The Home 2.0 Blog: FRAMING PLANS

TJIs, LVLs, and LSLs

As I continue to move forward with developing the construction documents for the Starter Home 2.0 Oakley project, I've spent the past week focusing a lot on the refinement of structural framing plans for the floors, roof, porch and deck components. While there are many similarities between the original SH2.0 Pleasant Ridge and new SH2.0 Oakley framing plans, the increase in span from 18' to 21' requires the use of an engineered floor framing system composed of TJI floor joists, with LVL headers and trimmers at the stair openings, and LSL rim joists around the building perimeter (as compared to the 2x12 floor joists, headers, trimmers and rim board used throughout the Pleasant Ridge project).

There is a bit of an up charge going from dimensional lumber to engineered joists, but the ability to maintain a large clear span throughout the home without the use of intermittent interior posts or bearing walls is well worth the additional costs. I do have experience using TJI floor framing systems in the past on new homes while I was an assistant construction manager at Cincinnati Housing Partners from 2010-2011, so it is nice to have that comfort level with the product as well. Below are images of the framing plan and the different floor framing systems referenced in this post.