1101 - New Project Begins September 4-10, 2000 | March 5-11, 2001 HI, I'M BOB VILA. WELCOME HOME AGAIN
TO THE BEGINNING OF A BRAND NEW PROJECT IN MT. PLEASANT,
JUST OUTSIDE OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
IT'S A TRADITIONALLY DESIGNED HOUSE
BUT WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM.
AND WE'RE BUILDING IN A VERY PROGRESSIVE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A TOUR TODAY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM
TO SEE HOW THEY'RE DESIGNING A COMMUNITY
THAT REALLY HEARKENS BACK TO SIMPLER TIMES.
AND WE'LL MEET OUR BUILDER AND FRAME THE FIRST FLOOR DECK.
STICK AROUND. IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY SEARS
THE STORY HERE IS ABOUT LOW COUNTRY ARCHITECTURE,
WHICH IS A STYLE OF BUILDING THAT DEVELOPED
IN THE 18th AND 19th CENTURIES
AND IT REALLY CAME FROM THE MIXING AND MINGLING OF CULTURES THAT WERE HERE
AS WELL AS THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE LOW COUNTRY IS FOUND ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST,
INLAND FOR A COUPLE OF MILES,
AND IT'S CALLED THAT BECAUSE THE LAND ACTUALLY IS ALMOST ALWAYS AT SEA LEVEL.
NOW ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS IS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP RICE
PLANTATIONS.
IN THE 18th AND 19th CENTURIES, UP UNTIL THE CIVIL WAR,
IT WAS THE SOURCE OF A LOT OF WEALTH IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.
WITH THE RICE PLANTATIONS YOU GOT STAGNANT WATER,
YOU GOT MOSQUITOES, YOU GOT MALARIA;
IN FACT, THIS DEVELOPMENT OF THIS LOW COUNTRY STYLE OF BUILDING
WAS BROUGHT ALONG BY ALL THESE DIFFERENT FACTORS.
HERE IN OLD MT. PLEASANT VILLAGE,
HOUSES WITH LONG, GRACEFUL PORCHES,
OR PIAZZAS AS THEY WERE CALLED,
WERE A MUST FOR PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT MALARIA WAS AIRBORNE,
AND THE BETTER THE VENTILATION,
THE BETTER THE CHANCES OF AVOIDING IT.
IT ALSO HELPS TO KEEP THE HEAT DOWN
DURING THE SULTRY DAYS OF SUMMER.
THESE HOUSES WERE SIMPLE, FUNCTIONAL, EVEN DEMOCRATIC.
AFTER THE REVOLUTION,
RICH PLANTERS DIDN'T WANT TO BUILD OSTENTATIOUS HOUSES.
THEY ALSO DIDN'T WANT TO STAY ON THE PLANTATIONS WHERE IT WAS HOT AND UNHEALTHY.
SO HERE AT THE SHORE THEY BUILT HOUSES REMINISCENT OF THOSE
THEY'D SEEN ON THEIR TRADING MISSIONS DOWN IN THE CARIBBEAN,
AND EVEN IN NEW ENGLAND.
IT'S A TERRIFIC MIX, AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START
WHEN YOU'RE DESIGNING THIS NEW COMMUNITY CALLED I'ON.
LET'S GO TAKE A LOOK.
I'M WITH VINCE GRAHAM NOW, WHO'S ONE OF THE FOUNDERS
OF THE I'ON COMMUNITY OR NEIGHBORHOOD,
HERE JUST 15 MINUTES OUTSIDE OF CHARLESTON,
AND I DON'T WASN'T TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE VERY BUSY WITH, WHAT, 70 HOUSES THAT YOU'RE BUILDING,
BUT JUST LET ME ASK YOU A FEW BASIC QUESTIONS, VINCE,
LIKE, WHAT DOES I'ON MEAN, FIRST OF ALL?
WHERE DOES THIS NAME I'ON COME FROM?
