What is the fire related problem with balloon frame construction?
If a house fire gets started in an old, balloon-framed house, it tends to be particularly devastating, since a fire that gets into an open wall cavity is now free to spread very rapidly and unhindered inside wide-open wall spaces upwards to quickly engage the wall on the 2nd floor and then continue unobstructed right …
Is balloon framing good?
Balloon framed buildings are certainly lighter than those built with the earlier braced frame method, but in my experience, properly constructed, they have survived quite well.
What is a fire block?
Fire Block is a specially formulated environmentally friendly product which is used to retard fire in all Class A materials. Fire Block is a revolutionary product which works to form its own thermal insulation barrier to prevent dangerous flames from spreading.
Is fire blocking necessary?
Fireblocks are required between floors, between a top story and a roof or attic space, in furred spaces or the cavities between studs in wall assemblies, at connections between horizontal and vertical spaces created in floor joists or trusses, soffits, drop or cove ceilings, combustible exterior wall finishes and …
How do you fix balloon framing?
Quote from the video:
Simply cut the studs at the bottom put your plate framing plate down you might want to double it up and frame. It like you would normally a normal window kind of a thing.
How are second floor joists supported when using balloon frame construction?
The floor joists for the second floor were usually supported on a ledger or ribbon that was let into the studs. Balloon-framing was replaced by platform-framing (today’s building method of choice) when the trees that produced the long studs became scarce.
What are the disadvantages of balloon framing?
The two major cons of balloon framing are that long studs are less efficient to erect then shorter ones used in platform framing and the continuous spaces between studs act as chimneys during a fire, unless closed off with a fire-stop.
Why did people use balloon framing?
Balloon framing was the most common form of construction in America from about the 1880s to the 1930s. In the 1800s, people started looking for a way to build houses faster and more inexpensively.
When did they stop using balloon framing?
Balloon framing using a technique suspending floors from the walls was common until the late 1940s, but since that time, platform framing has become the predominant form of house construction.
What walls require fire blocking?
Fireblocking shall be provided in concealed spaces of stud walls and partitions, including furred spaces, and parallel rows of studs or staggered studs, as follows:
- Vertically at the ceiling and floor levels.
- Horizontally at intervals not exceeding 10 feet (3048 mm).
Is Rockwool a fire block?
ROXUL SAFE™ 45 is a semi-rigid stone wool insulation board product used as a fire-stopping and fireblocking material in concealed spaces in multi-unit residential buildings. Measured to fit, ROXUL SAFE™ 45 is easily installed, non-combustible and offers excellent acoustical and thermal properties.
Do all interior walls have fire blocks?
No not all interior walls have fire blocks.
Can you drill through fire block?
A fire block is a horizontal beam of wood running between the wall studs. You can drill a hole through the fire block or create a notch to accommodate the wire.
Can I use OSB for fire blocking?
Vertical Basement Wall Fire Blocking Fire blocking basement walls is installed by nailing on strips of 5×8″ or thicker O.S.B. or Drywall to the top plate and over the gap between the concrete wall and the framed wall.
Do 10 foot walls need blocking?
2, state that fire blocking is required vertically at the ceiling and floor levels and horizontally at intervals not exceeding 10 feet. Additionally, IBC Section 718.2.
Should you put blocking between studs?
Blocking provides a solid spot in the wall for attaching things such as cabinets or handrails. In some situations, blocking is required as a fire-stop where a stud bay extends between floors. This keeps the bay from acting as a chimney for a fire. Without fire-stops, a fire could quickly spread from floor to floor.
Is blocking between studs required?
So any sheathing edges that don’t land on standard framing (studs, plates, windows/doors) need to be supported by blocking. All edges of wall sheathing must be supported by and nailed to framing. This edge didn’t land on plates, so install blocking to support it.
