Get to Know New House Framing Materials

If you're like most people, when you think of thehas a thick plywood border strip on both the top
materials that are used in house framing, youand the bottom. They're lighter to install, perfectly
picture basic lumber. What you may not knowflat, so they don't need to be crowned, and they
though, is that over the years new engineeredcan span longer distances.
wood products, and metal hardware has beenGlu-Lams for House Framing
developed that you can use to build a sturdier,Glu-lams are are made by shredding wood into
and safer home.long thin strips then gluing, and pressing the strips
Finger Jointed Studsinto long thick lumber to replace beam material
Finger jointed studs are made by cutting 2 x 4slike 4 x12s. So what's the benefit of using glu-lams
up into short blocks, and them rejoining thesesin house framing? The benefits are that they
blocks back together end to end, to form actualdon't warp or twist, and are in fact stronger, so
framing studs. So why are they a better product?they can span greater distances.
They're better because by cutting the wood up, itNew Engineered Metal Hardware
eliminates any grain running continuously along theThere is a huge selection of various types of
length of the stud, and this stops twisting andmetal hardware that can be installed in several
warpingareas during house framing. Hurricane clips for
Engineered Wood Floor Joistsinstance, are installed on the outer perimeter of a
Engineered floor joists come in a few differenthome, up on the top plates. They attach to the
types, with one of the most popular being whatrafters or, the trusses on one end, and to the
are commonly referred to as j-joists or, trusstop plates at the other, and help to keep the roof
joists. They are made from thin pressed osb thatfrom blowing off in strong winds.