OSB can play its part in design plans of any house

20 August 2015

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The ‘Inside View House’, under construction with the US Department of Agriculture Forest Products Laboratory and the APA Engineered Wood Association by Beechen & Dill Homes, shows how OSB can be part of design plans to replace joists, studs, wall and floor framing methods to save energy, speed installation, and reduce waste.

The new home, a Keystone model by Beecher & Dill, is under construction in suburban Chicago and has become a learning tool for builders, architects, and code officials to experience and observe new more efficient framing practices.

The Inside View project, a demonstration house, provides a look at straightforward energy-efficient construction techniques that can be replicated in nearly any house.

It features advanced framing practices such as 24in on-centre spacing and corners and headers that provide more space for cavity insulation.

The robust floor system has 24in on-centre spacing, allowing for ductwork runs while eliminating about one-third of the required joists and subsequently requiring one-third less labour and adhesive.

Higher-series, deeper 14in I-joists allowed the builder to avoid double joists and, in combination with an upgraded 7/8in OSB subfloor, resulted in a stiff floor system despite the wider spacing.