Cold Weather Framing

inquisitator

is there a problem with framing an add a level to a house in cold weather?
I am concerned with expansion causing deformities when the weather warms.

rbsremodeling

Exactly what I was thinking!

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neolitic

That old "wood coefficient of expansion"
thing.

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Joe Carola

No, there isn't. I frame then all the time in the winter. Framing is done all year around whether it's new work or additions. Keep a tarp over the lumber while it's on the ground and frame that add-a-level as fast as you can. Are you framing it, or is a framing crew doing it?

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Tinstaafl

Yes. The torpedo heater makes it difficult to discuss politics & religion.

Brock

It can actually be helpful. When you chop your fingers off with the table say you can just toss them in the back of the pickup for the drive to the hospital. No need to stop and get ice.

Tinstaafl

And frozen fingers don't bleed nearly as much!

Kidding aside, as Joe says, the big thing is to be weather-aware and not let your structure get loaded with ice/snow. BIG hassle if that happens. It's just no fun chipping out that ice so your 2x4's can be nailed down tight.

Will the house be occupied while the work is going on? Make sure the homeowner is prepared to listen to his furnace gobbling fuel until everything's closed up.

neolitic

Nothing points out poor prep and planning
like a foot of new snow on a house with
no roof!

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Tinstaafl

And the difference between that and 2" of rainwater IN a house is...?

neolitic

None once it's in the house.
But the snow usually puts more
strain on those thrown up tarp
roofs.
Point is planning ahead, and being
prepared.
Everything's more fun in the winter.

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plazaman

frame away!

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Snow Man

What do you do when your framing a new home ?

It will rain eventually , resulting in the 1st , 2nd sub floors getting soaked .

SAME DIFFERENCE TO ME.

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SethHoldren

Hilarious.

As far as keeping the place dry before you get the roof on:

They make a beautiful product called reinforced plastic that comes in giant rolls and can be draped over an entire addition.

It has reinforced webbing inside it.

And it will s t r e t c h, rather that tear most of the time.

You roll up 2x4's along the bottom edges and screw or nail them into the side of the house (either into the raw framing...or remember where to seal the holes in the siding or trim.)

You can get it in huge sheets. Like 50 x 100 or perhaps even bigger.

After I found that stuff, those aluminum grommets on tarps became a distant memory.

Take the 15 minutes at the end of the day to cover up. And remember, a tarp job is only as good as your weakest tarping team member.

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KentWhitten

you're going to have weather no matter how you do it. we frame in snow all the time. the lumber coming from the yard is mostly stored outside so the water is frozen inside anyway. if it snows on your floor, then shovel it off. get a piece of 4x4 plywood and push it off. you have to get it off of there because if it freezes, then you're screwed.

we framed homes all the time in Seattle in wet weather. multi million $ homes soaked. it happens all the time.

cover the wood, then use it up as quick as you can.

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genecarp

its not a problem. there are however more things to concern yourself with, production is slower, and depending on the winter, it can be a real challenge...

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Cst Dsn Bldrs

Yeah it wont hurt. Just cover the wood till you use it so it doesnt warp. If not, you'll be taking alot of 2x4's back!

Woodratchet

I frame non stop all year if the jobs are there. It gets the worst when it hits single digits because all the air guns freeze up,carry a heat gun in your truck to thaw hose couplers apart and use lots of winter formula gun oil .figure on 25% + less production because of the hazards of old man winter as far as the lumber expansion problems ....It will be fine

BirmanBuilders

Can't wait for the winter, it's fantastic setting a ridge with a -30 wind chill and ice everywhere, it makes the job so much easier!

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canuck

I personally stop when it gets -27C excudling wind. Once it gets that cold the tools just don't work right, and neither do I. One thing that has seemed to come up is the issue of the following trades not allowing enough time for the structure to dry out. This can lead to mold problems. Many new home owners are having homes tested before they even finalize the deal.

woodworkbykirk

my worst experience with it was when we were sheathing a floor that took 4 lifts of floor ply, the compressor wasnt working, the cordless framer was gummed up and wasnt firing. the lumberlock had to be warmed in the cab of the truck and 3 of us had to hand nail the entire thing 6" at the edge and 8" in the field. i would load up all my pockets on my pouch with 2 1/2's every 30 minutes. i think that floor used up little over 70 lbs of nails

having to shovel off floors before you can work each morning isnt much fun, or walking on joists or in trusses that are frosted over