Installation

A Window into the Future

A CM, a framer, and a supplier collaborate to significantly innovate shear walls.

What Framers Think of Your Wall Panels

NFC members weigh in during wall panel roundtable

Upend Your Hip End Truss Sales

Lay-On Gables are an opportunity for component manufacturers.

A Clearer Path

Open web trusses are the ideal match with a sprinkler system, maximizing use of space and making installation easy.

Why Build with Wall Panels?

NFC Executive Director Chris Tatge and SBCA staff member Jim Vogt demonstrated on the BCMC show floor just how quickly a structure comes together with wall panels.

"You Just Have to See It to Believe It"

When Jim’s Apple Barn, the largest candy store in Minnesota, wanted to expand by way of adding a confection-filled planetarium to the end of a blazing yellow barn already bursting with sweets, it had a difficult time finding a truss company willing to take on the project. “We were the only ones that said yes,” recalled Trevor Ebinger, a member of the Manion Lumber & Truss sales staff. “It was quite an undertaking.”

Above and Beyond

When Mandere Construction couldn’t get the trusses it needed to frame its projects, owner John Mandere went looking for the best truss folks he could find—and hired them

Substituting Fire Rated Wood Truss Assemblies For Light Gauge Steel

Question: 

We recently received bids on a school project, which referenced UL P523. This assembly used light-gauge steel trusses. We noted on the drawing that we could accept an alternate design using wood trusses in lieu of light-gauge steel framing, if the alternate design could meet the fire ratings.

Gable End Bracing

Question: 

Some building designers believe that gable end webs need to be L-braced to 90% of the web length, which sounds fine. However, they spec that scissors gable end webs need to be braced to 100% of the web length. That means that in the field they are notching the braces to fit around top and bottom chords – you can imagine how difficult that can be. Is that necessary or even the intent of the web L-bracing?

Wood Three Hour Fire Assembly

Question: 

Is it possible to construct an assembly for ceiling between first and second floors using 2x with few layers of gypsum to obtain a 3-hour fire rating?