| Framing--the Backbone of your Log Cabin
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| | the joists. If you usepier foundations,
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| Framing is the structural skeleton of
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| | be sure to follow the sectional drawings
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| your house. The drawing atthe top
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| | foreach cottage, because this header may
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| indicates the important framing members
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| | actually be a girderaround the outside of
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| of any of thecottages. The most important
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| | the building.
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| elements are the sill, header,joists,
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| | Also be sure that the joists are securely
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| girders, sole, flooring, studs, plate,
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| | spiked to the header.
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| and rafters.
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| | Try, as far as possible, to make the
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| Let's take a look at these parts.
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| | headers of one continuouspiece of
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| Except in the case of concrete slab
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| | material. If this isn't possible, be sure
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| construction, the sill isthe first wood
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| | to join thepieces over the center line of
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| member to rest on the foundations and
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| | one of the piers.
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| will be thefirst wood member you will put
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| | Joists members are what your flooring
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| down. The sill is usually a
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| | will rest on. The sizesapplicable to each
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| 2-by-4-inch piece. In pier construction
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| | building are shown in the sectional and
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| you will note that Ihave occasionally
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| | plandrawings. In most cases they are
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| used a 2-by-6-inch member. This is
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| | 2-by-6-Inch members laid 16inches on
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| because theheader is made up of two
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| | center. I have tried to design all the
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| pieces 2 inches thick, instead of one,as
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| | camps so thatit will not be necessary to
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| shown in the illustration.
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| | cut most of the joists.
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| Sills form a bearing surface for the
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| | They are standard lengths which you can
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| undersides of joists. Theyshould be
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| | purchase from your locallumberyard.
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| bolted to the slab or wall foundations.
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| | Because the joint spans are short, it
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| If you areusing pier foundations, it is
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| | isn'tnecessary to bridge the members.
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| important that you first put downthe sill
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| | However, if you want a reallygood job,
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| around the building, then spike the inner
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| | put l-by-3-inch pieces of lumber between
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| header to thesill from the underside.
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| | joists asshown in the sketch at the side.
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| After this is done, lay out the joistsand
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| | You can also buy metal bridgingif you
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| securely spike the inner header to them.
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| | would rather use it.
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| At the corners, stagger these two parts.
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| | Bridging is usually done every 8 feet
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| Then spike the outerheader to the inner
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| | along the length of thejoist. The floor
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| one, overlapping at the staggered
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| | joists are typically designed to take a
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| corneredge. What you have done is to
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| | uniformload of 40 pounds. The fiber
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| build a girder with a restingplace for
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| | stress (f) is 900 or over. Don'tworry
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| the joists.
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| | your head about these figures.
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| Headers, except as noted above, are
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| | What it means to you is that you should
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| usually 2 inches thick andthe same width
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| | use Douglas fir (Coast
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| as the joists. They run around the
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| | Region or Inland Empire), West Coast
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| outsideperimeter of the building and help
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| | hemlock, Western larch,
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| keep the joists in a verticalposition.
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| | Southern yellow pine, redwood, oak, or
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| They also help to transmit the roof and
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| | any other wood having thenecessary
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| wall loads tothe foundation.
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| | characteristics. Most yards carry either
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| The notched joist arrangement is used
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| | Douglas firor hemlock for framing
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| when no sill is provided.
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| | purposes.
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| The blocking provides a bearing spot for
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