Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Double frame
In situations where external cladding
and
internal permanent shuttering board is desired, a
double-frame design can be used. This comprises an exposed frame flush with the internal
face, which acts as the structural frame, into which the permanent shuttering is fixed, and
a second, non-load-bearing frame flush with the external face to provide a fix for the clad-
ding. The non-load-bearing cladding frame is usually of smaller-section timber.
The two frames are connected using rectangles of OSB or plywood screwed into the side
face of each stud so that the edge sits flush with the external face of the timbers. The di-
mensions of the rectangles of board varies according to the design and width of the wall,
and they are fixed at regular centres going up the studs, as specified in the frame design.
The double frame is quicker and easier to shutter than a single frame, but takes longer to
build and is not the ideal frame design, because of the potential for thermal bridging and
air leakage caused by the connecting squares of OSB.
Elements of the frame
The following discussion of individual elements of the frame incorporates the basic ele-
ments, as described previously, together with some other elements that are not necessarily
present in all frames.
Sole plate
The sole plate is positioned on the plinth above the DPC, or, in some circumstances (if
the plinth is narrower than the foundation), sits inside the plinth and bears directly on the
foundation blocks. It is either fixed directly to the surface it bears on to, or sits on the plinth
and is tied back to the foundation or floor slab using long metal straps (bent straps). These
straps are usually available only in galvanized rather than stainless steel, and so need paint-
ing after fixing to protect them from corrosion.
The function of the sole plate is to provide a solid fix for the studs, and also to stop them
moving independently of one another. The sole plate should be joined continuously along
its whole length, which sometimes means doubling up timbers and overlapping to ensure
a strong join between two lengths of timber.
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