Price increases and concerns about lumber quality have caused some homebuilders to look for alternative construction materials. Concrete masonry units (CMUs), used primarily in foundation walls of homes, can be an attractive option due to their strength, durability, fire resistance, and price stability. Despite these positive aspects, home builders and code officials across the country have been slow to use CMUs for single-family homes. One reason for this delay is that many contractors lack experience using CMU techniques for above-grade construction, especially in northern climates. Building Concrete Masonry Homes: Design and Construction, recently published by HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research, helps inexperienced builders by illustrating the feasibility and appropriate use of concrete masonry construction. Using two case-study homes in Ohio and Minnesota, the report identifies the major issues related to the design and construction of a home with above-grade, concrete masonry walls and presents different approaches to construction details, including the installation of insulation, floor framing, doors, and windows. The building design section describes how the contractors of the two case-study homes dealt with issues such as building codes, preparing construction drawings, wall thickness, lateral wall support, crack control, wall assembly, and energy codes. Using photographs and construction drawings, the report shows how to complete construction elements such as floor deck connections and window and door attachments. To increase the use of CMUs, the report recommends the creation of a best practices guide for residential concrete masonry construction. It also suggests that a prescriptive method for residential concrete masonry be developed to simplify the existing model building code. Order Building Concrete Masonry Homes: Design and Construction from HUD USER for $5. Use the Order form
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