WELL, JACOB BOND I'ON WAS A PROMINENT SOUTH CAROLINA CITIZEN.
HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE,
HERO OF THE WAR OF 1812,
BURIED IN A LITTLE CEMETERY ABOUT A HALF MILE FROM HERE.
SO THIS WAS HIS LAND?
THIS WAS ALL PART OF HIS HOLDINGS.
OK, BUT EVENTUALLY THIS WAS USED--
THIS IS HIGHLAND, HIGH GROUND HERE ON THIS BARRIER ISLAND,
AND I HEARD THIS LITTLE LAKE WAS DUG OUT AS PART OF A ROCK PIT
OR A BORROW--
A BORROW PIT.
THEY USED THE MATERIAL TO BUILD ROADS IN MT. PLEASANT.
OK, AND NOW WHAT YOU'RE CREATING HERE
IS KIND OF A COMMUNITY THAT HEARKENS BACK TO THE 19th CENTURY,
BUT YOU'RE DOING IT FROM SCRATCH.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PHILOSOPHY.
WELL, BASICALLY, WE'RE INSPIRED BY THESE TRADITIONAL TOWNS
LIKE THE OLD VILLAGE IN DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON,
AND WE COMBINE THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THOSE PLACES
WITH MODERN ADVANCES TO BUILD NEW NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID IS THE TYPE OF NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT YOU SEE IN DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, POST-WORLD WAR II,
WHERE YOU CAN DRIVE DOWN THE STREET, ALL THE HOUSES LOOK THE SAME,
AND YOU CAN GET LOST AND THEY ALL HAVE DOUBLE GARAGE DOORS.
WELL, THAT'S TRUE. THE ROADS ARE--
THE PUBLIC REALM, IF YOU WILL, THE PLACES WE SHARE
LIKE ROADS AND PARKS, WE PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO.
WE WANT THOSE PLACES TO BE MORE THAN JUST A MEANS
FOR AUTOMOBILES TO GET BACK AND FORTH,
BUT TO REFLECT POSITIVELY ON THE PRIVATE REALM, ON THE HOUSES,
AND THE HOUSES TO REFLECT POSITIVELY ON THE PUBLIC REALM,
ON THE STREETS AND PARKS,
AND THAT WAY THE WHOLE IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THE PARTS.
NOW, THERE'S A MAN NAMED ANDRES DUANY WHO'S PLAYED A ROLE HERE.
ISN'T HE KIND OF ONE OF THE ORIGINATORS OF THE CONCEPT?
ANDRES IS A FOUNDER OF THE CONGRESS FOR THE NEW URBANISM.
HIS FIRM PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE INITIAL PLANNING FOR I'ON.
SO, I KNOW HE WAS ONE OF THE DEVELOPERS OF SEASIDE,
DOWN IN PENSACOLA, ONE OF THE CREATORS.
HE WAS THE PLANNER. HE AND HIS WIFE WERE THE PLANNERS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THOUGHT THAT'S GONE INTO THIS.
THANKS A LOT, VINCE. WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH JOE BARNES RIGHT NOW,
WHO'S THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE COMMUNITY OF I'ON.
SO, JOE, THIS IS SO EXCITING.
IT'S A NEW COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE CREATING HERE.
AND YOU'VE ALREADY GOT A PERCENTAGE OF IT
BUILT OUT AND OCCUPIED, RIGHT?
YES, WE'VE BEEN REALLY FORTUNATE
TO BE WELL-RECEIVED BY THE MARKETPLACE HERE.
WE PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY,
SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY CAN'T GET ANYWHERE ELSE.
EXCEPT IN SOMETHING LIKE THE OLD VILLAGE IN MT. PLEASANT
OR DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON.
RIGHT, WE WERE JUST TALKING WITH VINCE A MINUTE AGO ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE,
THE FACT THAT YOU'VE GOT STREETS AND CUL DE SACS AND PLAY AREAS LIKE THAT
THE PROXIMITY OF THE HOUSES. HOW BIG IS THE PLACE GONNA BE?
WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT 760 FAMILIES LIVING HERE.
UH, IN TOTAL, WE'RE ABOUT 243 ACRES,
SO PROBABLY ABOUT 22-2,300 PEOPLE WILL BE LIVING HERE
WHEN IT'S ALL BUILT OUT.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE PRICES?
THEY RANGE--WE HAVE SORT OF A GOOD MIX OF RANGES
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DON'T HAVE IS MINIMUM SQUARE FOOTAGES,
SO WE HAVE HOUSES RANGING FROM PROBABLY $179,000,
HOUSES THAT HAVE APPRAISED FOR OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THERE'S A GOOD MIX THAT YOU'LL FIND IN HERE,
AND THAT LEADS TO A GOOD MIX OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, TOO.
RIGHT, AND THERE'S A MIX OF LOCATIONS AS WELL.
YOU CAN BE PRACTICALLY WATERFRONT ON ONE OF THE TWO LAKES
OR YOU CAN BE PRACTICALLY IN THE WOODS, WHERE WE'RE BUILDING.
RIGHT, AND WHAT'S NICE ABOUT THAT TOO
IS WE PUBLICIZE ALL THE AMENITIES,
SO EVEN IF YOU LIVE IN A LOT THAT'S NOT NEAR THE LAKE
YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE YOUR EVENING STROLL AROUND THE LAKE
AND RUN INTO YOUR NEIGHBORS
AND HAVE THESE CASUAL INTRODUCTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE
IN PLACES THAT HAVE GREAT URBAN REALM, LIKE SOME OF THE PLACES WE'RE FOLLOWING.
RIGHT, THE HOUSES BEHIND YOU REALLY DEMONSTRATE THE PROXIMITY TO THE STREET
TO THE SIDEWALK, THE PORCHES, YOU CAN BE OUT ON A ROCKER
AND YOU CAN MEET SOMEBODY THAT WALKS BY.
THEY'RE ALL CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
AT THE ARCHITECTURE IN JUST A MINUTE.
GREAT, THANKS.
WHEN WE COME BACK WE'LL MEET OUR GENERAL CONTRACTORS
AND GET STARTED AT OUR BUILDING SITE.
MACKY HILL IS DESIGN COORDINATOR HERE AT I'ON
AND YOU ARE A NATIVE OF CHARLESTON
AND A REAL...WELL, A REAL STUDENT OF ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY.
YEAH, IT'S BEEN MY GREAT LOVE SINCE I WAS A CHILD.
ME, TOO. LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR HOUSES HERE,
BECAUSE THIS IS BRAND NEW...WHAT IS IT?
IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF LOW COUNTRY VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE,
IT'S NOT EXACTLY CLASSICAL BUT IT HAS A LOT OF CLASSICAL HALLMARKS.
YOU SEE THE 2-STORY PORCHES ARE FAIRLY DEEP AND VERY TALL.
THE IDEA IS TO SHADE YOU IN THE SUMMER SUN FROM DIRECT LIGHT
WHICH BRINGS HEAT IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
EVERYTHING HAS A FUNCTION, SURE.
EXACTLY, YET WE STILL WANT TO MAKE THEM TALL ENOUGH
SO THAT IN THE WINTER, WHEN THE SUN IS LOW LIKE IT IS TODAY,
YOU CAN CATCH A LOT OF DIRECT LIGHT WHEN YOU WANT IT.
SO IT HEATS THE HOUSE.
SO WHAT ABOUT THIS VERY TALL GREEN HOUSE HERE
BEHIND THE OAKS AND THE SPANISH MOSS?
THIS IS A MORE MODERN INTERPRETATION.
YOU SEE A LITTLE MORE CLASSICAL DETAILING, ROUND COLUMNS.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS REALLY NOT COPY THE PAST;
WE'RE TRYING TO TEACH THE ARCHITECTS THE OLD WAYS OF LOOKING AT ARCHITECTURE
SO IN MODERN DESIGNS LIKE THIS IT STILL WOULD HAVE FIT LONG AGO.
