Squash Blocks

[apolillo]

Fellow Inspectors,
Hard to tell from the pics, but all the blocks were undercut a bit to much.
New construction $700K
Anatol

[Jae Williams]

For another $150K they can have shims installed.

[thejnicki]

Any detail on the prints?

[apolillo]

The blueprints were not available. I know the blocks are wrong. They are supposed to be 1/16 longer than the I-joist. Funny this was, the other beam had the blocks installed properly.

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Anatol, The joists are not resting on the plate, but it looks like the blocks are. Maybe that's why there's a gap at the sheathing.

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by apolillo

I know the blocks are wrong. They are supposed to be 1/16 longer than the I-joist.

Yes, yes they are.

Good catch.

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Many homes have no squash blocks at all installed when TJI"s are used. Who requires them to be 1/16" long, why and under what conditions?

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by kshepard

Many homes have no squash blocks at all installed when TJI"s are used. Who requires them to be 1/16" long, why and under what conditions?

Kenton, typically it's when there is a load bearing wall above that the blocks are needed. All manufacturers that I've used specify that they be 1/16" higher that the joist.

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Originally Posted by lkage

Kenton, typically it's when there is a load bearing wall above that the blocks are needed.

I figured, Larry. Then they must be detailed by the engineer that stamps the plans. Is the +1/16" rule something required by I-beam manufacturers? Does that hold true whenever squash blocks are used in i-beam floor systems?

[Larry D. Kage]

Yes, the I-joist manufacturer specifies the need and location on the installation instructions.

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Ah-HAH, thank you.

[gkoehl]

http://www.ilevel.com/literature/TJ-9001.pdf

good booklet dealing with I-Joist specs

see page 5

[bjones1]

Slightly off-topic, but you have a $700K house here and they used OSB? Cheap man, cheap!

[DaveyJ]

Here where I am located $700,000-$1.5 million houses are a common thing and we always use 3/4 in TG OSB. That is the norm here. Its all about the bottom line. A couple years ago when 1/2 osb was almost $20 a sheet some houses only got the sheer panels sheeted. The other places on the house got black fiber board. I also saw no sheeting above and below the windows. The stucco guys would just put their foam and wire over it and procede like normal. I'm not saying its a good thing, but it does happen from time to time.

[tmels]

Originally Posted by bjones1

Slightly off-topic, but you have a $700K house here and they used OSB? Cheap man, cheap!

not all OSB is cheap
and the good stuff is way better than plywood
wet construction weather like we have had this fall doesn't harm it
it doesn't warp,blister, peal, separate, stays nice and flat.
the only down side is it is very heavy to handle during installation