All Things Wood: The Critical Job of Truss Builders Frank Woeste Last month’s fine article by Glenn Traylor, “How Do I Choose Which Plates for a Critical Plate Inspection?”, reminded me of investigative experiences I’ve had throughout my career. The work of truss builders is extremely important, as evidenced by instances of truss... Read More June 2019 Issue #11239 Page 56
All Things Wood: IBC Balcony Changes Spur “Best Practice” Design Recommendations Frank Woeste Because of their limited structural redundancy and exposure to weather, cantilevered balconies require special attention by design professionals, contractors, permitting and inspection departments, and owners in-service. As shown in the photos, modern wood-framed, multi-family projects often... Read More April 2019 Issue #11237 Page 60
All Things Wood: Addressing the Roof Truss Design Note: “Provide adequate drainage to prevent water ponding.” Frank Woeste The purpose of this article to examine the significance and implementation of a typical note that appears on metal plate connected roof-truss drawings when a top-chord-pitch of ¼:12 or less is specified by the Construction Documents. Three questions will be addressed: What is the... Read More January 2019 Issue #11234 Page 46
All Things Wood: Truss Lumber: Checking the Moisture Content Frank Woeste The lack of attention to the moisture content (MC) of lumber used in truss manufacturing can cause or contribute to in-service performance issues. Mr. Glenn Traylor’s fine article in the September issue of The Advertiser, “Does Your Lumber Have a Shelf Life?”, was greatly... Read More October 2018 Issue #10231 Page 80
When Fashion Affects Structure—Floor Design Considerations for Preventing Tile and Stone Cracks Frank Woeste Two kinds of designers are involved in home construction—design professionals responsible for the structure and the interior-focused designers responsible for the final appearance. Although these roles can overlap, it is important for design professionals to be aware of in-service demands... Read More June 2018 Issue #10227 Page 60
All Things Wood: Safety Information for Post-Frame Truss Installation Frank Woeste The recent jobsite installation accident involving truss construction, “Three injured in north Washington County barn collapse,” is a reminder of the incredible value of BCSI-B10 for truss installation contractors who install trusses spanning up to 81-ft. and spaced up to 12-ft.... Read More February 2018 Issue #10223 Page 75
All Things Wood: Wood Frame Construction Manual—a Valuable Structural Design Guide Frank Woeste While the International Residential Code (IRC) gives the structural requirements and prescriptive design data for residential framing, additional help for the non-engineer is available through the Wood Frame Construction Manual for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (WFCM) published by the American... Read More January 2018 Issue #10222 Page 73
All Things Wood: The Pioneer of MSR Lumber Frank Woeste The knowledge we take for granted today on MSR lumber is due in large part to the pioneering work of Professor Robert Hoyle, P.E. In the early 1960s at Potlatch Forest, Inc., he conducted basic research on the relationship between stiffness and strength of lumber, paving the way for the MSR... Read More October 2017 Issue #10219 Page 74
All Things Wood: Evaluating an Existing Residential Deck Frank Woeste Since 2003, deck researchers and representatives of the code community have worked to improve and expand the deck provisions in the International Residential Code (IRC). I believe the deck-related provisions of the 2015 IRC, coupled with best practices in the American Wood Council DCA6-2012,... Read More August 2017 Issue #10217 Page 66
All Things Wood: Anatomy of an Inherently Dangerous Deck Frank Woeste Over the period of nine days starting on June 9, 2017, five deck collapses in five states (MT, VA, OH. MI, and WI) were reported in the news media. Using the injury data from the media, the five collapses resulted in a total of 57 injuries. In one case, WAVY.com reported that, after an... Read More July 2017 Issue #10216 Page 76