Edited to add the imbedded pics are in the next post, forgot to click that danged button again!
A while back I asked about Superior Walls here, and didn’t get a lot of response. I don’t know if there’s not been a lot of collective experience, or just apathy… just figured I’d post my only experience.
I missed pics of the grading because of weather and camera issues, but it went kinda like normal in that the lot was cleared, surveyor pinned the house and garage, and we marked for a 30″ over dig.
Shot elevations, again, figured 10″ for the gravel base for the walls (they only need 4″ in some soil), excavated with a slight fall to the daylight end, and called the soil engineer. They spece’d 8″ of stone.
After shooting all the elevations, again, it still worked out well to have the walkout end 16″ above the existing grade. The hole got filled with 10-12″ gravel +/- 1/2″ of level. Surveyor came back and pinned 60d spikes at all the corners.
The crane and setting crew showed up at 8, set up and put a Whacker on the gravel where the walls would sit <p>
<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/39626350@N07/3655379968/” title=”HPIM0852 by BucksnortBilly, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3365/3655379968_d24a8d1618_o.jpg” width=”640″ height=”477″ alt=”HPIM0852″ /></a>
<p><a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/39626350@N07/3654583025/” title=”HPIM0855 by BucksnortBilly, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3662/3654583025_e05c1725ea_o.jpg” width=”640″ height=”477″ alt=”HPIM0855″ /></a>
<p>The walls showed at 9, and started flying soon after<p>
<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/39626350@N07/3655380282/” title=”HPIM0859 by BucksnortBilly, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3297/3655380282_ca2c30ace1_o.jpg” width=”640″ height=”477″ alt=”HPIM0859″ /></a><p>
<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/39626350@N07/3655380432/” title=”HPIM0861 by BucksnortBilly, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2430/3655380432_a4d1cfebff_o.jpg” width=”640″ height=”477″ alt=”HPIM0861″ /></a><p>
<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/39626350@N07/3655380716/” title=”HPIM0862 by BucksnortBilly, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3646/3655380716_7f63324cdd_o.jpg” width=”640″ height=”477″ alt=”HPIM0862″ /></a><p>
I’ll get back with the landing later<G>www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after”
Edited 6/23/2009 6:37 pm ET by Snort
Edited 6/23/2009 6:38 pm ET by Snort
Replies
Something didn't work.
http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
<
Something didn't work.>That would have been me.http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
They fly in the wall, get it dead on the pin and string with a little scooging from a bar, plumb it, and brace it. Some people should not look at this bracing, it will freak them out.
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View Imagehttp://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
The corners are mitered. The guys put on a special blend Superior Wall polyurethane splooge, and draw them together with stainless bolts top and bottom.
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One panel wasn't exactly level, so they re-rigged, and got it right.
View Imagehttp://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
I think they did a similar or maybe the same system on TOH a few years ago. Cool system.http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
After this, I will seriously consider them for crawl spaces.
Finished product
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Lugs for garage footings and slab
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http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
Built on one of them a few years back and it was the worst foundation I'd ever worked on. out of square something fierce and not level.could've been all the crew that set then dunno but it sure put a distaste in my mouth thats for sure.
I'm not trying to sell them<G>http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
I know, I'm curious as to how they work out for you. let me know because I've only had the one experiance with them and don't know anyone else that has.
I'm assuming that is a walkout basement? what are you going to do for a footing for the framed wall? thickened slab?
Yes, there will be a thickened slab for the walkout. Setting the walls seemed pretty straight forward watching this crew, which has been together for 4 years. We'll see what moves where when we pour the slab, and frame the floor system<G>http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
While the spreader may be flipped, I'm sure it's on purpose. The walls come in pretty standard sections, so they know their weight limits... and I'd imagine that more carrying points help spread things out further.http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
All right, I'll pick up where we left off...
We built forms for a turn down footing, ran scree boards On the walls, and the plumbers did their thing.
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Garage footings dug, along with the footings for the porch/deck piers, and a retaining wall.
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The little engine that could
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Rebar and Ufer
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http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
Formed the bond beam for the garage footing
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Masons beat me to the job
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We were going to pump, but the mason said save some money, get a Georgia buggy
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Filling it up.
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http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
Time to get the buggy out
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Uh oh, back wheels broke through the osb ramp like it was made of fresh potatoe chips
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Heave ho.
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Dayum
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Free at last
View Imagehttp://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
Ruh roh.
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A bunch of digging, pounding, prying, and never leave home with out your bobcat
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Getting jiggy with the anchor bolts
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Fill up the retaining wall footing
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Don't forget the well slab.
