Friday, March 1, 2013

Pick Up the (Missed) Pieces

Since my last report on the progress of the House-Build project, our students have been given an extensive introduction and opportunity to learn and practice the methods of pick-up framing as we wait to pour our concrete slab and finish painting our trim and siding.

Pick-up framing is the process of reviewing the frame of our house that has been standing, seemingly complete, for nearly six weeks. That review process involves looking for places in the frame that may be missing required structural pieces or need additional pieces, called backing, which do not add structural support, but provide a place to land and fasten interior products such as drywall and cabinetry.

This process requires a more investigative form of carpentry than usual and the students all performed impressive Sherlock Holmes-impressions as they searched the frame for flaws or missing framing members.

The slow and tedious task of pick-up framing will come to close at the end of the week, just in time for our students to move on to pouring our concrete slab, scheduled for this upcoming Monday. Stay tuned.

Weekly Weather Update for Our Spring Break Field Trip with Martin County Habitat for Humanity:
Juneau, AK: 40 degrees Fahrenheit with showers
Orlando, FL: 60 degrees Fahrenheit with sunshine