GB2119829A

GB2119829A - Timber frame building construction

Info

Publication number: GB2119829A
Application number: GB08311363A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harold John Andrews
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-05-14
Filing date: 1983-04-26
Publication date: 1983-11-23
Also published as: GB8311363D0

Abstract

Plasterboard (21) or other dry- lining is supported at its edges by continuous thin metal or other rigid strips (23) which are secured to the edges of substructures such as partition walls (10). This avoids the need to cut lengths of wood to fit within the spaces of the abutting timber frame (11). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of timber frame building construction This invention relates to a method of timber frame building construction and to a constructional element used in carrying out the method.

Timber frame building construction is becoming more popular. It involves the use of structural frames of timber, usually heavily insulated, assembled together to form the main structure of the building and externally covered by, for example, facing masonry or tiling, often with an intervening air cavity.

This method of construction lends itself to a speedy method of internal finishing known as "dry lining". Sheets of plaster-board are fixed by nailing directly to the timber frames. This is a much less skilled and quicker method of finishing than the application of coats of wet plaster and has the added advantage of needing no dryingout time.

Plaster board is brittle and can become cracked if allowed to flex, for example where one edge backs onto a void between timber frame elements.

Since it is inevitable that the edges of the sheets of plaster board do not always coincide with timber elements of the timber frames, a certain amount of on site work is therefore required to ensure that all the edges of each plaster-board sheet are supported.

At present, this is done by inserting extra lengths of timber or "noggins" between the main elements of the timberframe. The noggins have to be cut exactly to size and end nailed in place in positions such as to coincide with any unsupported edges of each plaster-board sheet.

For example, where an internal partition wall is to abut one of the main outer walls at a position not coinciding with an upright element of the timber frame, two rows of noggins must presently be cut and fitted so as to lie on respective sides of the partition wall when the latter is fitted. The only function of these noggins is to prevent the plaster-board subsequently fixed to the main timber frame from having its edges displaced into the gaps in that frame. The noggins are not even used to receive nail fixings for the plaster board, which is nailed to the main timber frame for greater security.

Similarly, where the partition meets the ceiling, it is likely that it will not coincide in position with the floor joists or roof trusses above, so noggins have again to be cut and fitted so as to lie on respective sides of the timber head binder which runs along the top of the partition. These noggins merely serve to support the edges of the ceiling plaster-boards.

It will be appreciated that this present method requires a substantial amount of otherwise unnecessary timber and the services of carpenters to measure and cut the noggins, as well as increasing the time needed to fit the internal partitions of the building.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new or improved method of construction which avoids or reduces the difficulties outlined above.

According to the invention, there is provided a method of construction comprising the steps of taking a substructure intended to be secured to a structural element of a building; securing a substantially rigid strip to an edge portion of the substructure so that the strip stands proud of at least one face of the substructure; securing the substructure to said main structural element; and dry-lining the structural element with dry-lining sheet material positioned so that an edge of the sheet material abuts said rigid strip.

The method may include a further step of drylining the substructure with dry-lining sheet material positioned so that an edge of the sheet material abuts a face of the dry-lining of the structural element.

The method may include the securing of a substantially rigid strip to a plurality of edge portions of the substructure.

The substructure may comprise an internal partition wall of the building.

The structural element may comprise a timber frame forming all or part of a wall of the building.

Alternatively, it may comprise an intermediate floor of a building, or as a further alternative, a roof structure.

The dry-lining sheet material may be plaster board, fibre or particle board, wood panelling or plastics or metal sheet for exmple.

The substantially rigid strip may be a metal strip such as a galvanised or stainless steel strip and may stand proud of the substructure at both faces thereof. For example, where the substructure has a nominal thickness of 90 mm., the strip may be 120 mm. wide so as to project approximately 15 mm. proud of each face of the substructure.

The rigid strip may be planar or may be of angle section.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a constructional element capable of being used in the foregoing method.

According to this aspect of the invention, there is provided a constructional element comprising, in combination, a substructure intended to be secured to a main structural element of a building; and a substantially rigid strip secured to an edge portion of said substructure so that the strip stands proud of at least one face of the substructure to provide a support for dry-lining sheet material to be secured to the main structural element.

The substructure may comprise a partition wall.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a composite view illustrating, in its upper section, the present method of dry-lining a wall adjacent a partition and, in its lower section, a method embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a scrap sectional view in plan through the edge of a partition showing the use of a rigid strip in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the connection of the partition to an intermediate floor in a building.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, the upper portion of the figure illustrates the present way of providing support for dry-lining sheet material such as plaster-board where a partition, indicated at 10, is to be secured to an external structural wall 11 of timber frame construction. The wall is shown as a grid of timbers, and it will be noted that none of the uprights of this grid coincides with the desired position of the partition. Short lengths of timber are therefore cut to form noggins 12, which fit exactly between the horizontal elements 13 of the grid. The noggins 12 are nailed in place, so as to lie exactly alongside the position of the partition 10.

