wall framing

[dug]

I am laying out my wall framing and have a couple of questions. I am ordering all my windows and am wondering if it is a good idea to try and conform my windows in order to line up wit existing studs if possible? In other words I may have to move a window slightly or order a slightly different size from what would be my ideal placement. Or is better to design your walls exactly how you want them and frame the walls accordingly? A rookie question maybe but I guess I am a rookie!

Also- using 16 in. oc studs, is 32 in. from the corner too close to place a window (on non-gable end/ supporting wall)? Or would it be better to go 4 ft. and get a full sheet at the corner?

thanks in advance!!

[MarkAndDebbie]

I too am a rookie, but I lined my windows up with an existing stud to be one of the king studs.

I don't know about the distance from the corner, but it is recommended (but not required) to run the sheathing the other direction (8' left to right). Then stagger them.

[dug]

I don't know about the distance from the corner, but it is recommended (but not required) to run the sheathing the other direction (8' left to right). Then stagger them.

This prompts another question I had. I most often see the sheathing laid out horizontally but the book I have for reference (Framing your own house/ Robert Roskind) says it can be done that way, however it is stronger to run it vertically. More nails on the stud vertically. ?

[MarkAndDebbie]

PEG says it is stronger the other way, but people don't because of the need for additional blocking
http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=3711.msg42494#msg42494

Re-reading some of these, it looks like I may have to put my blocking the other way. I was planing on putting a 2x4 with the 4" vertical for that seam. I was thinking .5" + 1.5" = 6D nail.

Anyone know if the orientation is UBC or IRC or both?

[MountainDon]

M&D stole my thunder.     but I'll leave this note here anyhow.



I'll address the sheathing first. If the sheets are placed horizontally you should install horizontal blocking to nail the panel edges to where the bottom panel meets the upper panel. That's if you are concerned with meeting code. On the other hand if you use 4 x 9 ft. panels as I did, you can place them vertically and lap the lower edge over the rim joist. That works with an 8 foot height at least.

[MarkAndDebbie]

Anyone know if the orientation is UBC or IRC or both?

I mean the orientation of the 2x4 blocking as PEG mentioned in his earlier post - not the sheathing.

[MountainDon]

As for windows, unless placement is critical to some interior feature, I'd go with laying one side against a stud (on 16 or 24" OC) and frame the opening to fit the windows. As far as window size you could plan things so the windows would fit within the OC studs in order to eliminate some of the weird spacing you might otherwise have. Plan / measure carefully.


I always have to check on the required brace wall sizes and don't have the time right now. I know 48" is okay and believe 32" can be used, but there might be some special requirements. Maybe Don_P will read this. maybe I'll be back later. 

[Don_P]

When all edges are blocked the sheets are the same either way, if the edges are unblocked then more edges are nailed on the perimeter so vertical is stronger in that instance. You can block flatways, I just did using 2x6 cutoffs. The intent is to turn the wall into one large seamless diaphragm. Backing the nails away from the edges while stitching the sheet together has merit in my mind. Don't forget that you do need fireblocking in tall walls though, totally across the bay, so it does not become a chimney.

http://www.apawood.org/pablog/index.cfm/2006/8/1/Help-Desk-Question-Should-Wall-Sheathing-be-Installed-Horizontal-or-Vertical

http://www.wallbracing.org/

[MountainDon]

Good links Don. Maybe they'll help me keep the brace walls sorted out. Thanks.

[n74tg]

Several points here from what everybody has said above.

A number 8 nail has a larger diameter than a number 6, so it has more shear strength per nail.  If you're using a nailing gun anyway, why not just go with the larger nail.  The cost difference will be minimal, and the 1/2" inch deeper penetration into the stud won't hurt anything.  Now, if you're hand-nailing the sheathing, then maybe you have a valid reason.

Don used the term diaphragm wall.  On my house I used what I will call here a "double diaphragm" method where my 5/8" OSB sheathing is doubled at each corner.  One piece is on the outside just like everybody else does.  But the second piece is on the inside, "cut-in" to the wall studs so the sheetrock will lay flat like it should.  This makes an incredibly strong corner as it relates to wind racking.   Dug, if you need to place a window closer to a corner than 48" (a full sheet width of sheathing), then the double diaphragm could offset anything you have lost by not having a full sheet width at the corner.  Also, if you choose to go this route, just remember you have to wire and insulate the stud bays before you install the inside piece of sheathing.  As I didn't know exactly what my final wiring plan would be I ran an extra piece of 12-2 with ground through each corner. 

Mountain Don mentioned using 4x9 sheets so you could overlap the rim-joist.  I strongly concur on that idea.  My walls are 9'6" tall, so in order to overlap the 2x10 rim on my house (and the 2x8 mudsill) I had to use one 8' long sheet and then add (and block) another 29" length piece to get everything covered.  In case this confuses here is a pic.

   

Finally, think about your nailing pattern, ie nail spacing.  I don't know what everybody else uses, but on my sheathing I used about a 5" spacing on every stud and cross brace.  Then in the corners where the sheathing is doubled I went to a 3" spacing, both inside and out.
My house has already withstood the winds of hurricanes Ike and Gustav last year with narry a problem.  A guy building a 3 story condo six blocks away didn't fare so well as it blew his third story down.  I've watched his construction progress along the way and it is truly pitiful; really sad as these humongous condo's on the lake were to sell for about $500k each.  Now, a year later, none of them have sold.