IT'S THE TRADITION.
NOW HERE WE HAVE A SIMILAR HOUSE WITH A DOUBLE STORY PORCH
BUT IT'S ALL IN BRICK. IS THAT TYPICAL HERE IN CHARLESTON?
YES, BRICK ACTUALLY WAS THE MOST COMMON MATERIAL.
CHARLESTON BURNED TO THE GROUND SEVERAL TIMES.
AFTER ABOUT 1740 JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING BECAME BRICK.
IT'S LOCALLY MADE AND IT WAS THE MOST AVAILABLE FINE BUILDING MATERIAL HERE.
AND I'VE HEARD THAT RIGHT NOW, AS WE ENTER THE MILLENNIUM,
IT'S TOUGH TO GET MASONS AND IT'S TOUGH TO GET BRICK
AND BUILDING MATERIALS BECAUSE OF THE BUILDING BOOM.
IT'S TOUGH, AND RIGHT NOW IT'S ABOUT A 180-DAY WAIT ON GOOD BRICK,
SO IT'S PRECLUDED MANY BRICK HOUSES.
PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T HAVE 6 MONTHS TO WAIT.
WHAT KIND OF BRICK ARE WE USING HERE?
THESE ARE A MODERN APPROXIMATION OF THE OLD CHARLESTON GRAY BRICKS.
CHARLESTON GRAY BRICKS WERE THE STANDARD LOCAL CLAYS.
THEY'RE ELEGANT AND THEY ALSO COST ABOUT $2,000 A THOUSAND,
IF YOU CAN FIND THEM, CUSTOM-MADE, 750,
SO THESE ARE MORE AFFORDABLE, FORTUNATELY.
OK, AND THEY'RE MEANT TO HAVE THAT KIND OF FLASH IN THEM.
YES, THEY ARE.
NOW I JUST NOTICED ON THIS FACADE
YOU'VE GOT 4 WINDOWS AND THEN WHAT LOOKS TO BE
2 OPENINGS THAT WERE BRICKED UP ALREADY
AND THE HOUSE ISN'T FINISHED YET. WHAT'S THE STORY?
BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FOLLOW THE FENESTRATION,
THE TRADITIONAL PATTERN OF LINING UP WINDOWS
IS ONE OF THE KEYS TO GETTING THE OLD LOOK.
IF YOU NOTICE, ABOVE THOSE IS THE CHIMNEY.
RATHER THAN HAVE JUST A BLANK EXPANSE OF WALL,
IN THE OLD DAYS THEY WOULD HAVE PUT A NICHE THERE,
THEY'D STILL GIVE IT A SILL AND JACK ARCH OVER THE WINDOW
TO GIVE IT THE APPEARANCE OF ANOTHER WINDOW,
BUT IT'S BASICALLY JUST TO GIVE THE PATTERN THE FENESTRATION.
IT'S A NICE TOUCH. NOW THIS HOUSE HERE
HAS THE LOOK OF A PALLADIAN HOUSE.
IT DOES. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SEEN FROM ACROSS THE LAKE A LITTLE BIT.
AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHEN IT'S FINISHED,
AND THE GREENERY IS ALL FILLED IN ON EITHER SIDE,
IT'LL LOOK LIKE A LITTLE TEMPLE FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE.
AND YOU EVEN SEE THE LACK OF DETAIL IN THE TYMPANUM--
THE TRIANGLE.
THE TRIANGULAR PART,
WE'VE GONE WITH NOT OVERLAPPING SIDING
BUT SHIPLAP, VERY FLUSH,
AND IT'S TO TAKE AWAY DETAILING SO THAT YOU BRING ATTENTION TO THAT.
THOSE ARE THE SUBTLE NUANCES THAT WILL MAKE I'ON VERY DISTINCTIVE.
