Waterproofing and safety-increasing prefabricated building framing system and method

Abstract

A waterproof and safety framing system is disclosed. The framing system includes a building defining an opening, a wall panel, and a framing assembly. The framing assembly includes receiver and a bottom track. The receiver is installed along an edge of the opening, with the receiver including a receiver bottom wall that defines a receiver ridge extending along a length of the receiver. The bottom track is attached to an edge of the wall panel and including a track bottom wall that defines a track ridge, with the receiver and the bottom track matingly engaging such that the bottom track overlays the receiver and the receiver ridge and the track ridge are proximal one another. The framing assembly is structured to prevent the wall panel from passing through the opening in a first direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of enclosing an opening defined by one or more structural members of a building structure, comprising:
 installing a receiver along a base of the opening, the receiver including a receiver bottom wall facing the base of the opening and a receiver upper wall oriented to face an interior of the building structure; and   installing one or more angle members along a ceiling header of the opening, the one or more angle members including a first wall and a second wall, with the first wall mounted in abutment of a face of the ceiling header, and the second wall protruding into the opening and having an interior face and an exterior face;   applying a bottom track to a bottom edge a wall panel, the bottom track having at least one track upper wall and a track bottom wall; and   positioning, from an interior of the building structure, an exterior face of a wall panel in abutment with the interior face of the second wall and an outer face of the at least one track upper wall and an interior face of the receiver upper wall.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 installing a subsequent wall panel in abutment with an interior face of the receiver upper wall, the interior face of the second wall of the angle members, and an adjacent edge of a subsequent wall panel.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 before installing the subsequent wall panel, applying a sealant along a lateral edge of the wall panel; and   pressing the adjacent edge of the subsequent wall panel into the sealant.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 installing additional subsequent wall panels until the opening of the building structure is enclosed.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying the one or more angle members to the wall panel as one or more of a header and a jamb for the wall panel.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 nesting a ridge defined in the receiver bottom wall with a corresponding ridge defined in the track bottom wall.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 applying a sealant between the ridge in the receiver bottom wall and the corresponding ridge in the track bottom wall before nesting.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 attaching a sheathing to the exterior face of the wall panel.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 applying a sealant between the sheathing and the receiver upper wall.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 installing a vertically extending angle member at a termination of side edge of the wall panel.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying an air barrier to bridge between an exterior face of one or more of the receiver and the one or more angle members and an exterior face of the structural members.   
     
     
         12 . A method of enclosing an opening defined by one or more structural members forming a building structure, the method comprising:
 installing a receiver along a base of the opening, the receiver including a receiver bottom wall adapted for permanent attachment with the base and a receiver upper wall distending therefrom and having an interior face oriented towards an interior of the building structure and generally orthogonal with the base; and   installing one or more angle members along a ceiling header of the opening, the one or more angle members including a first wall adapted for permanent attachment with the ceiling header and a second wall distending therefrom, the second wall having an interior face oriented towards the interior of the building structure and generally orthogonal with the ceiling header;   attaching a bottom track to a bottom edge of a wall panel, the bottom track having at least one track upper wall and a track bottom wall; and   positioning, from an interior of the building structure, an exterior face of the wall panel proximal with the interior face of the receiver upper wall and the interior face of the second wall.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 securing the wall panel in the opening, via one or more fasteners.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the base is a concrete slab. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 installing, from the interior of the building structure, an exterior face of a subsequent wall panel proximal with the interior face of the receiver upper wall and the interior face of second wall, the subsequent wall panel positioned adjacent to the wall panel.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 sliding the subsequent wall panel along the receiver, to position a lateral side edge of the subsequent wall panel in abutment with an adjacent lateral side edge of the wall panel.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 before installing the subsequent wall panel, applying a sealant along one of the lateral side edge of the wall panel or the lateral side edge of the subsequent wall panel; and   pressing the lateral side edge of the subsequent wall panel into the sealant.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 installing a vertically extending angle member at a termination of the lateral side edge of the wall panel or the subsequent wall panel.   
     
     
         19 . A method of enclosing an opening defined by one or more structural members forming a building structure, the method comprising:
 installing, from an interior of the building structure, a wall panel forming an exterior cladding of the building structure, the wall panel having a vertical extent to span between a base of the opening and a ceiling header of the opening and dimensioned to close at least a portion of a lateral extent of the opening, the installing comprising:   positioning a track disposed along a bottom edge of the wall panel in a receiver disposed in the base of the opening, the receiver having an interior face oriented towards an interior of the building structure and generally orthogonal with the base, the receiver coupled with the base to retain the wall panel with the building structure; and   rotating the wall panel about the bottom edge of the wall panel towards the exterior of the building structure until a top edge of the wall panel is positioned in abutment with an interior face of an angle member protruding into the opening from the ceiling header of the building structure, the interior face oriented towards the interior of the building structure and generally orthogonal with the ceiling header, the angle member coupled with the base to retain the wall panel with the building structure.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the wall panel is a structural cold-formed metal framing (CFMF) bearing wall.