Wood Construction Data Publications

WCD 1 - Details for Conventional Wood Frame Construction

(formerly T11 Manual for Wood Frame Construction) 
(54 pages, 1.4 Mb pdf) June 200

WCD #1 is a comprehensive summary of rules and guidelines for the proper construction of wood frame buildings built to conventional construction provisions in the model building codes. WCD #1 includes information on various types of construction, framing systems, fire and draftstopping, protection against termites and decay, fastenings, insulation, and materials, as well as a series of figures included to illustrate proper framing techniques.

Today, some building codes may require a more rigorous structural design methodology than is associated with conventional construction. This requirement may result from a need for better building performance when the structure is exposed to moderate-to-high wind, seismic, and snow loads. AWC publishes the Wood Frame Construction Manual for One- and Two-Family Dwellings to provide solutions based on engineering analysis, in accordance with recognized national codes and standards. Like conventional construction, the engineered solutions are provided in a prescriptive format.

 

 

WCD 2 - Tongue and Groove Roof Decking

(12 pages, 2.3 Mb pdf) February 2004

Timber tongue and groove decking is a specialty lumber product, constituting an important part of modern timber construction, that can be used for many applications to provide an all-wood appearance. Nominal three and four inch decking is especially well adapted for use with glued laminated arches and girders and is easily and quickly erected. This document contains all that's needed to design and construct tongue and groove wood roof decking, including span and load tables.

 

 

WCD 4 - Plank-And-Beam Framing for Residential Buildings

(40 pages, 1.8 Mb pdf) April 2003

The plank-and-beam method for framing floors and roofs has been used in heavy timber buildings for many years. The adaptation of this system to residential construction has raised many technical questions from designers and builders concerning the details of application. This publication presents technical data that will be helpful to students, architects, engineers and builders. It contains information pertaining to principles of design, advantages and limitations, construction details, and structural requirements for the plank-and-beam method of framing, including span and load tables.

 

WCD 5 - Heavy Timber Construction

(17 pages, 2.8 Mb pdf) February 2004

Heavy timber construction is one of the oldest types of buildings used in the development of this country. Its superior performance has been demonstrated in thousands of buildings during the past hundred and fifty years, many of which are still in satisfactory use. As originally conceived, the heavy timber building was a multi-story structure, designed and used primarily for industrial and storage purposes. Today, its use has been expanded to include many other occupancies. It is commonly used for assembly and mercantile buildings, such as schools, churches, auditoriums, gymnasiums, supermarkets, and for various other structures.

This publication defines the minimum requirements for heavy timber construction, and provides illustrations of good construction details. These are recommended to the architect and builder as a guide in developing a safe and economical form of construction. 

 

 

WCD 6 - Design of Wood Frame Structures for Permanence

(23 pages, 1.3 Mb pdf) February 2006

Design of durable structures is the result of careful planning and understanding of loads and forces that will likely act upon a building during its lifetime. If these key elements are not taken into consideration, the designer may compromise the ability of the structure to remain fully functional over extended periods of time.

When properly designed, wood frame structures will resist damage by moisture and living organisms. Recommendations for control of moisture and protection against decay and insect infestations are contained in this document. Many of the recommendations are established practice among architects, engineers, and builders.

Protection of wood frame structures to provide maximum service-life involves four methods of control, which can be handled by proper design and construction: (1) control moisture content of wood, (2) provide effective termite controls, (3) use of durable materials such as naturally durable or pressure treated wood, and (4) quality assurance.