Shed Project: Floor Framing
#11
Here's a Link to the first installment:  Link

My framing lumber and sheathing OSB was delivered on Tuesday AM.  The driver agreed to back up my next door neighbor's driveway and drop it at the far end; that will save me a lot of work.  On Tuesday afternoon Ken and Metod and I went out to visit a guy I found on Craigslist selling hemlock and larch lumber.  I bought 26, 10" wide x 12' long boards of nominal 1" larch, actual 7/8".  We loaded it onto the trailer, brought it home, and stacked it near the build site.  We then retired to the deck and did nothing for an hour.  Perfect.  

The next day I started on the floor framing.  I couldn't source 18' long 4 x 4's so I bought a 12' and 10' ones and just overlapped them for the center three.  The outer two had to be "straight" so I cut the 10' long ones off at 6' 2" and put it against the end of a 12 footer, and held them together with a piece of 1 x 4 screwed to the inside faces.  I nudged the outer 18' 2" long ones so they were just about 14' across and the diagonals were equal. With that done I I checked to see if all the 4 x 4's were in the same plane by putting a 2 x 8 across them at both ends and sighting from one to the other, like a giant pair of winding sticks.   I had to scratch away a little gravel in a few spots, but overall the base was pretty level and true.  When I thought I had the 4 x 4's true I added another 2 x 8 between the first two, and then 2 more perpendicular to those three, like this:

[Image: dksrRoLrg305eX_3kytv5B1-2WPvBok28aagyBei...35-h626-no]

That showed me I had to make a couple more adjustments with a one or two of the 4 x 4's.  A little more scratching and, ultimately, a few shims, and I had it all level and in plane.  

From there the framing was straightforward.  I made a 14 x 18' box, checked the diagonals, and then added some temporary screws around the perimeter to lock the box square on the 4 x 4's.  Next I added he interior 2 x 8's.  I used 3-1/2" DeckMate screws, 3 per joint.  I had to adjust the spacing of the joists a little to accommodate the 12' long flooring I bought, so the spacing worked out to about 14.5" OC.  I only added blocking between the end joists and a couple more on each side of the joists where the 12' flooring ends.  The span is only 3'1" between the 4 x 4's, so blocking isn't needed.  But I did nudge every joist straight and screw them to the center 4 x 4 so they would remain so. I nailed hurricane clips between the joists and 4 x 4's as I went, on every third joist.   Here's what it looked like when the framing was done.

[Image: TYVQqZJ1_zt4vmK2k6aDHu10uPwDIC615nVYfvkg...35-h626-no]

I cut the framing and flooring with my Milwaukee 18V circular saw.  I love this thing.  I bought it last year with this project in mind, but have used it for breaking down plywood and other tasks, too.  Love it.  The little framing square (or whatever the correct word is) I found in my dad's tool collection.  I bet it belonged to his father.  In any case, it has an adjustable angle leg on it, which I think is going to come in handy doing the trusses.  It's handy for cutting off things square, too.  

[Image: Bjg--N7IbCIOLgPRHTdqXNB6ZDjb2YEc7ybDVnGh...35-h626-no]

I screwed the flooring down with 2-1/2" deck screws, 3 per joist, staggering the joints as I went.  I had to "nudge" a few into place. A bar clamp pushing against a temporary piece of blocking worked great for that purpose.

[Image: 3_O5LytOd0zuTVaSiz3xTyOYMZxeDl1JE3cBlcw5...35-h626-no]

816 screws later, using every board I bought, it was done.  

[Image: lyuuO-XeXcivIaDUrbSYV2nImYYoai5POwnytQtN...35-h626-no]

It is super stiff with no bounce or sponginess.  Perfect for a barn (OK, shed) raising dance.  If only I could dance and had fiddle playing friends.  

John
Reply
#12
looks good.  I'm impressed by that saw
Reply
#13
Looks solid. I always enjoy the build alongs. 
Big Grin What? You on a break?  My coffee is gettin cold here, what's next?
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
Reply
#14
I'm sure there are plenty of other good cordless circular saws out there.  I bought the Milwaukee because I already had the drill/driver set so I only had to buy the bare tool.  But it's a very solidly built little saw and the bevel and depth of cut adjustments work smoothly and lock tightly.  I also like that the motor is on the right, which makes it easier for a right handed person to see the blade.  The stock construction blade is very good, too.  

