One of the most exciting periods of new home construction is
the framing stage, when two-dimensional plans take on three-dimensional shape.
As floors, walls, and a roof rise from the ground, the owners can envision the
finished home and walk through its spaces.
As a professional builder, we are always seeking better ways
to build. The framing stage provides several opportunities to construct a home
faster and within the budget without sacrificing quality. The latest techniques
for framing actually improve a home's structural integrity, performance, and
durability. Here are just a few of the methods and materials we consider for
this stage of construction:
Advanced framing. This technique removes unnecessary
structural components like extra wall studs and blocking. By reducing the
amount of lumber we use, we lower both costs and waste. Because it increases quality and reduces waste, advanced
framing is a tenet of sustainable green building practices around the country.
Engineered lumber. Engineered lumber is made
from strands or chips of wood that are reassembled with glue, heat and pressure
into large beams and I-shaped sections. Tough and stable, engineered lumber
allows us to span the longer distances common in open floor plans and high
ceilings. These products are frequently made from smaller and sustainably grown
timber resources, instead of old-growth trees, which makes them more
environmentally attractive, as well.
Panels and trusses. For decades, builders have used roof trusses (pre-made sections of the roof's frame) to
build houses better and faster. The same technology is now applied to floors
and walls, with similar benefits. Factory-built and quality-controlled panels
and trusses allow us to create unique spaces almost impossible with traditional
framing techniques. These components also reduce our waste stream, leaving a
clean job site during what can be a very messy stage of construction.
While they may not look it, homes today are built quite
differently than they were even a decade ago. Nowhere is this difference more
evident than in the new framing products and techniques we now have at our
command. These systems allow us to build more efficient, higher quality homes,
delivering a final product that performs as promised and meets the needs and
expectations of our owners.
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