House frame construction materials

The framework is the skeleton of a house, the structure that supports all the building materials. To ensure that a building is sturdy, simply having a plan in hand is not sufficient; it is also important to use the right materials in the right places.
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Foundations
Floors
Exterior walls
Interior walls
The roof

Foundations

Let’s start at the base, that is to say the foundations, which can be divided into three main components: the foundation walls, the footing and the slab. The footing is the first element to be put in place, since it supports both the slab and the walls. The footing is usually made of "air-entrained" concrete. It is the amount and the arrangement of the air bubbles inside the concrete that differentiate it from regular concrete. Air-entrained concrete is known to be more workable than regular concrete and above all, more resistant to freezing and thawing.

Most commonly, concrete is poured into formwork made of wood planks. Once the concrete is dry, the formwork is removed. Some companies offer another kind of system where the formwork is made of polystyrene panels. The concrete is poured inside and the polystyrene panels stay in place, thus providing insulation.

The advantage of this system is that the insulating panels prevent the cold air from entering the building, and the foundation is insulated from the very start. However, this system also makes it more complicated to access the wires running through the exterior walls. Also, the materials used in this technique are more expensive.

It is also possible to build a low-cost foundation with concrete pillars (Sonotubes) or steel posts. In this case, the house will not have a basement. In fact, pillars and posts are more often used for small cottages, decks, or house extensions. Since humidity and temperature variations make the soil unstable, a concrete foundation is sturdier than pillars or posts, which are more likely to move.

Floors

    Wood-framed floors
    The floor structure of a wood-framed house can be made of plain joists or engineered floor joists. A joist is a 2 x 10 resting either on the foundation wall or on a post. The joists are set equally apart, creating the floor structure.

    Nowadays, contractors tend to favour open-web engineered floor joists. They are made of two long planks (mostly 2 x 3s or 2 x 4s, depending on the loads) and small wood pieces installed diagonally between the two planks. Because of the way they are built, open-web engineered floor joists dry faster than plain joists, making them a more stable material that is less likely to warp. Moreover, the spaces between the small pieces of wood make it easier to accommodate all the wiring and plumbing. Open-web engineered floor joists are also less subject to cracking than plain joists, and their span is longer.

    One can also opt for engineered wood I-joists, which have a solid centre, contrary to open-web engineered floor joists. They have predrilled holes in the centre part, enabling electricians and plumbers to run wires and pipes through the floor. Engineered wood I-joists are mostly used for their soundproofing properties.
    Steel-framed floors
    It is also possible to use steel joists to build the structure of a floor. When this material is used, the subfloor must be made of concrete, which is a clear benefit when it comes to soundproofing a building. Moreover, steel joists have a longer span, meaning that joists can be installed at a greater distance from one another.

    However, contrary to popular belief, a steel structure will be less resistant in the event of a fire, unless a fire-retardant has been used. Moreover, steel joists are much more expensive than wood.

    Pre-stressed concrete hollow slabs
    These thick, partially hollowed-out slabs are manufactured before being delivered to the building site. They are known for their soundproofing properties, as well as for their sturdiness and long span. But there are also a couple of drawbacks: they are very expensive since their manufacturing process is complicated and requires precision, they must be handled with heavy-duty equipment, and they make it more difficult to install elements such as plumbing and electricity.
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