Oh, I think that square is called a speed square.  Maybe this particular one is called an adjustable speed square?  

Am I on break?  Why yes, I am.  I'm a little stiff and sore this AM.  Thankfully, it's raining so I'm catching up on some inside maintenance and will start finishing some cabinets this afternoon.  

Next up on the shed?  I'm going to make the trusses while I have that nice flat floor to work on.  

For the curious, I paid $260 for the flooring, about the same as for 3/4" PT plywood. It certainly took longer to put down than plywood would have, but I'm glad I went with solid lumber.  It isn't slippery when it gets wet like plywood is, nor will it ever peel or delaminate.  Somehow, it just feels right.  

John
Reply
#15
(06-23-2018, 09:41 AM)jteneyck Wrote:  

Am I on break?  Why yes, I am.  I'm a little stiff and sore this AM.  Thankfully, it's raining so I'm catching up on some inside maintenance and will start finishing some cabinets this afternoon.  

Next up on the shed?  I'm going to make the trusses while I have that nice flat floor to work on.  
Of course you know I'm yanking your chain... I have built a few projects myself, and know how they wear on you.  Looking forward to the next steps... I'll be following along. 
Wink Looking forward to the finished project. Although.... are they ever really finished?
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
Reply
#16
(06-23-2018, 09:41 AM)jteneyck Wrote: Oh, I think that square is called a speed square.  Maybe this particular one is called an adjustable speed square?  
Yes. Framers speed square. Very handy.
So, that rough sawn floor, will you lay another type flooring over that?
Or, just willing to let the spiders come-on-in after in shrinks up.
Winkgrin
Big Grin
Big Grin
Steve

Missouri






 
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020








Reply
#17
(06-23-2018, 04:16 PM)Stwood_ Wrote: Yes. Framers speed square. Very handy.
So, that rough sawn floor, will you lay another type flooring over that?
Or, just willing to let the spiders come-on-in after in shrinks up.
Winkgrin
Big Grin
Big Grin

No additional flooring planned.  The larch was stickered last Fall and has been drying since.  It was cut at 10" wide, and is now at 9-3/4".  I don't think it's going to shrink a lot more but I'm OK with it if it does.  

John
Reply
#18
(06-23-2018, 06:00 PM)jteneyck Wrote: No additional flooring planned.  The larch was stickered last Fall and has been drying since.  It was cut at 10" wide, and is now at 9-3/4".  I don't think it's going to shrink a lot more but I'm OK with it if it does.  

John

John - impressive - love that you could do all of that work w/ a cordless saw - I've bought into the Bosch & Rigid 18V battery tools - picked up Bosch's bare tool circular saw below a few years back - works well but have not come close to doing a project like yours!  Looking forward to seeing its progress.  Dave
Smile

[Image: CCS180B_Hero.png]
Piedmont North Carolina
Reply
#19
(06-23-2018, 06:00 PM)jteneyck Wrote: No additional flooring planned.  The larch was stickered last Fall and has been drying since.  It was cut at 10" wide, and is now at 9-3/4".  I don't think it's going to shrink a lot more but I'm OK with it if it does.  

John


Cool
Steve

Missouri






 
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020








Reply
#20
(06-23-2018, 06:00 PM)jteneyck Wrote: No additional flooring planned.  The larch was stickered last Fall and has been drying since.  It was cut at 10" wide, and is now at 9-3/4".  I don't think it's going to shrink a lot more but I'm OK with it if it does.  

John

Keep it covered til the roof is on. If it gets wet the boards will  expand. When I was young and built houses ,plywood for the subfloors was not yet common. We hand nailed T&G 1 x 6 boards for decking. Every 8'-0" feet one board was left out for expansion if the deck got wet. When the house was dried in we usually had to rip the tongue off each board that was left out. If we did not leave boards out the deck would have expanded and it would bulge. 
I recall one time where a deck had to be cut thru the bulges and remove several boards. 

mike
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)

Product Recommendations

Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.