Frame arrangement for wood framed buildings

Abstract

A method of constructing a frame of a wood frame building structure is shown and described. The method entails fabricating modules establishing nominally flat structural platforms for expediting assembly of floors, walls, ceilings, and a roof. These modules provide structural frames enabling appropriate finishing materials to be affixed thereto. The finishing materials provide continuous, flat surfaces, with exceptions for penetrations. The method includes assembling the modules such that a longitudinal axis of each model is parallel to those of other modules throughout the frame and perpendicular to a building length axis. Also, each module includes ceiling joists, floor joists, and roof rafters, as appropriate, such joists and roof rafters installed parallel to the building length axis and therefore, perpendicular to the joists and roof rafters. This method minimizes assembly costs of modules and of the framing, while retaining conventional framing performance.

1 . A method of constructing a wood frame building structure, the method enabling use of expeditiously fabricated modules, the method comprising:
 fabricating a plurality of modules including floor modules or roof modules, wall modules, and ceiling modules, wherein each said floor module or roof module comprises a bounded wood perimeter, upper joist boards or upper roof rafters coupled to the bounded wood perimeter at relatively high positions on the latter, and lower joist boards or lower roof rafters coupled to the bounded wood perimeter at relatively low positions on the latter, wherein within each said floor module and each said roof module,
 each said upper joist board or upper roof rafter has a lowermost edge above a level of an uppermost edge of each said lower joist board or lower roof rafter, with a gap existing between the lowermost edge and every lower joist board or lower roof rafter, and 
 each said upper joist board or upper roof rafter is staggered in plan view relative to the lower joist boards or lower roof rafters; and 
   assembling at least a portion of the wood frame building structure using the floor modules or roof modules, and at least one of a wall module and a ceiling module.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each said module as installed within the frame is rectangular in plan view. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each said module abuts another said module when installed within the frame. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein upper joist boards or upper roof rafters and lower joist boards or lower roof rafters of each said module having upper joist boards or upper roof rafters and lower joist boards or lower roof rafters are parallel to upper joist boards or upper roof rafters and lower joist boards or lower roof rafters of every other said module having upper joist boards or upper roof rafters and lower joist boards or lower roof rafters. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one said module includes at least one ledger board. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein assembling at least a portion of the wood frame building structure using the modules comprises assembling walls from wall modules, where the floor modules, the ceiling modules, and the roof modules are coupled to the walls. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one module comprises extraperimetric extensions. 
     
     
         8 . A module for constructing a frame of a floor, a ceiling, or a roof of a wood frame building structure, the module comprising:
 a bounded wood perimeter, upper joist boards or upper roof rafters coupled to the bounded wood perimeter at relatively high positions on the latter, and lower joist boards or lower roof rafters coupled to the bounded wood perimeter at relatively low positions on the latter, wherein within each said module,
 each said upper joist board or upper roof rafter has a lowermost edge above a level of an uppermost edge of each said lower joist board or lower roof rafter, with a gap existing between the lowermost edge and every lower joist board or lower roof rafter, and 
 each said upper joist board or upper roof rafter is staggered in plan view relative to the lower joist boards or lower roof rafters. 
   
     
     
         9 . The module of  claim 8 , wherein said module is rectangular in plan view. 
     
     
         10 . The module of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one ledger board. 
     
     
         11 . The module of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one extension extending outside the bounded wood perimeter. 
     
     
         12 . A system of modules for constructing a frame of a floor, a ceiling, or a roof of a wood frame building structure, the system comprising:
 a plurality of first modules for use in a floor or a roof, the first module comprising a bounded wood perimeter having a first longitudinal axis and first dimensions of length and width, upper joist boards or upper roof rafters coupled to the bounded wood perimeter at relatively high positions on the latter, and lower joist boards or lower roof rafters coupled to the bounded wood perimeter at relatively low positions on the latter, wherein within each said first module, each said upper joist board or upper roof rafter has a lowermost edge above a level of an uppermost edge of each said lower joist board or lower roof rafter, with a gap existing between the lowermost edge and every lower joist board or lower roof rafter, and each said upper joist board or upper roof rafter is staggered in plan view relative to the lower joist boards or lower roof rafters; and   a plurality of second modules for use in a ceiling or a wall, the second module comprising a bounded wood perimeter having a second longitudinal axis and second dimensions of length and of width, wherein the second dimensions of length and width of the second modules are equal to the first dimensions of length and width of the first modules.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the second modules includes structural members spanning opposed sides of the bounded wood perimeter, the structural members extending perpendicularly to the second longitudinal axes of their respective second modules.