10' x 10' back yard office

soomb · June 01, 2010, 08:15:20 PM

Front wall up. 3 stud corner. Used 96" studs to create a higher front to have a slight shed slope. There will be 1 LH in-swing door and 1 36x24 window at a height just above my monitors. This will hopefully cut glare some, and allow my seated view to be more of the sky and trees than the close by pool house.

soomb · June 05, 2010, 03:51:07 PM

Wall #3 up, with another 36x24 window at the same height and distance from the corner as the front wall window. I have racked the front and rear walls plumb and made sure they are vertical. I braced them and started with full sheets of 4x8 OSB to anchor things together. I allowed the OSB to go to even with the bottom of the rim joists to tie the structure together. SURPRISE! everything was glues and screwed.

June 07, 2010, 02:42:34 PM

What kind of screws? Some screws, like the common yellow zinc plated deck screws, are quite brittle and will shear off if stressed enough. Appropriately sized nails are what the building codes spec for anything structural. Mails will deform, bend, well before they will shear off. Others have used screws on small projects with apparently safe results though.

soomb · June 07, 2010, 07:31:03 PM

I will get the box, but these were 2 1/2 inch gray/silver galvanized screws. I also used nails as part of the over kill. The OSB was held by screws in several spots, but then I also nailed the edges and field with nails (I will get the box, but 1 1/2 nails I think) Every contact point (sole plate, studs, jacks, cripples, rim, joist, etc) was also hit with construction adhesive as well prior to nails and screws being applied.

I will get the box labels and transcribe or photo.

MountainDon · June 07, 2010, 08:08:18 PM

My own test is to screw the screw into a 4x4 2/3 to 3/4 the screw length. Then whack it sideways with a hammer. Usually they break off, whereas a nail will bend.

6D (2") deformed shank (ringed or spiral) or 8D (2.5") common is the nail for wood sheathing, 3/4" thick or less.

{table R602.3(1) in the IRC.} http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=6224.0

June 07, 2010, 09:34:38 PM

Don,
I hope I am in the ball park here....if not, I am not sure what to do.

I have used:
8D 2 1/2" Bright Ring Shank Common - Framing
2 1/2" Primeguard Ten Exterior Screw - Framing & anchoring OSB
6D 2" Exterior Galvanized Box - Nailing the fields of OSB
Liquid Nails on all contact surfaces- Shear Strength: 7+ days of >425PSI

I have a feeling I may be going back and adding more nails if my sizing was not proper for this 10 x 10.. It is a learning experience, and I would rather leap before I look, and learn hard lessons in preparation for doing in spot-on right when it counts.

Your thoughts?

MountainDon · June 07, 2010, 10:23:55 PM

Quote from: soomb on June 07, 2010, 09:34:38 PM
Your thoughts?

For the sheathing since you used construction adhesive and not in an earthquake zone, you'll likely be ok, although adding some 6D deformed shank (I like ring shank) nails would be insurance.

As for framing with 2x members, considering you used ring shank 8D and some screws that could be okay too. IRC calls for 16D common when end nailing studs to top or sole plates. 8D when toe nailing stud to sole plate.

This page https://www2.iccsafe.org/states/Virginia/Residential/Res-Frameset.html has the IRC for the State of Virginia, 2006. Most of what is in it is applicable to other states. Chapter 6, Wall Construction, has the nailing table. Well worth a look. Page 6-2. Everything you could possibly nail together in a building is listed. They are protected files but if you use Firefox, get the DownThemAll add-on and it should be able to download the whole set to your own computer. About 15 MB in total. That's what I have done with several versions of the IRC.

You should also be able to find whatever code is applicable to your area in AZ at a public library in the reference section; about 690.8 in the Dewey Decimal System.

We're heading back to the cooler

mountains for a few days tomorrow so I won't be around till Friday or so.

soomb · June 27, 2010, 12:06:36 PM

All four walls up. Thanks to suggestions here I have my 3 stud corners and have switched to 8d ring shank nails. I do have another question:

I have gone horizontal with the OSB sheathing, and I was wondering whether to use full sheets at the top and bottom and rip OSB to fill the middle or just full sheet on full sheet and rip the boards in at the top plate?

MountainDon · July 01, 2010, 02:47:11 PM

I don'y know if there is a 'right' way but I think if it was me I'd put the full sheet at the top. My reasoning being that provides more bracing for the wall than a narrow strip would. On the other hand you are not exactly in earthquake or hurricane/tornado country so it might not make any noticeable difference.