THANK YOU, WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN.
RIGHT NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO VISIT OUR BUILDING SITE
AND MEET OUR CONTRACTORS.
BETSY AND KEVIN KALMAN ARE THE GENERAL CONTRACTORS
AND YOU ARE NOT ONLY PARTNERS IN BUSINESS,
BUT PARTNERS IN LIFE. YOU'RE MARRIED.
THAT'S RIGHT.
HOW LONG? 12 YEARS.
AND HOW DO YOU DIVIDE THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE BUSINESS?
WHO DOES WHAT?
I DO THE OFFICE MANAGEMENT, BOOKKEEPING, MONEY STUFF,
INSURANCE AND MARKETING.
I TAKE CARE OF ON-SITE SUPERVISION
AND DEALING WITH THE CLIENTS AND THE SELLING.
IT'S A NICE PARTNERSHIP.
THE DREAM HOUSE. HOW DID YOU GET THIS JOB?
IT'S A GREAT JOB.
FABULOUS JOB.
WE'RE MEMBERS OF THE BUILDERS' GUILD HERE IN I'ON.
WE WERE CHOSEN TO DO THE JOB.
WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF I'ON.
SO MUCH SO THAT WE BUILT OUR OWN HOUSE HERE.
SO YOU LIVE HERE IN I'ON AS WELL.
THAT'S CORRECT. GREAT.
AND WE ARE LOOKING NOW AT THE CORNER WHERE THE DREAM HOUSE IS UNDERWAY
AND YOU'VE ALREADY GOT THE FOUNDATION PRETTY FAR ALONG, RIGHT?
YEAH, WE'RE GETTING THERE.
WE'RE STARTING ON THE FIRST FLOOR DECK
AND THE FOUNDATION IS JUST ABOUT NEARING COMPLETION.
OK, NOW BETSY, I KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK
BUT WE WILL SEE MORE OF YOU ALONG THE WAY AS THE JOB PROGRESSES.
ABSOLUTELY.
ALL RIGHT. THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.
LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.
BOB RYLEY'S BEEN A CONTRACTOR AND A CARPENTER
IN NEW ENGLAND FOR OVER 30 YEARS
AND KEVIN, KEVIN KALMAN-- YOU GUYS HAVEN'T MET--
KEVIN WAS A NANTUCKET CARPENTER.
THAT'S WHAT I HEARD.
YEAH, USED TO BUILD ON THE VINEYARD,
SO YOU GUYS, YOU ALL COME FROM DIGGING DOWN 8 FEET
TO GET BEYOND THE FROST, AND HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY OF THAT.
NO, THE FROST LINE HERE IS BASICALLY GRADE.
SO WE DIG DOWN 12 INCHES BELOW...
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FOOTING.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE IS BASICALLY
THE STRUCTURE FOR THE FRONT PORCH, RIGHT?
THAT'S CORRECT, WE'VE GOT A FOOTING ON GRADE
WITH A BUNCH OF CONCRETE BLOCK PIERS,
SOME REBAR THAT COMES UP INSIDE HERE,
A SIMPSON STRAP THAT WILL TIE THE FOOTING TO THE BAND JOIST.
AND THESE WILL BE LAGGED IN THROUGH THESE HOLES.
THIS HOUSE WAS DESIGNED BY ANDRES DUANY
AND, IN FACT, IF WE TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT
THE ELEVATION HERE ON THE FOUNDATION
WE CAN SEE THE FRONT PORCH AND ALL THESE--
WHAT KIND OF COLUMNS ARE THEY?
THESE ARE GONNA BE CHADSWORTH POLYSTONE COLUMNS.
THEY'RE FIBERGLASS STYLE COLUMNS AND THEY'RE HOLLOW IN THE MIDDLE.
OK, AND THIS STRAP IS PART OF TYING THE WHOLE THING UP WITH THE ROOF, RIGHT?