View Imagehttp://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
Trowel before lunch
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Scored next morning
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Stripped the forms with the bobcat
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The blowout could have been worse. We had it braced every 30", next time 16<!---->
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The poop pipe was a stripping related casualty. Luckily, the plumber works for cheap vodka.
View Image<!---->http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
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Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
dem don't look like masons dem look like Mexicans :)
Love my bobcat as well.
Looks good. keep us up to date.
They wuz all mericans... from some part or nother<G>http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
Is it just me, or does anyone else think they are using the spreader bar upside down?
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Un-spreading?http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
i think it's just you... doesn't look like you can flip it
View ImageMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
You use one load line off the crane, hook it to the center of the spreader bar at the top of the triangle, and then there are two load points off the bottom of the bar, one on each end."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
i think you're right that it was designed that way....
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but maybe they like the double load line .... they have multiple lift rings embedded in the concreteMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Ready for framing
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Bond beam stripped. Ugly, but functional. Ufer ready to strike. Block mason starts tomorrow... if the block shows up.
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And, the mason will have water. Freshly installed pump & newfangled pressure box.
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The electrician hooked us up. 4 recepticles
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And, separate breakers for the well, between #2 & #3
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The basement/floor system package is supposed to be dropped Mon. If I could get the masons to work on the 4th of July, we might finish by February
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
Just seeing a form give makes my blood pressure go up! The mods shouldn't let graphic images like that through.
I feel the same way about AndyC's slithery friends LOLhttp://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
I've been slacking off on the pics. Monday was a materials fubar. Tues. framers and masons showed.
Tue. evening the garage footing was in, along with some basement walls:
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http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Wed evening the floor system has been started and the porch column cores are laid up. We are trying to get as much as possible ready for backfilling.
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http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Some more shots of Wednesdays framing.
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View Imagehttp://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Thursday evening the floor system was done, except for 8 sheets of Advantec. I picked them up, and dropped them that night. I showed up around 9 Fri morning... the floor was decked, and there was 8 1/2 sheets of Advantech left in an odd spot... we may get another floor system out of that pile<!---->
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Footing for the retaining wall w/ rebar pins
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Floor joist had to be engineered. Joist need to oppose each wall as much as possible, or be mightily blocked.
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Inverted joist hangers at both cantilevers
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Retaining wall up and grouted solid.
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<!---->http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
I had to send the camera to another job on Friday, and didn't get pics until Sun. morning.
Friday, the floor decking was finished and main floor walls begun. Saturday the main floor exterior walls were finished, along with a bunch of interior walls
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http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Saturday afternoon the framers did a good cleanup and restacked all the piles. Monday they'll sheath the basement to help keep the walls from racking during backfill. They also be moving the piles of lumber that are in front of the backfill ;-(
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View Imagehttp://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Forgive my ignorance, but why are the hangers installed up-side-down?
Inverted joist hangers at both cantilevers
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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
Thanks.
It makes sense now.
The plans were from Australia<G>... what Marty said.http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
The framing all looks very neat and well done.
What was up with the extra sheeting? some delivered and put somewhere else and they didn't know it then you bought more?
It may have been "borrowed" for another project, and "returned" before I'd notice... only someone forgot to let the lead carp in on it<G>They are doing a neat job. The flatworkers got one corner of the form 1 1/2" higher than the rest. Framers shot it with a transit, then cut all the studs and corners in that area. The long Superior wall is a little wonky. Several panels didn't plane, making for a bit of a bow. The framers cajoled everything into an acceptable line<G>... it all comes out in the rafters, right?http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
snort
I enjoyed the pics. Thanks for posting.
Always fun to walk around someone else's jobsite.
Rich
I'll keep them coming, at least until we backfill... maybe longer if we have to rebuild LOLhttp://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Snort,
I would have thought that the inverted hangers on the cantilevered joists would be on the inboard side ( at where they connect inside the building) and the hangers at the outboard side would be in there regular position. Vince Carbone
Riverside Builders
Franklin,NY
Vince, I think, and I could be wrong, that those hangers are keeping the cantilevered band from falling down. The joists are 18' 2x10s w/ a 2' cantilever.http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Holly ,
after I posted I thought about it some more and thought the same thing, the hangers are for the rim joist but would they really be doing anything? Vince Carbone
Riverside Builders
Franklin,NY
the exterior wall sits on top of the rim joist...
and since there isn't any sill under it the cantileverd joists need to pick up the load of the wall and hold the rim in place....
sortta done in reverse...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
True Marty,
But really, isn't the what looks like a 2x6 wall sitting on the joists and 3/4 advantex,that's what's holding the wall not the rim, sure it's helping but.. Vince Carbone
Riverside Builders
Franklin,NY
WTB it's got a wet stamp that says that's the way it's gonna be...
kinda guessing as to the why...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
True again,
Plus knowing how or what is fastening the ,what looks like an LVL 1 3/4 rim , to the hangers and joists would help.
