricks or poured concrete. When one end of a plank starts to wiggle I check and find several spots that need replacement screws. But it's given me pause for thought about replacing conventional nails in general construction. #8 x 2 1/2 or 3 inch deck screws.

Why don't I nail them with spiral or ring shank nails?  There's possibility of even them working loose and I don't want any heads rising above the plank surface for kids to trip on or fall on. Those nails are hard to remove and I may want to recycle the boards later.  And it's temporary. 

[MountainDon]

The deck screws are much more brittle than nails. Drive a 3" deck screw into timber about 1 1/2". Hammer in a 16D nail about the same distance as well. Give each a sideways whack with a hammer. Usually the screw snaps off and the nail bends.

The outcome of using deck screws structurally really depends on if there's the wrong type of movement. Shear.

[PEG688]

Why don't I nail them with spiral or ring shank nails?  Those nails are hard to remove and I may want to recycle the boards later.  And it's temporary. 

Well it is temporay sort of , all things are , in ways

As far as using the screws  I wouldn't for the reasons Mtn D and Glenn have stated, the sheer factor.

Not knowing exactly where you are in your build Tony I'd suggest at least when you sheet your box sill you try to get a positive tie  some how between your wall and PT plate . Or at least as wide and long a strip of plywood / OSB that ties the PT plate to the box sill .

I know the code wants a 16d nail every 8" driven toe nail style between the box sill and PT plate , it's written that way , IMO , because it's easier to police than saying lap your wall sheathing down to and attached to your PT plate .

I know in my military / old carpenter  mind that that  type of sheathing  lapping is way stronger than  toe nailed LSL or solid wood rim joist / box sill members toe nailed , BUT that "common sence" "good building " practice is hard to police / inspect / code-a-fy!

   That's the reason I prefer running wall sheathing horizontally and stagger the 4 foot vertical joints with a 4 foot offset. The reason we don't do thatis the stupid, IMO , code that says sheathing must be nailed at all edges , which if you run sheathing horzintally you add more labor , as in more blocking . So we soldier the wall sheeting for less seams .

It's all about code -a-fying things    by the giststopo , opps building dept.

So end of rant , hope it answered your question , as it got convoluted sort of 

[MountainDon]

Well it is temporary sort of , all things are , in ways

All too true.    Including myself.

[PEG688]

All too true.    Including myself.

Yes we (our bodies) would be considered in that "all things" comment.

I wonder where all the time went 

of course I've  many hours down a rat hole right here , jeesh I HATE that hour meter on this forum 

[ScottA]

I'm going to say the same thing about the screws. They may break off. I've seen it too many times. I'm at the same point in my construction so this topic catches my intrest. I'm going to put 2 nails to the foot toe nailed and put sheating conecting the beam to the rim joist since I agree with peg that this makes a much stronger connection than just nails.

[glenn kangiser]

My front door is put together with screws and when it shrunk it broke about half of them so I put more in.  As Don mentioned, Screws are much harder and have a better grip so break rather than bend. 

That said, I always use screw nails or ring shank nails in my nail gun per Ken Kern's recommendation and statement that they hold around 9 times more than standard nails.  If I want them out I'll get the wrecking bar or sawzall.

[n74tg]

Thanks guys for all the opinions; I guess I'll add some toe-nails and sheet the box.

[n74tg]

Solving Problems


I am writing this blog as much to help others build their homes as I am to document the building of mine.  Therefore, if I figure out an unusual or innovative way to solve a problem, something that I think may help others I want to post it in the blog.

Just such a thing occurred yesterday as I was building the girder beams that hold up the floor joists. My girders are three 2x10 nailed (and soon to be bolted) together.  As I mentioned in a recent post it seems that for me wood warps in storage, even if that storage is nice and dry and the wood is packed tightly together.

Long story short, one of my 2x10 was a little warped and needed to be pulled down about 3/8" to line up with the others.   To set the stage here, this girder is up about 5 feet in the air; roughly shoulder height for me. 

I tried the standing on a step ladder and mash it down with my body weight method; that didn't work.  Then an idea popped into mind.  Could I somehow use one of my many C-clamps to bring these two boards in line and in the process free up both hands for nailing them together. 

The pic is what I came up with.  It's two pieces of a discarded bed rail, each about 8" long.  I have a metal cutting chop saw, so cutting them wasn't hard.  And as a bonus, the holes were already drilled in about the right spots.  So, I grabbed a couple of #12 screws, mounted the angles, put the clamp on and voila, lining up the boards was easy.

This little jig idea might not be that impressive to a professional home builder, but I'm not a pro; so anything like this I think of, I'm proud of, especially when I saw how easy it was to use.         

[MountainDon]

That got the job done. Good thinking.

Another method is a little simpler IF you own a good bar clamp or couple of them. You need a bar clamp that's big enough to span the width of the joists/girder parts. Sometimes you can do it without placing a scrap 2x on the top and bottom edges (third hand or a couple nails required). Sometimes you might need the scraps to clamp on.

I have a number of Bessey bar clamps 18, 24 and 36 inch, some were my Dad's... now almost as old as I.  Lots of uses for them.

I am NOT necessarily endorsing that web site as a supplier. There's was the first site I came up with that had good pictures and the whole range. Check your prices, check everything out yourself. The Bessy Clamps are very good though.

[n74tg]

Well, I do have some bar clamps (big enough to span the lumber).  I'll try that next time...thanks MD

[n74tg]

Finally, after much bad weather I've made some progress on the house.  The columns in the basement are finished.  Actually, all the columns (ten of them) are finished, but it was the two columns in the basement that were holding everything up.

One column is wood and one column is concrete block.  Originally, they were both going to be wood columns, but I would have had to buy another wood beam/column for the second one and I had LOT's of extra concrete block around; so I went with block.  Both columns are anchored down to the slab with 5/8" Parasleeve (expanding) bolts.   







There is a more detailed writeup (and more pics) about the columns in my blog (address below). 

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks for posting that, Tony.  Progress is good-- you can move forward now:)

[n74tg]

I knew I hadn't posted anything here in awhile, but I didn't realize it had been that long.  Needless to say, a fair amount has gotten done since last post.   At least "I" think a fair amount has gotten done.

All the floor beams are in; each of which are three 2x10's.  Beam span is 10 feet.

A little over half of the floor joists are in.  These are also 2x10's on 24" spacing.  Where the ceramic tile will be I modified joist spacing to 16". 

And finally, about 1/3 of the subfloor has been installed.  Each day I get more subfloor installed, I give it a good coat of exterior latex to help protect it as it will be awhile until my house gets to the dried in state.   

Here are a couple of pics.

Looking northeast toward the lake


Looking northwest toward the street.  For scale, that is a six foot step ladder.