recommended for use in spaces that may beexposed to moisture during construction, but willbe covered when construction is complete.Overlaid panels have a resin-treated fiber-surfacing material, on one or both sides, to holdpaint and finishes more readily. These exterior orinterior types of plywood are recommended foruse in furniture, cabinets, millwork, and exteriortrims.Decorative panels are used basically forexterior and interior wall sheathing. Both typesare manufactured in a multitude of designs andpatterns and can be painted, stained, or left toweather naturally.A concrete form panel has a coating over itsexterior face to make it moisture-resistant andnonadhesive to concrete when used as formingmaterial. The exterior coating reduces the numberof times the form must be oiled and allows thepanel to be reused several times.COMMON WOOD SUBSTITUTEFor various reasons, many common con-struction materials are used as wood or plywoodsubstitutes. Some are significantly less expensivethan plywood; others are more suitable becauseof their decorative appearance and weather-resistant qualities.ParticleboardParticleboard, commonly referred to as chip-board or flakeboard, is produced by mixing aresin-bonding agent with wood particles andbonding them together by means of heat andpressure. The use of particleboard is limited tononstructural use because of its low strengthqualities. The most common size sheets are 4 ftby 8 ft and vary from 1/4 in. to 1 1/2 in. thick.HardboardHardboard is made of compressed wood fiberssubjected to heat and heavy pressure. The finishmay be obtained in a plain, smooth surface or inany number of glossy finishes, some of whichimitate tile or stone. Its strength is about equalin all directions, and it can be bent into variousshapes. Hardboard is available in thicknesses from1/8 in. to 3/8 in. The most common size sheetsare 4 ft by 8 ft.FiberboardFiberboard is made of wood or vegetable fiberthat has been compressed to form sheets orboards. They are comparatively soft and providegood insulation and sound-absorbing qualities.Fiberboard is available in sizes from 1/2 in. to1 in. thick, 2 ft to 4 ft wide, and 8 ft to 12 ftlong.Gypsum WallboardGypsum wallboard is composed of gypsumbetween two layers of heavy paper. Some typeshave unfinished surfaces, while others havefinishes that represent wood grain or tile. Themost common thickness is 1/2 in. Its width isusually 4 ft, and its length varies from 4 to 14 ft.Another type of gypsum wallboard hasdepressed or tapered edges. The joints are filledwith special cement and are then taped so that thejoints do not show. They can then be painted. Thisprocedure is commonly known as DRY WALL.Dry walls are particularly useful in areas andspaces where sound-deadening and fire-resistantmaterials are desired.TREATMENTWhen not properly treated and installed, woodcan be destroyed by decay, fungi, boring insects,weathering, or fire. Although designed for thespecific use of the wood, treatment varies fromproject to project and from one geographical areato another. The kind and amount of treatmentis usually given by the project specifications.Where no written specifications exist, thedrawings should indicate the kind and amount ofwood treatment.Manufacturers’ commercial standards containinformation on wood pretreated by the manu-facturer. NAVFAC publications and specifica-tions provide technical information and designrequirements for the treatment of wood used inbuildings and structures.WOOD FRAME STRUCTURESIn a wood frame building or structure, theframework consists mostly of wood load-bearingmembers that are joined together to form aninternal supporting structure, much like theskeleton of a human body.When a complete set of drawings is made fora certain building, large-scale details are usuallyshown for typical sections, joints, and otherunusual construction features. Understanding thedifferent functions of the structural members ofa frame building will enable you to make thesedrawings correctly and promptly.THEORY OF FRAMINGGenerally, a building has two main parts: theFOUNDATION and that part above the founda-tion, called the SUPERSTRUCTURE. The6-12
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