July 01, 2010, 06:51:31 PM

Mtn. Don-
Thanks for the link to the Virginia Code - we do not have any inspection or permitting process in our MO county, but nonetheless are trying to build as close to code as we can. (As we can figure out what code is anyway)
The span and header tables in this doc are way more detailed than what we have been able to find in framing books.

Dougpete

soomb · July 27, 2010, 07:17:51 PM

Four walls up. 2x6 rafters 90% up. Will start sheathing roof in the next few days. The very tops of the walls are still open b/c I am full solo on this job and have had to rig ropes to move materials up top. I built the overhang shown on the ground and worked it into place and secured it. Being solo makes you stop and think often, and I need that or I charge headlong into something I have to pull apart once I have an "ah ha!.....oh sh!t" moment.

Western wall with thru-the wall 5500 BTU a/c opening

soomb · July 27, 2010, 07:19:02 PM

OK.. I am not fully solo on the job site.

soomb · October 17, 2010, 08:27:23 PM

Ok, I am fully closed in and roof mostly on. I have roof sheathing on. I had exterior paint laying around and used it to create multiple coats of paint on the roof. I covered that with a gallon of elastomeric roof paint in white for the sealing value and the white reflective properties for the AZ sun. I have now covered the roof in two layers of 30# roof felt and I would like to put off the shelf roofing (corrugated) on. Any thoughts on furring strips and the like.. or just screw right to the roof?

My roof is a shed roof with a very low pitch. I have the vertical furring (left over 2x4x10') ready to go, but I do not know if I can place horizontal strips between them, or if I need to have the horizontal strips attached to the vertical base layer in order to leave room for moisture, should it get under, to exit? I will be placing flashing to cover the high side from water as well as the side.

Thoughts?

nathan.principe · October 17, 2010, 11:37:59 PM

I dont have a solid answer to your question, but I am approaching putting roofing on my place soon and just opened a thread in the "general forum" section about roofing that you might find useful in your project. good luck!

October 18, 2010, 08:04:24 PM

My personal opinion is that furring strips just add complication to a metal roof. The only roofs I see being installed with furring strips here in the desert are tile and fake tile roofs. All the metal around me is metal screwed down directly over felt or synthetic underlayment. I'm also of the belief that installing metal roofing on furring strips can provide the pathway for water to condense on the underside of the metal, whereas if the roofing is installed flat on the underlay, there is no space for this condensation to occur. OK, the underside of the metal ribbing could have some condensation occur, but the ribs also provide a clear path for any moisture to run down.

My opinion.

soomb · October 18, 2010, 08:26:48 PM

Quote from: MountainDon on October 18, 2010, 08:04:24 PM
My personal opinion is that furring strips just add complication to a metal roof. The only roofs I see being installed with furring strips here in the desert are tile and fake tile roofs. All the metal around me is metal screwed down directly over felt or synthetic underlayment. I'm also of the belief that installing metal roofing on furring strips can provide the pathway for water to condense on the underside of the metal, whereas if the roofing is installed flat on the underlay, there is no space for this condensation to occur. OK, the underside of the metal ribbing could have some condensation occur, but the ribs also provide a clear path for any moisture to run down.

My opinion.

I have 2 layers of 30# down with 2x4's as vertical holders to avoid losing the tar paper in a wind or rain (twice before I placed them). I am at that stage where I either add to it with more furring or pull it and start with just 30# tar paper and get metal or fiberglass roofing from Lowe's. this is just a 10x10 office and I think I am way over doing it. Over thinking a small building.

MountainDon · October 18, 2010, 08:57:36 PM

Quote from: soomb on October 18, 2010, 08:26:48 PMthis is just a 10x10 office and I think I am way over doing it. Over thinking a small building.

I thought the same when reading about the paint and the elastomeric....

How long has the felt been down? Is it still in good shape, not brittle, torn, loose.... ?

Now that I think back, I did have a few strips of 1x2 material holding the edges in a few spots. I used screws to secure them so removal was easy.

Another thought on metal roofing and furring strips.... Much of the material I have seen at HD is 29 gauge metal. That might be a tad on the thin side for use on furring strips.

Easier to have bending/denting issues; walking on it, hail....

I think you can tell I don't think much of metal on furring strips...

HOWEVER, in hot climates there may be an advantage to building a roof system with a ventilation space provided between the hard deck and weather resistant barrier and the finish metal roofing. Placing vertical battens/furring/purlins... first and then placing horizontal battens/furring/purlins...across them can provide this. You need to have easy entry and exit for the air movement. This may provide significant energy savings on the A/C power bill. It's the same principle that was used years ago by Land Rover.