Page 26 - November 2015 Green Builder Magazine

The Homeowner’s Handbook SIXTH EDITION

Structure03

24 The bones of the home.

Wood framing, concrete Dimensional Lumber

www.greenbuildermag.com 11.2015 blocks and SIPs each have Virtues Caveats

pros and cons. Make sure ■■ Renewable (if forest is well ■■ May create unwanted
managed) thermal bridging
you understand your options
■■ Familiar to contractors ■■ Requires skilled labor
before you start building.
■■ Excellent durability
WHILE WOOD FRAMING is the most common
and familiar type of home structure, you Insulating Concrete Forms
have other options, including insulating
concrete forms (ICFs), structural insulated Virtues
panels (SIPs) and lightweight concrete
blocks. Of course, if you’re adventurous, ■■ Very little air
many other systems have been around for decades, including infiltration
log homes, straw bale, cordwood and even Earthships. Not every
method of construction may be right for your geography, but ■■ Lightweight forms
most technologies can be modified to accommodate your taste assemble easily
and your region. For the purposes of this primer, however, let’s
stick to the structural systems your builder is most likely to know ■■ Thermal mass of
and understand. concrete slows
temperature swings
WOOD FRAMING
Old and New Caveats

Wood, by its very nature, is a green product. If forests are ■■ Exposed foam may
managed properly, trees grow back. How do you know if need protection
forests are being treated with respect? Look for lumber that
is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (www.fsc.org) ■■ Some brands
or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (www.sfiprogram.org). require additional
Typically, energy-efficient builders prefer 2” x 6” lumber for furring strips to
vertical studs in wall cavities, because the wider space allows attach drywall
for more insulation. and siding

Another more recent wood framing technology is called
engineered wood products (EWP). Products such as studs and
joists are created in a factory with special water-resistant glues and
fibers from leftover mill lumber or fast-growing tree species. They
are pressed and glued into lightweight floor joists, rafters or other
structural pieces. The green advantages? First, engineered products
use more of the tree—there’s virtually no waste. Second, they tend
to be more stable and straight than dimensional lumber. The
downside? Certain products need to be stored carefully and installed
exactly as intended, or they can lose their structural integrity.

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