WE HAVE TO CREATE A CONTINUOUS LOAD PATH FROM THE FOOTING UP TO THE RAFTERS,
AND SO FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT
WE'LL BOLT THIS TO THE BAND JOIST, AS I SAID,
AND THEN WE'LL STRAP FROM THE BAND JOIST UP THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE COLUMN
AND TIE THOSE INTO THE HEADER,
AND THAT WILL CREATE A CONTINUOUS LOAD PATH ALL THE WAY TO THE RAFTERS.
YEAH, AND THE MAIN THING WITH HURRICANES IS YOU DON'T WANT THAT UPLIFT.
THAT'S OUR BIG PROBLEM.
EXACTLY.
RYLEY, HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT THE--
NOT BASEMENT, I GUESS IT'S JUST A CRAWL SPACE.
YEAH, ALL THE HOUSES HERE ARE JUST ON CRAWL SPACES
AND WHAT THEY'RE USING IS 5 CINDER BLOCKS TO CREATE IT,
AND WHAT SIZED FOOTING DO YOU HAVE TO PUT UNDERNEATH?
WE HAVE A 12x24 FOOTING.
YEAH, AND THERE WON'T BE A SLAB OR ANYTHING, JUST THE SOIL.
JUST THE SOIL. IT'S BEEN TREATED ALREADY FOR TERMITES
AND AT THE END OF THE PROJECT WE'LL BRING IN 6 ML POLYETHYLENE,
PUT DOWN A VAPOR BARRIER.
AND, OF COURSE, THIS IS WHERE YOU PUT ALL YOUR AIR CONDITIONING DUCT WORK.
THAT'S CORRECT, IT WILL BE UP UNDERNEATH THERE.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AROUND THE OTHER SIDE.
NEXT WE'LL BE USING ENGINEERED WOOD
TO CONSTRUCT OUR FIRST FLOOR DECK.
NEXT TIME ON...
WE START A BRAND NEW PROJECT
OUTSIDE CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE'RE BUILDING A HOUSE IN THE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD OF I'ON.
HERE, THE HOUSES AND THE STREETS ARE INSPIRED BY
THE TRADITIONAL TOWNS OF THE 19th CENTURY.
WE'LL MEET DESIGN COORDINATOR MACKY HILL
AND LOOK AT SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF
THE LOW COUNTRY-STYLE HOMES BEING BUILT HERE.
OUR HOUSE WILL ALSO HAVE ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM.
WE'LL MEET OUR BUILDER AND FRAME THE FIRST FLOOR DECK.
THAT'S NEXT TIME ON HOME AGAIN. DON'T MISS IT.
NEXT TIME ON...
WE START A BRAND NEW PROJECT IN SOUTH CAROLINA,
INSPIRED BY TRADITIONAL, 19th CENTURY STYLE HOMES.
DON'T MISS IT.
OK...
ALL RIGHT, WELL I'M GONNA LET YOU GUYS PUT THESE IN PLACE
WHILE I SAY HI TO STEVE BARTH FROM WILLAMETTE INDUSTRIES.
HEY, STEVE. HELLO, BOB.
NOW THIS IS THE E-Z FRAME SYSTEM WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER HERE
FOR THE FIRST FLOOR DECK STRUCTURE.
THAT'S RIGHT.
WHAT DOES IT CONSIST OF?
THE E-Z FRAME SYSTEM IS A FULLY INTEGRATED
ENGINEERED WOOD FRAMING PACKAGE.
RIGHT, AND NORMALLY IN HOUSE CONSTRUCTION WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING A GIRT UP,
WHICH IS NORMALLY A LARGE TIMBER THAT BREAKS UP A SPAN,
YOU USE A BIG OLD TIMBER.
THIS IS GLUE LAM.
RIGHT. THIS IS OUR PREMIER PLUS GLULAM
IT'S AN I-JOIST COMPATIBLE LAMINATED BEAM
IT'S MADE TO MATCH THE DEPTHS OF ENGINEERED WOOD.
