Handyman Guide > Home Construction: Elements of a House

Nearly every piece of material goes into the construction of a house has a name. While it would be unnecessary for the home mechanic to be familiar with every board, nail, and stone in his house, an understanding of the more important items will aid him in doing various repair jobs, and in deciding whether he can do the work himself or will need the services of a skilled workman.

Footing. The footing is located at the base of the foundation. It is made of concrete and considerably wider than the actual foundation. This is done so that the weight of the house will be distributed over a greater area. If the footing is not the right size for the weight of the house and the soil conditions, it will sink, and the house will tend to settle.

Foundation. The foundation is the masonry on top of the footing and supports the weight of the house. It also provides the walls for the basement. The foundation can be made of stone, cement, cinder blocks, poured concrete, or any other material that can sustain a considerable load.

Sills. Sills are the heavy wood or steel beams around the top of the foundation. These beams are attached and the house is built up from them.

Girders. Girders are large beams running between opposite sills. They are used to provide additional support for the frame of the house as well as carry the flooring.

Floor Joists. The floor joists are the beams that run across the sills - and provide a base for the flooring. Floor joists are generally made of 2 x 10 inch lumber, or 2 x 8 inch lumber, depending upon the distance they must run. They are placed broadside upright for greater strength, and in well-constructed homes they are spaced sixteen inches from center to center.

Bridging. The bridging consists of small strips of 1 x 3 inch lumber, or a size near this, which are nailed diagonally between the floor joists along the center of the span. The purpose of the bridging is to keep the joists perpendicular so that they - will provide the maximum amount of support, and to distribute the weight on the floor between several joists rather than one or two. Bridging can also be made out of strips of metal.

Subfloor. The subfloor is the under-flooring to which the finish floor is nailed. The sub floor is nailed directly to the floor joists and runs either at a forty-five or a ninety-degree angle to them. The subfloor, or rough floor, not only furnishes a base for the finish floor but also adds a degree of strength to the frame of the house.

Studding. Studding are the 2 x 4 inch upright timbers which form the walls. Studding is placed either 16 or 24 inches from center to center and is braced with diagonals, a protection against fire, as the diagonals prevent the interior of the wall from becoming a flue. Horizontal pieces of studding are also nailed between the vertical studding at floor levels. These are callcd solid bridging.

A teach of the four corners of a house a 4 x 4 inch or a double 2 x 4 inch timber is used to provide additional support. Studding around window and door frames is also doubled.

Rafters. The rafters that form the roof are made of either 2 x 4's or 2 x 6 's, depending upon the size of the roof. If the roof has a composition shingle roofing, the entire roof is boarded over with sheathing. If the roofing is made of wood shingles, shingle laths are nailed to the rafters to provide a base for the shingles.

Sheathing. Sheathing is generally made of tongue and groove lumber, and is nailed to the studding to form a portion of the exterior wall. After the sheathing has been put on, building paper is placed over it and the outside wall of wood, brick, or stucco is raised. Sheathing provides additional strength for the frame of the house and is added protection against the wind and rain. In recent years a type of composition board has been used extensively in place of the regular tongue and groove lumber for sheathing.

Roof Saddle. The roof saddle is made of two boards nailed together to form a V and placed over the top of the roof to cover the joint between the shingles.

Flashing. Flashing is a sheet of metal used for all joints on the exterior of the house formed by two different materials coming together, or by angles in the roof.

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Elements of the House - Building Materials - Lumber - Molding - Kinds of Wood and their Characteristics - Plywood Wallboard - Roofing Materials - Concrete - Mixing Concrete - Cement Mortar - Concrete Forms - Concrete Blocks - Cinder Blocks - Bricklaying - Fieldstone - Anchoring in Masonry - Soldering.

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Painting
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Heating
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Plumbing
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Electricity
Definition of Terms - Ohm's Law - Alternating and Direct Current - Sources of Electrical Power - The Electrical System - Overloading the Circuit - Rewiring - Reading a Meter - Precautions - Fuses - Types of Cord - Splicing Wires - Replacing Plugs and Switches - Home Lighting - Electric Motors - Signaling System - Transformers - Burglar Alarms - Repairing the System - How to Install a Bell System.

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