Struct Eng question (wood)

[erkishhorde]

What would you consider the most commonly used nail? 6d? 8d? 10d? I ask in terms of shear walls and plywood nailing. In my first classes they just said look it up in the table and use the thinnest plywood with the smallest nails and largest spacing possible. It helps give you a standardized answer on tests and homework. But a teacher asked me why I chose to use 6d nails on something I was doing the other day and I didn't have a good reason other than it was the smallest nail allowed. He asked what was used most commonly and I don't know. He wouldn't tell me either. I don't think he knew. He's more of a steel guy and has been out of industry teaching for about 5 or 6 years now.

I guess I also have the same question about plywood thickness. Which do you use most commonly and why?

[zooom]

drywall screws and some 3/4 ply and you never have to fudge with it again....but that is my assinine non professional opinion.

[VisceralReaction]

Well the big question is what is the application? Sub-flooring? Exterior sheeting?
For exterior sheeting we use 1/2 chip board and 3/4x1.5in staples every 6 inches.
But this all depends also on local building codes as to what's required in Idaho is not the same in California.

[SacDuc]

Drywall screws are in no way acceptable for shear panel purposes. Ever.

For all of the sheeting (shear, flooring and roofing) in the house I am currently building the engineer has specified 10d Common. I can't recall ever seeing anything other than 10d used on a shear panel. The sheeting itself is 1/2" OSB and the Boundry and edge spacing is either 2", 3" or 4" depending on the wall. This is is pretty standard based on my experience building homes in earthquake prone CA. Staples would not be used where there are seismic requirements.

The short answer is typically 10d, always, all the time, everywhere.

sac

[erkishhorde]

Drywall screws are in no way acceptable for shear panel purposes. Ever.

For all of the sheeting (shear, flooring and roofing) in the house I am currently building the engineer has specified 10d Common. I can't recall ever seeing anything other than 10d used on a shear panel. The sheeting itself is 1/2" OSB and the Boundry and edge spacing is either 2", 3" or 4" depending on the wall. This is is pretty standard based on my experience building homes in earthquake prone CA. Staples would not be used where there are seismic requirements.

The short answer is typically 10d, always, all the time, everywhere.

sac

Nice, that's the kinda thing I was looking for. Thanks.

[SacDuc]

Nice, that's the kinda thing I was looking for. Thanks.

No problem. Tell your professor that I will be back charging him for providing his student with a bit of education since that is what he is contracted to do. Tell him that it is industry standard in the construction trade. 

You want my advice on how to become a great structural engineer? Spend a summer or two swinging hammers or welding steel. This won't affect your intelligence, engineering ability or the calculations you'll run in the future, but it will add a bit to your knowledge base (there are some pretty crafty framers out there) and it will radically alter how you present your information to the guys who actually use it. Ask your dear professor how he plans on teaching you to communicate your calcs to people who are not engineers. Will your program even introduce you to people who are the end users of your product?

Good luck with your schooling. 

sac

[Ddan]

No problem. Tell your professor that I will be back charging him for providing his student with a bit of education since that is what he is contracted to do. Tell him that it is industry standard in the construction trade. 

You want my advice on how to become a great structural engineer? Spend a summer or two swinging hammers or welding steel. This won't affect your intelligence, engineering ability or the calculations you'll run in the future, but it will add a bit to your knowledge base (there are some pretty crafty framers out there) and it will radically alter how you present your information to the guys who actually use it. Ask your dear professor how he plans on teaching you to communicate your calcs to people who are not engineers. Will your program even introduce you to people who are the end users of your product?

Good luck with your schooling. 

sac

Big big plus one, and it will affect your intelligence. Knowing how to apply all those clever calculations in the real world would make you way smarter than the average guy coming up with specs

[Speeddog]

~~~SNIP~~~
You want my advice on how to become a great structural engineer? Spend a summer or two swinging hammers or welding steel. ~~~SNIP~~~

Aren't structural welders certified?

Not to minimize the value of hands-on experience....
I've seen lots of engineering product that obviously was done by someone with no hands-on experience.
There's schools that have Mechanical Engineering programs with *no* drafting classes. 

[SacDuc]

Aren't structural welders certified?

They do, but I don't know if every man in the shop who touches a torch needs to be certified or if it just the guy who takes the liability.

sac

[Speedbag]

wood = good

[Speeddog]

I suspect that if you lay down a weld, you better be certified.

Lots to be learned outside of that, for sure.

[erkishhorde]

wood = good

Girl picks up a timber text book and says, "This looks boring." I say, "What?! You must not get wood!"

[rimshot]