Method of fabricating a dimension lumber product

Abstract

Lumber having stud locator markings spaced along lengths thereof. The marked lumber assists in layout and assembly of a frame wall comprising bottom plate, top plate, and a plurality of studs extending between the bottom and top plates at one or more of a limited number of regularly-spaced pre-determined stud spacings along the plates. Respective pieces of the lumber are useful in the bottom and/or top plates. Stud locator markings define positions for placement, on the respective plate, of stud ends to be mounted against the respective bottom or top plate. Stud locator markings indicate where front and back surfaces of the studs intersect the respective plate. The stud markings are spaced along the bottom and top plates at one or more of the pre-determined stud spacings. Each stud marking comprises marking material affixed directly to the respective piece of lumber. Preferred spacings for stud markings are about 8 inches, optionally 16 or 24 inches. Variations in spacing between the several stud markings on a piece of lumber, and between respective pieces of lumber, are preferably no more than 0.13 inch. The lumber is preferably substantially devoid of location indicators except for the stud markings. The invention also comprehends methods of fabricating lumber, methods of distributing dimension lumber, and methods of fabricating a wall.

1 - 30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . A method of fabricating a dimension lumber product, the method comprising: 
 (a) dimensionally fabricating a stick of lumber as to length, width, and thickness dimensions at a manufacturing facility;    (b) after dimensionally fabricating the stick of lumber and before delivering the stick to a customer, defining a plurality of stud locator markings on the stick, including arraying the stud locator markings on the stick at intervals of one or more of a limited number of predetermined stud spacings, the spacings of the stud locator markings thus corresponding to spacings where front and back surfaces of stud dimension lumber pieces may be placed against the respective stick of dimension lumber in layout and assembly of a wall.    
   
   
       32 . The method as in  claim 31 , including defining and emplacing the stud locator markings on the stick, spacing between the stud locator markings consistently varying by no more than 0.13 inch leading edge to leading edge.  
   
   
       33 . The method as in  claim 31 , including defining and emplacing the stud locator markings on the stick of lumber prior to shipping the stick from the manufacturing facility.  
   
   
       34 . The method as in  claim 31 , including defining and emplacing the stud locator markings on the stick at the retail distribution facility.  
   
   
       35 . The method as in  claim 31 , including printing the stud locator markings on the stick of lumber.  
   
   
       36 . The method as in  claim 31 , including chemically etching the stud locator markings on the stick of lumber.  
   
   
       37 . The method as in  claim 31 , including making the stud locator markings by oxidizing stick material at a respective surface of the stick.  
   
   
       38 . The method as in  claim 31 , including making the stud locator markings by burning respective markings into the surface of the stick with laser-generated energy.  
   
   
       39 . The method as in  claim 31 , including cutting shallow lines in a respective surface of the stick of lumber.  
   
   
       40 . A method of distributing lumber having length, width and thickness, the method comprising: 
 (a) shipping the lumber from a fabrication facility via a distribution system which delivers the lumber to a sales distribution facility;    (b) receiving and temporarily storing the lumber at the sales distribution facility, pending sale of units of the lumber;    (c) delivering units of the lumber to customers; and    (d) after shipping the lumber from the fabrication facility and before delivering the units of lumber to customers, defining on a respective unit of the lumber a plurality of stud locator markings, including arraying the stud locator markings on the unit of lumber at one or more of a limited number of predetermined stud spacings, the spacings of the stud locator markings thus corresponding to spacings where front and back surfaces of stud dimension lumber pieces may be placed against the respective unit of lumber in layout and assembly of a wall.    
   
   
       41 . The method as in  claim 40 , including defining the stud locator markings consistently with no more than 0.13 inch variation leading edge to leading edge.  
   
   
       42 . The method as in  claim 40 , including stocking the lumber in the sales distribution facility without stud locator markings thereon, selling as a seller, from the unmarked stock respective units for use as marked units and respective units for use as unmarked units, and after selling units to a purchaser, to be used as marked units, marking the respective units at desired stud spacings with stud locator markings before delivering such units to the purchaser, such that the seller provides to purchasers both unmarked and marked units of lumber from a single common stock of units of lumber.  
   
   
       43 . The method as in  claim 40 , including shipping the lumber from the fabrication facility to a second manufacturing facility and defining the stud locator markings on the unit of the lumber at the second manufacturing facility before delivering the dimension lumber to the sales distribution facility.  
   
