Glass Stops
We thought that we'd be doing this job right before Christmas. Because the framer chose to notch the
microlam struts that hold the glass, there was some question as to whether they would be strong
enough to hold the weight. The building department said that they would require a letter from an
engineer to pass the framing inspection. So we shelled out the $150 for the engineer to come look and
write a little letter. He said that it would be fine, but that we should add a few A35 anchors. No big
deal.
microlam struts that hold the glass, there was some question as to whether they would be strong
enough to hold the weight. The building department said that they would require a letter from an
engineer to pass the framing inspection. So we shelled out the $150 for the engineer to come look and
write a little letter. He said that it would be fine, but that we should add a few A35 anchors. No big
deal.
Well, nothing can go quite that smoothly. When
we went to put the anchors in, I measured the
glass openings. Out of 17 windows, 3 of them
were square. One of them was out of square by
an inch and a half! We were furious. We
contacted the framer, who was sure I had
measured wrong, and he said that he'd be out the
next weekend to fix it. The weekend came and
went: no framer. We decided to find another
framer and back charge the first fellow for the
extra labor and materials.
we went to put the anchors in, I measured the
glass openings. Out of 17 windows, 3 of them
were square. One of them was out of square by
an inch and a half! We were furious. We
contacted the framer, who was sure I had
measured wrong, and he said that he'd be out the
next weekend to fix it. The weekend came and
went: no framer. We decided to find another
framer and back charge the first fellow for the
extra labor and materials.
While they were tearing apart the front face
anyway, I had them get the window widths
correct (remember that the first framer had made
the openings too small and we'd have to get the
glass custom cut?) which will save us a little
money.
All said and done the first framer notched the
microlam struts, made the window openings too
narrow, built the openings (way) out of square,
framed the exterior doors too short, built an
exterior wall over a void above a planter, didn't
put solid blocking between the header and the
trusses, and left off the hurricane clips and
anchors.
anyway, I had them get the window widths
correct (remember that the first framer had made
the openings too small and we'd have to get the
glass custom cut?) which will save us a little
money.
All said and done the first framer notched the
microlam struts, made the window openings too
narrow, built the openings (way) out of square,
framed the exterior doors too short, built an
exterior wall over a void above a planter, didn't
put solid blocking between the header and the
trusses, and left off the hurricane clips and
anchors.
As always, I take responsibility for this project and my own desicions, but this is all on the framer and,
unfortunately, we may have to go to court to get our recompence. We'll see.
Finally, after all of that we had square window openings and were ready to put glass stops in. The stops are
just 1X6 cedar ripped to 4 3/8" to accomodate the glass and caulking. There were only two difficult parts of
this job. First, finding enough good quality cedar 1X6 took 3 trips to two different lumber yards. Then, the
weekend we chose to do it was FREEZING! We have a nifty gas cartridge nailer to use for just this type of
job but it was so cold that the nailer wouldn't shoot. It made for a long day.
unfortunately, we may have to go to court to get our recompence. We'll see.
Finally, after all of that we had square window openings and were ready to put glass stops in. The stops are
just 1X6 cedar ripped to 4 3/8" to accomodate the glass and caulking. There were only two difficult parts of
this job. First, finding enough good quality cedar 1X6 took 3 trips to two different lumber yards. Then, the
weekend we chose to do it was FREEZING! We have a nifty gas cartridge nailer to use for just this type of
job but it was so cold that the nailer wouldn't shoot. It made for a long day.
This window measured 34 1/2" at the top and 36"
at the bottom. (The board looks bent because it's
two photographs)
at the bottom. (The board looks bent because it's
two photographs)
Here we have a wall built right over open space. I
wasn't on site when they decided to do this!
wasn't on site when they decided to do this!
You can see the blocking between the
trusses on the left. of this pic The same
should have been done in the big open
space too.
trusses on the left. of this pic The same
should have been done in the big open
space too.
After the new framing, and because of the
measurments of the old framing, we have these
silly tiny spaces on the ends. I think that we will
end up covering those with flashing rather than
trying to squeeze in a little piece of glass.
measurments of the old framing, we have these
silly tiny spaces on the ends. I think that we will
end up covering those with flashing rather than
trying to squeeze in a little piece of glass.
On the right you can see how the stops
will hold the enormous sheets of glass.
There is an inch and an eigth gap to take
the 1" glass unit.
will hold the enormous sheets of glass.
There is an inch and an eigth gap to take
the 1" glass unit.
In order to provide good ventilation,
Earthships have operable windows low on the
front face and operable skylights high in the
back of the rooms to get a natural convection.
We've chosen to use a simple awning
window which will cast less of a shadow
than a dormer type window, which are
shown in the plans and in the books.
Earthships have operable windows low on the
front face and operable skylights high in the
back of the rooms to get a natural convection.
We've chosen to use a simple awning
window which will cast less of a shadow
than a dormer type window, which are
shown in the plans and in the books.
"THE GLASS IS IN!"
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