Tag: architecture

So how many types of wood and composite wood siding are there? Well, aside from shingles and shakes, there are these.

Some of these are available in composites, which are sometimes partially made of wood sawdust or chips, and partially plastic. As far as we know, they last longer than wood, and require much less paint or preservatives, if any. I think they are a good idea, but they are, as you might expect, more expensive. Eventually, composites will more often be made of recycled materials, because it is possible and oil for plastic will get more expensive. Did you know that Maine is the home of some of the nations leading experts in composites, and many are manufactured here?

Regular solid wood clapboards are usually made of cedar. They have two sides: one is smooth and the other is less smooth. If you are planning on staining them, you might get a more interesting look if you expose the rougher side. If you are going to paint them, the smooth side is usually favored.

It is important to buy stainless or rust proof nails when fastening clapboards or shingles, or expect that the rust will penetrate your stain or paint eventually and leave rust lines on your siding.

There are several types of roof trusses, all of which solve different design and space problems, provide different load bearing capacities, and use different dimensions of lumber. Your local lumber suppliers are usually affiliated with a local truss supplier, or you may contact them directly. Here is a chart illustrating commonly used truss patterns.

Metal roofing is the best idea on a home with a sloped roof. Metal will last longer than you will. Asphalt gets replaced in 25 years in most cases. Asphalt is made of petroleum, which is bad for the environment and the future economy and is nearly an obsolete technology. You could take a peak at “solar roofing” in which the roof looks like a metal roof, but actually provides electricity too. As you can see, there are a number of patterns and looks for metal roofing. If you like shingles, or the ceramic tile look, or you are okay with straight seems, its all available in metal. Check out this website.

http://www.metalroofing.com/

Laminated Structural Timber, also called Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL), and even called Microlaminated Lumber, is composed of layers of wood joined with glue. It is usually stronger than the same dimension of solid lumber. It costs a little more per board foot, but you tend to need smaller members, and it tends to be very straight and consistent over the entire length of the board. It can be exposed and finished just like solid wood, even with a stain, and it looks nice. A large beam of solid wood would actually cost a lot more than LVL because it comes from a large tree which, these days, is rare. If you are building a post and beam structure, it is a pleasure to work with, again, because it is seldom warped or marred and drills and cuts clean with a sharp bit or blade. The glue does tend to dull blades rather early, but its worth it. It is not always a better choice than steel or a truss joist system, or even a chorded truss. But it is used a lot by an architect for beams and headers.

http://www.ilevel.com/default.aspx

 

I have watch all kinds of wood decking over the years. They all require regular laborious maintenence. New products are on the market that overcome that burden with substantial longevity, and they look great. Composite decking is partly wood and partly synthetic. You may have to drill starter holes for the nails. Maybe even use screws to fasten them down. I encourage you to consider something like this material.

Hardwood Style Exterior Decking

Of course you would like to see all the choices available for beautiful floorings you might install in your new house. If you can open a website, you can have a lot of fun shopping for flooring. I have made the effort to provide you with some links to nice flooring galleries of recommendable manfucturers. Enjoy!

http://www.armstrong.com/

http://www.bellawood.com

http://www.lumberliquidators.com

http://www.heartwoodpine.com/

http://www.heartpine.com

Ants or termites will find a way to get into your walls and eat the studs, especially if moisture occurs. You have only two options: 1. apply pesticide every year around your perimeter or – 2. install a zinc flashing under the sill planks, on top of the foundation wall, with a 1-1/2 inch lip draping over the wall at a 45 degree angle.

A few companies manufacture them preformed, but you can fashion one from a role of zinc flashing. Don’t use aluminium or copper or some galvanized metal. They will react to the pressure treated wood and concrete and break down chemically.

This is the green thing to do. The ants are not harmed, the ground is not poisoned, but they can’t get in and you only do it once. If your house is preserved from destruction, you are conserving natural resources. That is green. Write me if you want to see a graphic detail of this shield in a wall. If you build to last, you save on material resources.

I will admit, it is curiously difficult to find a building materials supplier in Maine who has any idea what a Termit Shield looks like, or a builder who ever installs them. Mainers are under the impression that they are unecessary due to the impression that termites seldom appear in Maine. However, we already have a severe problem in Maine with ants infesting homes and eating the wood frame of the house. What is traditionally called a “termite shield” will also work for ants. If you do not install one in your house, you are making a serious mistake. I found two companies online who supply termite shields. Print them and bring them to your builder or supplier and tell them you want these on your home. They are installed by laying them along the top of the foundation wall, under the sills. Here are links to their PDF brochures.