   
       44 . The method as in  claim 40 , including defining the stud locator markings on the unit of lumber while the unit of lumber is located at the sales distribution facility.  
   
   
       45 . The method as in  claim 40 , including printing the stud locator markings on the unit of lumber.  
   
   
       46 . The method as in  claim 40 , including chemically etching the stud locator markings on the unit of lumber.  
   
   
       47 . The method as in  claim 40 , including making the stud locator markings by oxidizing lumber material at a respective surface of the lumber.  
   
   
       48 . The method as in  claim 40 , including making the stud locator markings by burning respective markings into a respective surface of the lumber with laser-generated energy.  
   
   
       49 . The method as in  claim 40 , including cutting shallow lines in a respective surface of the lumber.  
   
   
       50 . In the process of building construction, a method of fabricating a wall, comprising: 
 (a) acquiring first and second units of elongate lumber bearing thereon pre-affixed stud locator markings arrayed along lengths thereof at one of a limited number of predetermined stud spacings;    (b) laying out the first and second units of elongate lumber parallel to and spaced from each other, the first and second units each defining a plurality of stud locator markings thereon, arrayed along the length of the respective unit of lumber, at one or more of a limited number of predetermined stud spacings, the spacings of the stud locator markings corresponding to spacings where front and back surfaces of stud dimension lumber pieces may be placed against the respective unit of lumber in layout and assembly of the wall;    (c) aligning the stud locator markings on the first unit of elongate lumber with the stud locator markings on the second unit of elongate lumber, such that a stud extending between respective cooperating stud locator markings on the respective first and second units of elongate lumber is placed against both the first unit and the second unit at respective first and second generally perpendicular angles;    (d) laying out studs between facing ones of the stud locator markings on the respective first and second units of product thus to define the first unit of product as a bottom plate and the second unit of product as a top plate of the wall to be fabricated, and a plurality of stud members extending between the bottom plate and the top plate; and    (e) assembling and securing the studs to the top plate and the bottom plate, the studs thereby defining generally perpendicular angles with the top plate and the bottom plate, thereby to fabricate a wall structural framework combining the studs, the bottom plate, and the top plate, without making stud locator markings on the bottom plate and top plate at the construction site.    
   
   
       51 . The method as in  claim 50 , the stud locator markings being spaced at about 8 inches leading edge-to-leading edge.  
   
   
       52 . The method as in  claim 50 , the stud locator markings being spaced at about 16 inches leading edge-to-leading edge.  
   
   
       53 . The method as in  claim 50 , the stud locator markings being spaced at about 24 inches leading edge-to-leading edge.  
   
   
       54 . The method as in  claim 50 , variations in spacing between the stud locator markings on the bottom plate and the top plate being consistently no more than 0.13 inch leading edge to leading edge.  
   
   
       55 . The method as in  claim 50 , including sets of 2 side-by-side stud locator markings arrayed along the length of the units of elongate dimension lumber.  
   
   
       56 . The method as in  claim 50 , the units of elongate lumber being substantially devoid of location marking indicators away from said stud locator markings.  
   
   
       57 . The method as in  claim 50 , including acquiring first and second such units of lumber as 2×4's and assembling thereto 2×4 studs.  
   
   
       58 . The method as in  claim 50 , including acquiring first and second such units of lumber as 2×6's and assembling thereto 2×6 studs.  
   
   
       59 . The method as in  claim 50 , including acquiring first and second such units of lumber as 2×8's and assembling thereto 2×8 studs.  
   
   
       60 . The method as in  claim 50 , including acquiring first and second such units of lumber bearing stud locator markings at 8 inch spacings.  
   
   
       61 . The method as in  claim 50 , including acquiring first and second such units of lumber bearing stud locator markings at 16 inch spacings.  
   
   
       62 . The method as in  claim 50 , including acquiring first and second such units of lumber bearing stud locator markings at 24 inch spacings.  
   
   
       63 . The method as in  claim 50 , a respective stud locator marking having a respective leading edge line, a trailing edge line, and crossing lines between the leading edge line and the trailing edge line.  
   
   
       64 . The method as in  claim 50 , a respective stud locator marking having a respective leading edge line, a trailing edge line, and first and second crossing lines extending from the leading edge line to the trailing edge line.