Good luck with whatever you choose.  Just keep us posted and take pics.

[dug]

Great advice on on to sheath corners with a window close. I may just move the window over to avoid complications.

Don P: Am I understanding correctly that every sheathing seam should be blocked no matter which way they run? I ask because I have not noticed anyone else doing it this way an the book I am using for reference does not mention this (it is almost 30 years old though). I'm not doubting your expertise, just want to make sure I'm reading it right. Thats a lot of blocking, but by gum I'll do it!

[Don_P]

Plenty of people don't, high wind or seismic areas require it. The rules are getting tighter each round, this is one of the fastest thickening sections of the codebook. That said you will not go wrong blocking and nailing every edge well. In full scale wall and building tests the wall is over twice as strong when all edges are blocked.

When I registered on the APA website I had them email me their updates, this pair came in today, one is pertinent to this discussion, the second is a good I joist reference;
http://www.apawood.org/level_c.cfm?content=pub_searchresults&pK=Form%20SR-101&pF=Yes
http://www.apawood.org/level_c.cfm?content=pub_searchresults&pK=Form%20D710&pF=Yes

[MountainDon]

The APA links work but require registration which I didn't want to bother with right now.

When you say "all edges are blocked" am I correct in interpreting that to mean all edges that do NOT fall on a stud? That would mean the horizontal seam/joint between two panels laid with the 8 foot side horizontal. If there's a stud there's no need for blocking right there.

[MarkAndDebbie]

A number 8 nail has a larger diameter than a number 6, so it has more shear strength per nail.  If you're using a nailing gun anyway, why not just go with the larger nail.  The cost difference will be minimal, and the 1/2" inch deeper penetration into the stud won't hurt anything.  Now, if you're hand-nailing the sheathing, then maybe you have a valid reason.

Yes, my gun shoots 8d and not 6d. I was going to shoot the studs, but hand nail (I have a palm nailer actually) on the extra "blocking" where the long way was vertical. An 8d would poke through - right?

[Don_P]

I just clinch them dead when I'm working in an area or standing around near them, I use 8 ring shanks for all sheathing, keeps it simple. One thing to remember when shooting on sheathing is to not overdrive the fasteners, that really decreases the wall strength.

MD, yes blocking on all edges that do not fall on a stud. The goal is to have all 4 edges of the sheet fully attached. You haven't been reading all those fine APA links I've posted up until now 

This is current best practice for blocking on a full blown shear wall. The strip of sheathing sandwiched between the sawn blocking and the exterior sheathing is not subject to splitting so adds more to the connection between sheets. I've never gone this far, yet, just more info.

[dug]

It has just about stopped snowing enough and I am getting ready to go and cut some studs and notch for ledgers. Going over the plans I realize I still have a few questions.

Wherever possible I am trying to stick to the plans (20 by 30 1 & 1/2 story) in order to make it easier on myself. They call for 10 ft. walls.   I have already purchaced 8 ft. sheets of OSB and I can see no way out of wasting 8 sq. ft. of material for every 8 ft. of wall length. I should have got 9 ft. sheets but at the time I didn't see how that would help either. What I was not thinking about was the overlap @ the rim joist. 

That being the case, I can see no reason not to use the full 10 ft. studs, ending up with the wall  @ 10 ft. 4 1/2 in. with bottom and cap plates. I am asking this because I often miss the obvious.

Question # 2: I was going to frame the long walls first, then the gable ones. I have seen some here done in an around the horn (e.g. clockwise) fashion. Is there an advantage to this?

Last Question:  To sheath or not to sheath?  I can definitely see the advantage of at least partially sheathing the wall before standing it up but am wondering how difficult it may be to make (hopefully small) corrections in plumbing the wall should they be necessary. I think my floor is level, and I think I could get the wall square on the ground. just concerned about standing up the wall and finding out I was wrong!

[MarkAndDebbie]

That being the case, I can see no reason not to use the full 10 ft. studs, ending up with the wall  @ 10 ft. 4 1/2 in. with bottom and cap plates. I am asking this because I often miss the obvious.

That's what I am doing - by the way the 10' boards are probably not 10'. I just set up a cutting station and evened up all of them to 10' before cutting in the ledger. Don't forget any window top cripples in your let-in ledger count.

Question # 2: I was going to frame the long walls first, then the gable ones. I have seen some here done in an around the horn (e.g. clockwise) fashion. Is there an advantage to this?

We are doing two long walls and the gables short. If we had done "around the horn" it might have made bracing easier - you have to put the longs up first if you do it our way. Bracing can be easier with a corner. We did half the short walls to not get in the way.

Last Question:  To sheath or not to sheath? 

It's heavy. We're experimenting. It was much faster to sheath first.

[PEG688]

Don P: Am I understanding correctly that every sheathing seam should be blocked no matter which way they run?

 

  The wording of the IRC says something to the effect of "nail all edges".

Thats the wording the inspectors here refer to.