Problems of Utilizing Wood in Prefabricated Buildings

Unlike the conventional builder, the prefabricated house manufacturer must be in a position to prove the adequacy of both his methods and materials to a variety of agencies–FHA, VA, etc. This means completely engineered structural designs and the use of nationally known and grade-marked building materials. However, the fact is that practical use of the product in all types of buildings does not always conform with the intended use of the grading rules. Thus, there is a great need for the establishment of an all purpose stress grade in dimension sizes ranging from 2 by 2 inches through the normally used sizes of light timber framing. A continuing problem in the design of prefabricated houses is that of providing tolerances without affecting the appearance of the structural strength of the assembly. Special trimming saws, and nailing and trimming machines have been used to attack this problem. Many of the machines used at the present are designed and built by the prefabricated house manufacturer partially due to lack of interest on the part of machine manufacturers. Closer cooperation between these two industries is needed. Another problem is waste utilization. One of the most difficult obstacles to more efficient use of waste is the problem of sorting. The waste normally consists of sawdust and trimmings of wood, plywood, hardboard, and fiberboards. Since the application of heat or long pressure periods is not possible under the production line setup, the technique of glue-nailing is used for construction of roof, ceiling, and wall panels. An adhesive which capable of performing this same function without the need for nails or cleats has been sought without success. In forming the trussed construction, it is believed that many of the joints could be made much more economically if the proper adhesives and technique could developed for on-site gluing. The technique of adhesive film-nailing is suggested as one of the possibilities.

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