week 26 unitec carpentry 5 - 7 october 2011

week 26. our gib plasterboards finally arrive. supplied in standard 1200 widths, we lay them out on the floor according to lengths (2.4 to 6m) and types (standard, braceline and aqualine). two plasterboards are taped finish face inwards to protect from damage with identifying end labels (te = tapered edge and se = square edge). to minimize wastage, we use longer lengths while avoiding cutting and minimum joints wherever possible. cutting plasterboards to correct length is easy; use a knife to score through paper on one side, bend to snap, then cut along crease line on the reverse side, bend to snap the other way. we use a handsaw to trim out around doors. following gib site guide, vertical joints must be at least 200mm away from jambs of windows and doors to avoid cracking.

lifting them off the truck requires lots of strength but the delivery men make it look easy.

plasterboards are stacked on flat according to length and type

photograph shows horizontal and vertical gib plasterboards installed along corridor.

nailing pattern for braceline plasterboard as required per manufacturer's specifications.

week 24 unitec carpentry 21 - 23 september 2011

week 24. we are also done with the weatherboards! the end is within sight as we start to fit scribers to windows and doors. cedar bullnose scribers are used to cover the joints between the window frames and weatherboards. first we paint the scribers with stain, then scribe them to profile of weatherboards on either side of window. finally we pre-drill holes and then fix into place with rosehead nails to match weatherboard fixing pattern.

photograph showing rear door at laundry room and electrical meter box before scribers are fixed

scribers are fixed to both sides of range slider to cover the joint between the door frame and the weatherboards

week 25 unitec carpentry 28 - 30 september 2011

week 25. insulation batts arrived this week. made from polyester fibre, they are rated 180mm R3.2 for ceiling and 100mm R2.2 for walls. we cut them with a handsaw to fit snugly between studs. crevices at the corners are stuffed with ribbons of insulation offcuts.

insulation batts for the ceiling are thicker than those for the walls, laid across the ceiling battens with staggered joints; note no gaps

wall insulation is fitted between studs; note: building wrap is trimmed around window and turned up before stapling to sides and gap between window frame and wall frame is sealed with expanding foam

wall insulation batts fit snugly between studs and between sill and bottom plate

week 23 unitec carpentry 14 - 16 september 2011

week 23. we continue installation of weatherboards. we are slowing down because it is frustrating having to replace some weatherboards due to inaccurate spacing. weatherboards rarely escape damage when the rosehead nails are removed, even with a multitool. cutting off stainless nails proves to be difficult. what a tedious task, checking, removing and re-fixing.

underside of last course of weatherboards have to be flush with the boundary joists

fixing weatherboards requires lots of patience as the material has to be properly cut and then accurately fixed to maintain a professional finish; note gaps in corners will be covered by corner soakers

week 22 unitec carpentry 7 - 9 september 2011

week 22. we continue fixing weatherboards. joey improvises a 160mm spacing gauge which we use to ensure correct cover and lap is maintained. he also improvises a nailing block to prevent our hammer blows from damaging the weatherboards as we fix the stainless steel rosehead nails. we have to use a stringline to align the nails vertically. also need to use the square to ensure nail is 30mm from edge so that it does not go through the lower weatheboard.

the bottom 3-4 courses are adjusted for cover spacing in order for last course to be flush with boundary joints while maintaining min 30mm lap per manufacturer's specifications

 
the longest lengths of weatherboard are used first to minimise waste; note vertical joints are staggered

shorter lengths or offcuts are used between windows to minimise waste; note gap between window frame and weatherboards which will be covered with scriber

week 21 unitec carpentry 31 august - 2 september 2011

week 21. this week, we start nailing weatherboards into position. first we establish a datum course at the window head. then we work out how many courses are required to maintain cover of 160mm down to boundary joists. it turns out that there is about 15mm gap resulting from the change in cover and partial settlement of the wall which needs to be accommodated.

weatherboard datum course set at head of window with 5mm gap to top of head flashing



mitre joint at external corner; note use of panel pins to provide temporary fixing while adjusting weatherboard

 installation of weatherboards continues below the datum course

week 17 unitec carpentry 3 - 5 august 2011

week 17. start of semester 2. our last task in semester 1 was to line the external wall frames of the whole house in building wrap. when we returned, we checked that the wrap was still intact. then we begin to install cavity battens 45x20mm at every wall frame stud, except where the braceline straps will go. these will provide a continuous cavity from top to bottom behind the weatherboards. we also rout back the battens to about 15mm thickness at the base and install vermin proof drainage channels at the base flush to the boundary joists. plus uPVC flashings at both the internal and external corners. we also cut back the wrap from the window openings.fold the wrap back to the frame and staple. then we installed flexible building tape at the tops of the window heads and all along the sill per manufacturer's specifications.

building wrap is used to line the external wall frames of the whole house, including the gable ends. min 300 vertical and horizontal laps are essential to prevent water ingress. blue straps are stapled at intervals to prevent insulation batts pushing out the wrap.

photograph shows external corner of house with cavity battens and corner uPVC corner flashings installed over building wrap. note aluband flexible tape and orange uPVC corner mouldings over sill and top corner of window.

building wrap is cut out and folded back into window opening. aluband flexible tape is then fixed to top corner of window opening per manufacturer's specifications.



cavity battens around a window; note routed end to batten to fit vermin proof drainage channel over aluminium head flashing

week 20 unitec carpentry 24 - 26 august 2011

week 20. house 124 has passed flashing and cavity batten inspection. cedar bevel back weatherboards have also arrived. we can now proceed to prepare the weatherboards. we built temporary storage racks in the living room last semester. now we can proceed to paint the weatherboards with first coat of stain and store them in the house to dry out.

this is the profile of the cedar bevel back weatherboard supplied by herman pacific

axonometric view of soakers

corner soakers are available in stainless steel and copper

installing cedar weatherboards requires a high standard of workmanship


stainless steel rosehead nails used to fix weatherboards are design feature

week 19 unitec carpentry 17 - 19 august 2011

week 19. we completed setting windows in place this week. we used the laser level and a storey gauge to check both internal and external height of windows.

aluband (flexible bituminous sealing tape) is fixed per manufacturer's specifications to corners of window opening before installation of window

building wrap is trimmed around window and turned up before stapling to sides
(note: this photograph was taken after wall insulation batts were fitted snugly between studs and between sill and bottom plate)

window set in place
(note: this photograph was taken after wall insulation batts were fitted snugly between studs and between sill and bottom plate)

week 18 unitec carpentry 10 - 12 august 2011

week 18. aluminium doors and windows arrive this week, earlier than scheduled. we scramble to prepare openings so that we can fix them temporarily in their respective openings to secure against theft. estimated value of aluminium window and door joinery is $20,000 per house. later on, we will check the heads are at the right level before fastening screws.

range slider about to be taken off the truck. huge and heavy,  panels are removed to reduce weight but still team lift is required

instructions from joey on setting out of window, showing position of head flashing and tolerances to ensure window is located in the correct position with packing pieces before fixing

building wrap is cut, folded back andstapled to sides of opening. then aluband flexible flashing tape is fixed to sill and across the head per manufacturer's specifications

photograph shows window fitted into position; note aluband flashing at head and cavity battens