WE USE A HIGH-STRENGTH LUMBER ON THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM,
LOWER STRENGTH IN THE MIDDLE,
SO WE'VE TAKEN AND CREATED A PIECE OF LUMBER
THAT IS MUCH STRONGER THAN IT'S DIMENSIONAL SOLID SAWN COUNTERPART.
AND THIS SITS ON A TRADITIONAL SILL WHICH IS PRESSURE-TREATED.
PRESSURE-TREATED. RIGHT.
AND THEN, WHAT ARE THE OTHER COMPONENTS INVOLVED IN THE E-Z FRAME?
RIGHT, THE SECOND COMPONENT WOULD BE THE STRUC-JOIST I-JOIST,
WHICH IS--AS WE START FEEDING THESE TO THESE GUYS--
THIS IS OUR I-JOIST.
WE'VE TAKEN OUR HIGH STRENGTH
STRUCLAM LAMINATED VENEER LUMBER,
WE USE THAT FOR OUR FLANGE.
THIS IS ALL LAMINATED VENEERS.
EXACTLY, TOP AND BOTTOM,
AND THEN WE USE OUR OSB WEB MATERIAL FOR THE WEB OF THE JOISTS.
ORIENTED STRAND BOARD,
AND OF COURSE THIS MEMBER HERE WOULD BE REFERRED TO AS A WEB.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST PASS THEM ON UP INSIDE HERE
AND I'LL LAY THEM OUT FOR THE GUYS.
NOW, THE STRENGTH OF THIS, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS OF THIS SYSTEM
IS THAT YOU'RE NEVER GONNA WORRY MUCH ABOUT SQUEAKY FLOORS.
EXACTLY, SINCE IT'S PRE- ENGINEERED IT'S GOING TO BE
MUCH STRAIGHTER, STRONGER, AND MORE CONSISTENT
THAN THE DIMENSION LUMBER COUNTERPARTS.
SO IT'S... IT'S GONNA BE...
IT'S NOT GONNA CAUSE DEFECTS, HUMPS, AND DIPS IN YOUR FLOORS
LIKE YOU WOULD HAVE WITH CONVENTIONAL LUMBER.
NOW WHAT ABOUT THE OUTER EDGE?
I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT OSB THERE AGAIN, RIGHT?
EXACTLY. TO FINISH OUT THE SYSTEM
WE USE OUR RIM BOARD PLUS E-Z RIM.
IT FINISHES THE ENCLOSURE FOR THE JOIST SYSTEM.
IT COMPLETELY GOES AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE STRUCTURE.
IT PROVIDES VERTICAL AND LATERAL SUPPORT,
SO HIGH WIND LOADS, SEISMIC LOADS,
AND LOW TRANSFER FROM THE ROOF ALL THE WAY TO THE FOUNDATION.
YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING HOW THE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN AFFECTED
BY ALL THE NATURAL DISASTERS THAT WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.
HURRICANES HERE IN THE CAROLINAS AND FLORIDA,
EARTHQUAKES OUT IN CALIFORNIA,
BUT THESE ARE THE TYPES OF SYSTEMS
THAT SOLVE SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS, RIGHT?
STEVE, WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF USING THE E-Z FRAME SYSTEM
OVER CONVENTIONAL STICK FRAMING?
ENGINEERED WOOD IS GONNA BE STIFFER, STRONGER,
EXPANDS FARTHER DISTANCES BECAUSE IT'S AN ENGINEERED PRODUCT,
IT'S LIGHTWEIGHT,
IT'S, AS YOU SEE, IT'S VERY EASY
TO MANEUVER AROUND, MANIPULATE
VERSUS IT'S COUNTERPART IN DIMENSIONAL LUMBER,
WHICH IS MUCH HEAVIER.
IT'S CONSISTENT, IT'S STRAIGHT.
WHAT ABOUT THE COST OF THE E-Z FRAME SYSTEM
COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL STICK BUILDING?
