Imperial Valley press., 1930-09-29

United States, Inc.
A home builder asked an architect
TO inspect his house when IL was half
finished. Only the framing was done.
Joists, studs and roofing were in
place so that all the bare bones Of
the building could be seen. Scme-
thing made the owner suspicious,
and he wanted an expert 10 give his
judgment on the way the parts had
been put together. This is what the
architect found;
Why Floors Sag
Midway across the depth of the
house spanning from wall 10 wall
there was a wooden girder support
ed midway by q wooden post. This
Yirder was the sole support OF one
end OF every joist that crossed the
floor. 1t supported also all partitions
above it and the ioists Of the second
story. The girder span from wall 10
post was II feet-three feet more
than is allowed by many city ordi-
nance-three feet more than is ordi
narily safe. The architect told the
owner that in time the girder would
sag, floors would be uneven.
Why did the contractor make the
girders span SO far? Probably he did
not know this ordinary rule Of franz
ing. Maybe he was trying to save a
little money. having agreed 10 build
the house for too little.
But the framing OF the post was
even more interesting. The post rest
&c OF a boulder, not very large. that
the contractor had found in eXcavat-
ing the basement. In setting the
). ~ - = ~ haa
cut a trifle too short. due TO the un-
even thickness Of the boulder, so
he had wedged the post UP from the
boulder with a bit Of shingle. Now
visualize the framing above -
ceiling joists resting on studs, studs
resting on joists. joists in turn sup.
ported by the girder, and the girder
by the post And at the bottom that
shingle. A house supported by a
shingle. Yes, the boulder was below
that. a rickety. teetery boulder, found
by chance in the excavation.
A Masterpiece Of Error
The owner said when he raised a
question about this that the builder
had told him all would be we'll. for
when the concrete floor Of the base
ment had been poured the base OF
the post would rest in the concrete
and the shingle would be protected
thereby and there would be adequate
support for all the superstructure.
But the architect knew that post
completely surrounded by concrete
would rot at the base. He knew he
could guarantee the post would rot.
for long experience has taught that
this is the inevitable end Of wood
completely embedded in masonry.
The shingle was wrong. The embed
ding Of the post was wrong, and the
terpiece OF error.
If there is reason for outside
walls OF q house TO be Of
masonry-and who will deny it
there is almost as much reason that
the inside support for the joists
should have a security that will
match to some extent at least that
supplied by the outside foundation
walls. II for purposes Of economy
wooden beam Is used. it ought TO go
without saying that the beam should
be Of adequate size, frequently sup
ported. so that q minimum amount
Of sagging will take place, and that
the post below should be strong.
framed so It will not rot. Below
that post should be a footing. exten-
slve, we'll constructed, soundly de-
signed, in keeping with all the loads
that 1t is TO upport.-Copyright
49,. The Architects Small House
Service Bureau Of the United States,
Inc. Home Builders Clinic.