Safety first...

Hey Folks,

This week we continued our focus on houses 5 & 6 as well as house 7. It was another mixed day weather wise. Some sun and the 'r' word, without the hail this time. Got pretty soaked in a couple of downpours but that's the nature of the work. And for some weird reason, I don't seem to mind.

If you remember from last week, we ended Saturday having worked on some first floor interior walls and had begun the stairs. As you can see from this first photo, the rest of the interior walls were framed and most of the TJIs were set for the second floor in both houses. The stairs were also completed. TJI (or sometimes called TGI because it rolls of the tongue easier) is short for Truss Joist I-beam the main support of the subfloor along with one or more strategically placed beams. 

Since we're nearly ready to begin the decking on the second floor, it was time to put safety measures in place to keep someone from taking an unfortunate step off the second floor and end up with a very expensive ride to the hospital. Plus there would be the trying to live it down part, which could be worse than the broken arm or leg gotten from the fall. :P In this photo, one of our future homeowners is working with one of our AmeriCorps volunteers to get the rails secured. I'm in the blue hardhat working with Cliff, a long time WWHH volunteer and site supervisor, getting the last few TJIs set in house 6. Exact placement is very important not only for the strength and stability of the floor but to be able to predict where you will need to align the decking sheet seams so they can be nailed into the TJIs.

While some of us were outside, we had some returning volunteers from Tualitan HS work on cleaning up house 7 after our mud & tape folks completed their work. They did a great job getting everything ready for priming the walls.

By the time we broke for lunch, our rails around the second floor were in and all TJIs in place. As you can see we even got a bit of a break from the downpours with the sun popping out for a bit. 

Lunch was in our new Habi-Hut which will be in house 2 for a while. 

Our old hut will be used for storing insulation until it's taken apart and moved. As you can see our new spot is much larger and will soon have indoor plumbing. Yeah!

We even have a ham in the kitchen wearing an orange cap (Kevin, one of our AmeriCorps crew leaders :P) along with the second shift of volunteers from Tualitan HS and Ri Len who is giving them an orientation.

Bill even has a real office now. :)

After lunch nailers needed to be installed along the front and back of the houses running horizontal to the TJIs. Nailers are strips of wood we cut from leftover decking (we try to find a use for everything so as not to be wasteful) and are set above outside wall top plates and interior walls that also run horizontal to the TJIs. These strips are meant to overhang the top plates by about and inch to an inch & a half, giving the folks who will be installing the first floor ceiling drywall, something to screw into. They use the TJIs for the rest of it. Once more the distance between the TJIs comes into play for the most efficient use of materials with the ceiling drywall. Job complete by end of day.

The sun was bright and warm as we walked off site. A lovely way to end our productive day. :)

Until next time, live your best life, however big or small it may be!

Nanette