End cap for wood frame construction

Abstract

An end cap is used as a barrier between a joist and a metal hanger and preferably between a joist and the surrounding wood or other structure, such as a foundation wall, sill plate, rim board, and/or other joist. The end cap is removably fit onto the end of an joist, followed by insertion of the end-cap-covered joist into a hanger. The end cap is preferably a polymeric/plastic material with a low coefficient of friction. By eliminating the wood-to-metal and wood-to-wood contact of the joist with surrounding materials, and instead placing the polymer/plastic end cap in these interfaces, the end cap alleviates the squeaking, popping, or other sounds that would otherwise result from thermal expansion and contraction, and/or increasing or moving the load on the floor, for example, by movement by people, animals, carts, or other weights on the floor. Alternatively, the end cap may be used on construction members other than joists, for example vertical studs or other wood frame members that may move relative to the surrounding materials during said thermal effects or load changes.

1 . A noise-reduction system for wood frame construction, the system comprising: 
 a mounting plate having a generally vertical exterior side surface;    a joist having two ends, wherein one of said ends is connected to said generally vertical exterior surface of the mounting plate, said joist not being recessed into said mounting plate;    a generally rectangular end cap comprising a bottom panel, two side panels, and a end panel, and having an opening into an interior space;    wherein said end cap receives said one end of the joist in said interior space, the end cap being positioned between said one end of the joist and said exterior surface of the mounting plate.    
   
   
       2 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said joist is connected to said exterior surface of the mounting plate by a metal joist hanger, wherein said end cap is received in the hanger between the hanger and said one end of the joist to prevent contact between said one end of the joist and the hanger.  
   
   
       3 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the end cap has an end cap outer surface comprising the outer surfaces of the bottom panel, the two side panels, and the end panel, and wherein the end cap comprises no protrusions extending from said end cap outer surface.  
   
   
       4 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the end cap is made of a plastic.  
   
   
       5 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the end cap comprises plastic having a coefficient of friction less than or equal to 0.15 by ASTM-D 1894.  
   
   
       6 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the end cap is made of a plastic selected from a group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene -filled polymers, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       7 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the end cap comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.  
   
   
       8 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the joist is an I-joist.  
   
   
       9 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate is selected from the group consisting of rectangular joists, I-joists, rim boards, sill plates, concrete walls, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       10 . A system as in  claim 9 , wherein the mounting plate is wooden and the joist is wooden.  
   
   
       11 . A noise-reduction system for a wood-frame construction, the system comprising: 
 a mounting plate having a generally vertical side;    a metal hanger on the outside of the mounting plate and extending along the generally vertical side;    an end cap comprising a bottom panel, two side panels, and a end panel defining an interior space, said end cap being received in said metal hanger so that the end cap is outside of and extending along the generally vertical side of the mounting plate;    a joist having two ends; and    wherein one of said two ends of the joist is received in said end cap interior space so that the joist is rests in the end cap in the metal hanger.    
   
   
       12 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein said end cap is adapted to prevent contact between the joist and the hanger.  
   
   
       13 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the end cap has an end cap outer surface comprising the outer surfaces of the bottom panel, the two side panels, and the end panel, and wherein the end cap comprises no protrusions extending from said end cap outer surface.  
   
   
       14 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the end cap comprises plastic having a coefficient of friction less than or equal to 0.20 by ASTM-D 1894.  
   
   
       15 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the end cap is made of a plastic selected from a group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene -filled polymers, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       16 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the end cap comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.  
   
   
       17 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the mounting plate is selected from the group consisting of rectangular joists, I-joists, rim boards, sill plates, concrete walls, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       18 . A system as in  claim 11 , comprising no caulking between the end cap and the hanger and no caulking between the end cap and the joist.  
   
   
       19 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the end cap is not embedded in the mounting plate.  
   
   
       20 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the end cap is not fixed to the mounting plate except by being received in the hanger that is attached to the mounting plate.  
   
   
       21 . A noise-reduction system for wood frame construction, the system comprising: 
 a wood plate having an exterior surface;    a wood member having two ends, wherein one of said ends is connected to said wood plate, wherein the wood member is not recessed into said wood plate;    a generally rectangular end cap comprising a bottom panel, two side panels, and a end panel, and having an opening into an interior space;    wherein said end cap receives said one end of the wood member in said interior space, the end cap being positioned between said one end of the wood member and said exterior surface of the wood plate, so that said end cap comprises barrier surfaces that contact the one end of the wood member and the wood plate so the wood member does not contact the wood plate;    wherein said end cap barrier surfaces comprise polymer having a coefficient of friction less than or equal to 0.15 by ASTM-D 1894.    
   
   
       22 . A method of installing a joist in a flooring system, the method comprising: 
 providing a mounting plate;    attaching a joist hanger to the mounting plate;    installing a plastic end-cap on the end of a joist;    inserting the end-cap-covered end of the joist into the hanger so that the end of the joist does not contact the joist hanger.    
   
   
       23 . A method as in  claim 22 , wherein the mounting plate is selected from the group consisting of: rectangular joists, I-joists, rim boards, sill plates, concrete walls, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       24 . A method as in  claim 22 , wherein the joist is an I-joist.  
   
   
       25 . A method as in  claim 22 , wherein the end cap is not embedded in the mounting plate.