Employees

Thank you Obamacare…

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The news is saying that today is the day that the Obamacare changes start to go into effect. Our insurance renewal is next month. In anticipation of Obamacare, our rates went up 29%. Last year it was around a 10% increase. When President Obama talked about bending the curve, I thought he was talking about reducing the rate of increase, not tripling it!

Russell Voss Receives NCCER Certification

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Congratulations Russell!  Russell completed Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) Green Worker NCCER course “Your Role in the Green Environment” and received certification for this achievement.  This was an afterhours course presented by Dave Weitz, a trainer at ABC’s Michiana Training Facility.  Russell made the committment to attend this course and passed with flying colors.  We’re proud of Russell!  Easterday Construction Co., Inc. encourages all of our employees to pursue continuing their education and we feel knowledge of Green Building will be valuable to Russell and our company as we go forward.  We’re encouraging Russell to share what he has learned with the rest of the ECC crew.

Russell Voss NCCER Certificate

Lake Maxinkuckee Film Fest 2010

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Thursday morning wasn’t exactly a pretty day for setting up the setting up the film reel for the Lake Maxinkuckee Film Fest.  Dave Epley and Will Pearson of Easterday Construction put the display together in the rain in order to make sure it was there in time to be decorated for the start of the festival on Friday evening.  Hot Pink for 2010!  Unfortunately due to the high winds Friday evening, the Reel spent the Friday night on it’s back.  It’s just a little too top heavy for 30mph wind gusts.

Lake Maxinkuckee Film Festival BrochureEasterday Construction Co., Inc. was named as a Sponsoring Business for the Festival.  Becky and I were named to the Actor’s Guild as Patrons.  We attended the Gala opening on Friday night and enjoyed good food and company.  There were cocktails before the showing of the film “Best Man in Grass Creek” at the Uptown Cinema.  Following the movie there was a catered dinner under a tent adjacent to the theater.  Richard Ford brought three students from the Jacob School of Music at Indiana University, singers Laura Gibson and Nathan Brown and pianist Ilya Friedberg, to perform.

Good luck to the Festival Committee.  Judging from Friday evening it should be a fun event, which benefits a good cause.  Easterday Construction Co., Inc. is happy to help with this event.

Green That Saves Green 101: T-Wall Intersections

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Figure 1 - T-Wall Traditional Framing

Following up on our previous entry on corner connections which dealt mainly with exterior corners, we can look at intersections between interior and exterior walls, often referred to as T-Walls.  These connections create some of the same issues.  There is a need for support at the corner structurally and as a connection point for interior finish material.  Traditional framing accomplishes this using two additional studs in the cross wall to provide nailing corners for interior finishes.  (Figure 1)  When the cross wall is an exterior wall, the same issues of maximizing insulation in the exterior wall applies.  The additional studs can create an insulation void as well as unnecessary use of additional wood studs.

Figure 2 - T-Wall with Bypass Drywall

In a room with drywall finishes, one of the most economical and efficient methods of solving these issues is to install drywall continuously on the cross wall prior to installing the T-Wall studs.  (Figure 2)  This can be accomplished before the cross wall is built or the connecting stud can be left out or loose until after the drywall on the cross wall is installed.  This is a technique that is often used in steel stud framing.

Figure 3 - T-Wall with 2 x 6 Back-up

When it is not practical to install the cross wall drywall first, blocking can be used to provide finish support at corners.  When the T-Wall is 2 x 4 construction, a 2 x 6 installed within the cross wall can accomplish this.  (Figure 3)  As this is only there to create a nailing strip, scrap salvaged from roof sheathing, floor decking or other areas can be substituted for the 2 x 6.  Also, since the 2 x 6 is not there as structural support, it does not have to be continuous as long as it provides nailing points at least every 24″ o/c.

Figure 4 - T-Wall Ladder Connection

Further efficiency can be achieved using scrap lumber, 2 x 4 cutoffs, scrap roof and floor sheathing, etc. to create a ladder effect to provide nailing points.  (Figure 4)  Drywall clips are also a solution, as previously discussed.

These things require planning, but are easily accomplished.

Easterday Construction Co., Inc. will be making every effort to use these more efficient corners for T-Walls on projects as we go forward.  Preferably the bypass method, but using salvaged lumber when this isn’t possible.  This is Green that saves Green!

Summary

  1. Reduction in materials required for the job.  Two less studs and associated fasteners at each corner.
  2. Reduction in labor necessary for material installation.
  3. Reduction in waste material sent to the landfill when cutoffs are substituted for new studs.
  4. Increase in energy efficiency by increasing the accessible wall cavity and eliminating the heat transfer through the additional studs when this situation occurs with an outside wall.