Construction

Snicker-Snack! Post-Tension Tendon Finishing Options

by EVstudio AEP July 26, 2019
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Long ago, when I started my career, a contractor asked me if he could use a concrete saw to “cut all of the tendon tails at once” on his new post-tension slab on grade.  That is to say — he was hoping to cut all […]

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How Much Does it Cost to Build a Home?

by Dean Dalvit, AIA, PE July 26, 2019

We get this question a lot. People who are planning their dream homes often don’t know where to start. A large part of our discussion in our programming meetings centers around how much home you can afford and if your program is in alignment with […]

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Three Wood Framing Methods – Balloon, Platform & Advanced

by EVstudio AEP July 26, 2019

We recently talked about a variety of building methods. Within each method are different ways to build. Here we talk briefly about three wood framing methods.   Balloon Framing –This method of framing was fairly popular on the east coast and parts of the Midwest […]

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Restrained versus Unrestrained Members

by EVstudio AEP July 26, 2019
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In the last several months, I’ve had many questions about what constitutes a “restrained” concrete member, and what constitutes an “unrestrained” concrete member.  The volume has been such that I’ve decided to take a break from my usual post-tensioned discussions and lay this out. This […]

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Denver’s Historic Pride – The Equitable Building

by EVstudio AEP July 26, 2019
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Equitable Building – Stout St and 17th St. Built in 1911, Denver’s Equitable Building was designed by Boston architects, Andrews, Jacques and Rantoul.  Planned to maximize light into offices, the floor plan is two ‘E’s back to back.  The nine story building is constructed of […]

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Common Building Questions Answered

by EVstudio AEP July 26, 2019
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When you work in this industry, you find yourself trying to answer very complex building questions in every type of social situation. Whether you’re at a party, in an Uber, or at a baseball game, these loaded questions come up as soon as the word […]

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Precompression vs. Balanced Load in Post-Tension Concrete

by EVstudio AEP July 12, 2019

My Post–Tension elevator speech is pretty well rehearsed at this point: “We drape steel cables — tendons — in the concrete forms, and then place the concrete.  Once it cures, we pull the ends of the tendons, which try to straighten out.  That does three […]

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Staples or Nails? Choosing the Right Fastener for Wall and Roof Sheathing

by Dean Dalvit, AIA, PE July 12, 2019

We are often asked by contractors if they can substitute framing staples instead of nails for their wall and roof sheathing fasteners. There is no easy universal answer to this question because the location of the project may place it in a high wind or […]

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Structural Wood Framing Connectors from Simpson Strong-Tie and USP

by Jim Houlette, PE May 30, 2019

Simpson or USP?  Each company has a wide range of framing connectors that meets the needs of almost every type of wood connection you can think of.  In addition, each company provides connectors for epoxy bonding, retrofitting, and other various products to create quick structural […]

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Understanding R-Value and Insulation

by evstudio May 30, 2019

This post is provided by Earthcore SIPs. There are many conditions that determine the effectiveness of any building material to provide comfort and energy efficient performance. R-Value is only one of these factors or measurement tools. R-Value is the measure of resistance to heat flow […]

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The Components of Solar Hot Water – Collectors and Circulation

by EVstudio AEP May 30, 2019

In the world of solar hot water there are many names for systems that are identical or do similar things. It is important to know the basics and general components of any system one is working with. Once the basics are understood and mastered then […]

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Quickly Construct Concrete Pad Footings with FASTBAG

by evstudio May 30, 2019

At a recent seminar I attended I was introduced to the Fab-Form product called FASTBAG. This product is brilliantly simple….a textile bag you can fill with concrete and reinforcing bars to take the place of the wood formwork traditionally utilized to construct pad footings. The […]

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