In this prior method, the partition 10 is then secured in place to the wall 11 and the wall is then dry-lined, using, for example, sheets of plaster-board 14. This method needs the use of substantial amounts of otherwise unnecessary timber and skilled carpenters to cut the noggins and fix them in place.

The lower section of Figure 1 shows the use of the present invention. A rigid metal strip of for example galvanised steel of 20 SWG and having a width of about 30 mm. more than that of the partition 10, is fixed to the upright edge of the partition 10 as shown at 1 5. The strip extends proud of both surfaces of the partition. No cutting to length is needed because the strip is not fitted between the horizontal elements 13, but abuts against the face of the wall 11 in situ. The strip is provided in relatively short lengths of about 1200 mm. for easy handling and these can be overlapped if required since the strip is so thin.

Figure 2 shows the fixing of the strip 1 5 to an edge member 16 of the partition. The edge member 16 has a nominal thickness of 89 mm.

and the strip 15 has a width of 120 mm., allowing approximately 1 5 mm. overlap at each face. If dry-lining is only required at one side of the partition, a narrower strip could be used, projecting only from one face of the partition. The strip 1 5 is fixed to the edge member 1 6 by nails 1 7 and the whole assembly is then nailed to the wall 11 by long nails 18.

Referring again to Figure 1, sheets of plaster board 14 or other dry-lining material are secured to the grid of timbers forming the wall 11, with the edges of the plaster board 14 abutting against the strip 1 5 where it projects at either side from the partition edge member 1 6.

Subsequently, further sheets of dry-lining are fixed to the faces of the partition, their edges being supported by the edge member 1 6 of the partition and by the plaster board sheets 14 shown.

Figure 3 illustrates the same method used at first floor level, to assist in supporting a ground floor ceiling against the underside of the joists above. The joists 1 9 are linked at intervals by transverse timbers 20, between which noggins would normally have to be fitted to support the edges of the plaster-board ceiling sheets 21, where a partition is to be placed at a position between the joists 1 9. The top of the partition 10 carries a timber head binder 22 having a metal strip 23 nailed to it so as to project laterally at the opposite faces of the partition.

Once the partition 10 has been fixed in position, the sheets of plaster board 21 forming the ceiling are fully supported by the strip 23 against deflection into the voids between the joists 1 9 and transverse timbers 20.

The strip 23 can be supplied in suitable lengths for fitment on site, the lengths merely being abutted and nailed onto the edge members of the partitions as required. The strip could be made of any suitable material, and need not be planar. For example, a shaped extrusion might be found useful in some circumstances.

As with any material used in building, resistance to corrosion and deterioration of any kind is highly desirable. However, great strength is not required to support the sheets of dry-lining material adequately and references to a rigid strip in the present description should be interpreted accordingly.

Naturally, the choice of dry-lining sheet material is not relevant to the present invention and plaster board has been referred to as one typical example.

Again, reference has been made to the securing of dry-lining alongside a partition. Other substructures may be attached to main structural elements such as walls or ceiling structures or roofs of a building and may pose the same type of problem when dry-lining is carried out. Partitions are mentioned only as a typical example.

The strip has been said to be secured to an edge of the substructure. Although the most convenient way of doing so is to nail the strip to the edge face, it could be fixed by other means such as adhesive bonding and could be fixed to the face of the substructure at the edge, rather than to the edge itself. For example, it would be possible to use an angle shaped strip, nailed to the face of a partition at the extreme edge, to provide support for dry-lining according to the invention.

Claims

1. A method of construction comprising the steps of taking a substructure intended to be secured to a structural element of a building; securing a substantially rigid strip to an edge portion of the substructure so that the strip stands proud of at least one face of the substructure; securing the substructure to said main structural element; and dry-lining the structural element with dry-lining sheet material positioned so that an edge of the sheet material abuts said rigid strip.

2. A method according to claim 1 and including a further step of dry-lining the substructure with dry-lining sheet material positioned so that an edge of the sheet material abuts a face of the drylining of the structural element.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 and including the securing of a substantially rigid strip to a plurality of edge portions of the substructure.

4. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the substructure comprises an internal partition wall of the building.

5. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the structural element comprises a timber frame forming all or part of a wall of the building.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the structural element comprises an intermediate floor of a building.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the structural element comprises a roof structure.

8. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the dry-lining sheet material is selected from plaster board, fibre board, particle board, wood panelling, plastics sheet or metal sheet.

9. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the substantially rigid strip is a metal strip.

10. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the substantially rigid strip stands proud of the substructure at both faces thereof.

11. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the strip is planar.

12. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the strip is of angle section.

1 3. A constructional element comprising, in combination, a substructure intended to be secured to a main structural element of a building; and a substantially rigid strip secured to an edge portion of said substructure so that the strip stands proud of at least one face of the substructure to provide a support for dry-lining sheet material to be secured to the main structural element.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the substructure comprises a partition wall.

1 5. A method of construction according to claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

1 6. A constructional element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A constructional element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.