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Key Benefits of the 2x6 Wood Frame System
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Moisture
Wood and moisture are generally compatible. However in construction prolonged exposure to moisture can cause problems such as mold, decay or rot. To prevent this wood frame houses need to incorporate the correct design to ensure that moisture does not accumulate or reside in the structure for extended periods of time.
- Deflection – Roofing, siding and flashing
- Drainage – ground water must drain away from the structure
- Correct materials – the correct structural and cladding materials need to be used
- Design – a structure must be design for the anticipated climatic conditions
- Wood frame houses are routinely built in the coldest and wettest regions of North America such as Northern Ontario ’s and in British Columbia where annual rainfall levels exceed 120cm's
Durability
Some of the oldest buildings in the world are wooden. All buildings require maintenance, when properly maintained a 2x6 house will long outlast its occupants. The ease of renovation of wood frame houses when compared to concrete or steel construction allows wooden frame houses to easily evolve and change to meet changing requirements of the occupants.
Insect resistance
Insects cause damage in all types of construction.
In high risk areas strategies need to be implemented to reduce the impact of insects on wood frame construction. Wood frame houses can be built in areas with the highest levels of insect risk. There are 6 simple strategies that can be implemented to offer the greatest protection.
- Suppression
- Site management
- Soil Barriers
- Slab and foundation details
- Structural protection
- Surveillance and remediation
For more information on these steps please contact the Canadian Wood Council.
Energy Efficiency
When properly insulated wood frame construction can help keep you warm in winter and cool in summer. Wood is easy to insulate to high standards. Unlike Steel and Concrete wood does not have the problems such as thermal bridging and moisture condensation on cold surfaces. Wood frame construction for commercial and residential building can help keep energy costs low.
Healthy house
Customers who care about the materials used in construction care about the health impacts materials have on their environment. Wood is a natural material, it has no negative health impact. There are no glues, no formaldehyde and no volatile organic compounds.
Fire retardation
Studies have shown that only 0.2% of deaths in a home fire are attributable to structural collapse. Most deaths are as a result of smoke inhalation and heat caused by the combustion of the contents of a home. When wood burns a char forms on the outer surface, providing a level of protection to the central portion of the piece retaining the structural rigidity. This can give the critical time needed to evacuate and tackle a fire.
Key Stages in the Construction of a 2x6 Wood Frame Home
Step 1: Foundation Sequence
Poured Solid Foundation: A footing is poured as a base for the foundation walls. A combination of Plywood sheets and 2x4 supports are utilized to create the form work for concrete wall placement. Lower grades of lumber can be utilized for this non structural purpose. Once the concrete has cured, the plywood and 2x4 supports are removed, and can be further utilized within the project.
Concrete Cinder Blocks: are also commonly used for housing foundations. After the concrete blocks are laid, the voids can be filled with a cement-based mortar or poured concrete that contains small pea gravel to make the foundation walls nearly identical to poured concrete walls.
Step 2: Wall Framing (from Concrete or Cinder Block)
Pressure treated Sill Plates are anchored to the concrete foundation walls or Cinder Block by embedded anchor bolts. Pressure treated lumber offers resistance to moisture/rot as well as insect resistance. From here exterior wall framing occurs. 2x6 studs are framed to create the exterior load bearing frame. Within the interior, wood studs are utilized to carry internal load bearing loads.
Step 3: Main Floor Framing
Conventional Floor framing incorporates the utilization of dimensional lumber. Typically solid 2x8 or 2x10 floor joists or Pre-Engineered floor joists are laid at regular intervals, across the exterior load bearing walls, to the interior load bearing structures. An exterior “Rim Joist” ties the outside edges of the joists together.
To provide lateral stability, am OSB or Plywood continuous sub floor is nailed to the joist.
Step 4: Wall Framing @ Main Floor
Once the floor platform is framed, wood framed wall utilizing 2x6 studs at regular intervals are used to create the exterior enclosure and frame of the building. 2x4 framed interior load bearing walls and partition walls create the interior spaces.
The flexibility of wood-framing allows for much variety in; window and door opening sizes and shapes, bay window projections, cantilevered floors, exterior porch framing.
Step 5: Upper Floor Framing
Alternative methods to Conventional Floor framing can be achieved utilizing “Pre-Engineered” wood products. An example is the utilization of “I-joists”. This is a light weight, pre-engineered floor framing system that has advantages of speed of erection.
Step 6: Upper Floor Wall Framing
As the plywood sub floor is complete, wall framing can commence to complete the interior volumes under the roof. The stud walls can be framed to various heights to allow for the support in preparation of the roof frame structure. This permits for a wide range of roof shapes.
Once the Exterior framed walls are complete, the exterior wood frame is sheathed with Oriented Stand Board panels, or OSB. This sheathing provides a unifying diaphragm to the frame of the structure, in addition to becoming a critical element for the enclosure of the structure. This system of floor and wall diaphragms gives Wood-frame construction unparalleled resistance to earthquakes, while creating tremendous thermal properties for warmth and comfort.
Step 7: Roof Construction
Whether, framing steep roofs, or flat roofs, wood-framing construction is an economical solution to address the issues. Wood-Framed roofs can be framed utilizing Conventional Framing, typically solid 2x8 or 2x10 are used. Or alternatively the use of Pre-engineered roof trusses. Utilizing MSR- Machine stress rated lumber.
Wood framing techniques, together with the utilization of a variety of wood products, as a primary system of construction is an efficient, economical, and sustainable method of construction to address the variety of issues in the global building markets.