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Showing results for tags 'i-beam'.
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Hi, I'm on a first-time self-build in Cumbria and I have am about to instruct a timber frame designer. I intend fabricating the wall and roof cassettes myself and I'm unsure whether to replace the dimensioned timber studs with i-beams. Reasons to use i-beams are (1)reduced cold bridging and (2)avoids wrangling with bent/twisted timber. Initially, I was just going to replace the inner studs with i-beams but my TF designer says that I can replace top and bottom plates and the side plates too. He mentioned that I would have to add packer plates and that the window area would need to be boarded in ply. He didn't elaborate on fixings but I'm having trouble imagining how I'm going to nail up a cassette made entirely from i-joists. I've seen angled nail-plates in JJI brochures but this leaves me none the wiser. I've seen that a few of you have used i-joists. Can you give me some pointers on connections please? Or should I just stick to replacing the inner studs. Thanks for your help -
Having gone off SIPS for a variety of reasons I had hoped to use an i-stud system for the timber frame element of our build. One attraction is the lack (or reduction) of thermal bridging which hopefully eliminates the need for an external layer of insulation - keen to avoid celotex or similar if possible and keep things breathable. This simplifies the build and gets it weather tight that bit quicker - important for our DIY fit out. I also have a preference for flexible insulation as it will also be a DIY job - a 220mm istud full filled with 0.032 glass batts looks to give 0.12/0.13 U value which is better than my target at an acceptable wall thickness. Unfortunately none of our local timber frame firms seem to do i-stud frames which surprised me. Other than Touchwood (quoted - v.expensive) does anyone have a recommendation for an istud supplier? We're in Cornwall. Alternatively how badly would a 190 or 215 solid timber frame suffer from cold bridging and if the answer is badly what level of external insulation would be need to avoid the problem? As always, opinions / alternatives welcome!
