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Laying Down the Second-Story Floor

Bob and Howard Brickman, the homeowner, move to the upper floor of the new addition. When completed, the new roof will match the line of the existing home's roof exactly. I-joists will be used for the rafters. The whole deck of the upper floor was put down using Georgia-Pacific DryPly. This plywood product is made of Southern yellow pine, is very strong and functional, and water-repellant. DryPly is designed to stay dry even when exposed to the elements for up to 30 days. It is ideal for use as floor decking because it is strong and stable. It can be used as a single-layer of underlayment for finish flooring, which saves time and materials for the builders. There are no unsupported edges with this tongue-and-groove plywood, so it is completely stable as a subfloor. Bob talks with Richard Brickman, Brickman's son, about working with the DryPly. The wood weighs about 75 pounds per sheet. The Brickmans use the same foam adhesive that was used to affix the exterior furring strips. This Pur-Stick polyurethane foam adhesive is applied wherever plywood meets the structure. This adhesive increases the stiffness of the structure without damaging the integrity of the EPS board. Bob talks with Peter Conlon from Todal Products about the adhesive, which is gun dispensed for a precise application. Pur-Stick does comes out like a shaving cream and chemically grabs the moisture out of the air, causing it to thicken and increase in strength. The foam should be allowed to sit for five to seven minutes before setting the board or trim. The set time can be reduced by spraying the foam with water on which speeds the absorption rate. The Brickmans use the adhesive to attach the DryPly to the framing, allowing the necessary space between panels for expansion and contraction. The Brickmans use hot-dipped, galvanized nails to secure the plywood because they have a rough texture that helps them grip better. The nailing pattern is every six inches along the edges of the board and eight inches along the intermediate joists. The gable end of the roof is clerestory construction with two shed roofs coming together. The vertical line of the gable will be a wall of glass. More information