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Framing the Project House with Southern Pine Lumber
We're using Southern Pine lumber throughout the foundation and frame of this
year's Project House. Southern Pine has among the highest design values of all
American softwoods, so it's a favorite choice of builders when it comes to
choosing lumber for residential framing. Southern Pine holds fasteners well,
it's durable, and it's easily treatable with preservatives. Southern Pine is
also a very fast-growing timber, and the rapid regeneration of harvested Southern
Pine lumber makes using Southern Pine an environmentally positive decision.
Protection Against Termites, Fungus and Mold
Because of the prevalence of Formosan termites and fungal mold in the
Dallas area, where we're building the Project House, we are creating an
"envelope" of pressure-treated lumber around the foundation and ground
floor of the Project House. By building on a raised floor pier-and-beam
foundation, we're gaining further protection by elevating the home, above the
moisture source for fungus and mold and above the primary termite habitat.
The protection actually begins beneath the subfloor on the ground floor
with pressure-treated Southern Pine trusses. These trusses, using lumber from
Georgia-Pacific corporation, were treated with EPA-approved Alkaline Copper
Quat (ACQ) preservative from Chemical Specialties, Inc. The trusses were
constructed by American Truss Systems, Inc., and provide the first layer of
protection against termites, fungus and mold in the Project House.
The Framing Material
The ground floor exterior solid-sawn 2"x6" wall studs from
Georgia-Pacific were also treated with ACQ. This extends the protection right
up into the walls of the first floor. The primary active agent We always like
to build with 2"x6" exterior studs, for the extra strength and
stability that 2"x6" studs provide. Plus, 2"x6" studs
allow for roughly R-19 of insulation value, compared to the R-13 that can
generally be achieved with 2"x4"s.
Finger-Jointed Studs
We're using 2"x4" finger-jointed Southern Pine studs from
Temple-Inland to frame out all interior walls. On the second floor, we're
using 2"x6" finger-jointed studs from Georgia-Pacific.
Finger-jointed studs are straighter than solid-sawn studs and they stay
straighter when they're subjected to heat or humidity. This helps eliminate
nail pops in drywall and other related wall problems. All major U.S.
building code organizations accept finger-jointed studs as interchangeable
with solid-sawn lumber for use in building design.
Solid-sawn studs are cut and milled from single pieces of lumber.
Finger-jointed studs are engineered from shorter pieces, often from trees
that otherwise would have ended up as wastage. Each piece is kiln-dried,
then finger profiles are cut into each end. Structural adhesive is applied,
then the finger joints are compressed together.
Using this process, it is possible to create an "endless"
run of 2"x4" or 2"x6" finger jointed lumber that can
then be cut to length and cured to provided an upgraded, custom-cut
structural wood product. Some companies also manufacture a 2"x3"
stud. The most commonly available lengths of Southern Pine finger-jointed
studs are Precision End-Trimmed (P.E.T.) lengths of 92 5/8", 96",
104 5/8", and 108", but the studs may be cut to any length up to
12 feet. This flexibility greatly reduces on-site wastage due to end-cuts.
Contact Information:
Southern Pine Council
(504) 443-4464
Georgia-Pacific Corporation
(800) BUILD-GP
Potlatch Corporation
(888) 785-2824
Chemical Specialties, Inc.
(800) 421-8661
American Truss Systems, Inc.
(281) 442-4584
Panel Truss Texas, Inc.
(903) 657-7000
Truss Manufacturers Association of Texas
(608) 274-4849 x19 |