BOB, FOOT PER FOOT, IF YOU DO A COMPARISON,
THE E-Z FRAME SYSTEM MIGHT LOOK A LITTLE EXPENSIVE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE,
THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES THAT WE CAN TAKE ECONOMIES,
WE'LL SPAN FARTHER DISTANCES,
ELIMINATE STRUCTURE THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED
FOR CONVENTIONAL LUMBER,
SO QUITE OFTEN THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE IS GOING TO BE
SLIGHTLY MORE TO EVEN SLIGHTLY LESS
THAN THE CONVENTIONAL.
WELL, TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT STABILITY AND REGULARITY,
IF YOU LOOK ALONG THE TOPS OF ALL THESE I-JOISTS,
IT REALLY LOOKS TO THE HORIZON REALLY FLAT AND EVEN.
THAT'S RIGHT, IT REALLY SHOWS THE CONSISTENCY AND UNIFORMITY
OF THE ENGINEERED WOOD PRODUCTS.
HEY, LISTEN, THANKS FOR COMING OUT.
RYLEY, YOU READY TO HANG A JOIST--
YEAH, WE'RE ALL SET.
A JOIST HANGER OVER HERE?
I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE GOT A NEW GADGET HERE TO SHOW US.
YEAH, A PALM NAILER.
SO IT'S A PNEUMATIC NAILER.
PNEUMATIC NAILER, RIGHT.
IT WILL ALLOW US TO GET THE JOIST HANGERS IN PLACE QUICKLY.
NOW HOW COME WE'RE PUTTING IN THAT FILLER THERE?
THIS IS GONNA STIFFEN THIS WEB,
SO IT'S NOT ROCKING IN HERE.
WELL, THE OTHER PART OF THE STORY IS
VERY OFTEN WHEN YOU HAVE THESE ENGINEERED SYSTEMS
YOU DON'T GET THE EXACT JOIST HANGERS THAT YOU REQUIRE
AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS A SLIGHT FIX.
THAT IS APPROVED BY THE WILLAMETTE FOLKS.
IT STIFFENS IT UP BUT IT ALSO LETS YOU
USE THIS TYPE OF JOIST HANGER.
CAN YOU GET IT ON THAT SIDE, RUSS?
THIS IS A GREAT TOOL.
'CAUSE THIS FITS RIGHT INTO YOUR HAND NICE AND EASY,
YOU CAN GET INTO ALL THESE TIGHT SPOTS.
OK, HERE COMES THE LAST ONE.
AND THIS ONE DOESN'T NEED A JOIST HANGER
BECAUSE IT SITS HERE RIGHT ON TOP OF THIS SILL.
AND THEN THE FINAL COMPONENT IS THE RIM.
HERE YOU GO.
THANKS, BOB.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BUILDING WITH ENGINEERED WOOD AT...
WELL, IT'S GREAT TO BE THE FIRST HOUSE ON THE BLOCK.
THE FIRST HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IF YOU LOOK BEYOND, DOWN THE STREET,
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF LOTS THAT HAVE BEEN LAID OUT,
NOBODY'S BUILDING YET. WE'VE GOT LOTS OF TREES TO BE CLEARED.
HERE AT OUR SPOT YOU'RE LOOKING AT A DECK
THAT'S REALLY ABOUT A 3,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE A SECOND STORY THAT'S JUST ABOUT 600 FEET.
BUT WE'RE OUT OF TIME. COME HOME AGAIN NEXT TIME.
WE'RE GONNA BE FINISHING UP THE PLYWOOD DECK
AS WELL AS BEGINNING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST FLOOR WALLS.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF FEATURES THAT GO INTO THE CONSTRUCTION
THAT HAVE TO DO WITH WIND RELATED ISSUES, HURRICANES AND STUFF.
SO DON'T MISS THAT. TILL NEXT TIME, I'M BOB VILA.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
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