Vince Carbone
Riverside Builders
Franklin,NY
Seems backwards to me. Joists have more than half the width of the wall plate sitting on them, they carry the cantilever it would seem. The inside hangers I can see being inverted, the outside I see no logic for that orientation. Up lift forces would be better dealt with if the hangers were in the normal position. Wall sheathing ties into the rim joist, which is held down by the hangers being in the normal position.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Just took another look at the pics... Wonder if the reason isn't because of the point loads from the window openings above. Lvl would then spread the load out over more than one or two joists.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
One rim joist is an lvl 21'6", the other 2 2x10x16s. I think it's over engineered, too. The advantech, glue and sheathing ought to keep it together. We also used 9' sheathing, which the engineer didn't spec, and probably didn't think we would use, so I don't think anything's going anywhere.And, FWIW, this engineer has been involved in a lot of projects I've been on. He knows his stuff, and always seems to come up with the lightest suitable solution for solving our problems... which seem to be in an overabundance<G> This guy makes inspectors happy.http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Doesn't look as if it going anywhere.
Besides he is on the hook if it does ! Just has my curiosity up, being me I would be calling the engineer and asking whats up with this detail.
Quite often I get a lecture on things I didn't know and a different approach to things for the future..
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
While we are all thinking out loud here .You said the framer cut the wall studs down in the corner where the superior walls were out of level? so that mean the floor is still out of level an 1 1/2" and all the drywall will have to be cut down now just so the top plate is level? I'm thinking I would have shimmed the foundation walls level before I put on my floor joist, but thats just me.Carry on.
Either way, the floor is out of level and the drywall will have to be scribed.
Unless.....the walls were shimmed up and the floor floated level with floor leveler. I think I'd opt for that option. An inch and a half just doesn't sound right...not with today's lasers. The floor guy dropped the ball and it should be him paying...not everyone behind him.
I've always had to pay for my mistakes....and the foundation guys....and the plumbers...and.....
The Superior Walls are level. The slab is out 1 1/2" over 30'. 9' ceilings. We may be doing some levelastic<G>http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
Got it I miss read and thought it was the walls. they are doing a nice clean job by the way.
I was wondering the point of the LVL myself. Never seen it done with hangers as the load is at the wall.
It is strange having hangers out there at all!
They are doing a neat job. The flatworkers got one corner of the form 1 1/2" higher than the rest. Framers shot it with a transit, then cut all the studs and corners in that area.
The long Superior wall is a little wonky. Several panels didn't plane, making for a bit of a bow. The framers cajoled everything into an acceptable line<G>... it all comes out in the rafters, right?
Thats some of the stuff I was referring to earlier on and when you are the framer ( such as I was) in just seemed to be alot of extra unnecessery work but your project is coming along nicely.
I remembered your warnings<G> Matter of fact, when I had to leave during the setting, I told the GC to watch for wonkiness. The Superior Wall guys tricked him by getting him to feel how sticky their special caulk is. He got stuck to his truck seat, and couldn't check anything.http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
maximum shear strength at the rim joist...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
Holly, I never worked on anything like Superior walls but I have worked on some awful bad poured basement walls. I know hundreds of tricks to get a deck flat and square.
What did you think of the precast walls? Were they straight enough for you? You mentioned something about wonky...were the precast walls too wonky or was the framers too uncreative to solve the wonkiness?
Would you use them again?
From what I see, I don't see any reason why I couldn't deliver a flat, straight frame on those walls. They easily could have been tweaked after the superior crew left an the only other problem might be trueness and flat. I would have shimmed the entire deck up to the high point on the precast units, so, that element wouldn't have slowed me down any. Thats just a simple and typical procedure for working on any poured foundation.
Hey Jim, the framers are delivering a flat, straight product. The pre-cast panels seem flat, but there were two areas where they weren't joined in a perfect plane... but, I've worked on much worse masonry walls, too<G>The back filling sequence is a bit schedule straining with these walls. We need to get the garage area preppep, and the slab poured. Since the basement walls and main floor have to be in first, materials are in front of the dirt and the some places that need to be filled. A crane would be nice LOLBut, yeah, I'd use these again. No concrete footing, excellent drainage, finished on the exterior, ready to sheetrock on the interior... did I mention that the masons hate them <G>http://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up