General and Technical Aspects of Prefabrication

Though mass production of almost all consumer items in the United States has been readily accepted, widespread prefabrication of housing has met with obstacles; these include lack of government support, the reluctance of banks and F.H.A. offices to loan money or insure loans on prefabricated homes, the requirements of outdated building codes, and the consumer’s misconception that prefabricated homes are not strong enough, not warm enough, and not permanent. The results of tests on the strength of wall construction, the strength of floor construction, and the efficiency of insulation used in prefabricated homes are given, along with specifications for lumber, adhesives, dry-wall covering, and hardware. The materials and constructions used in prefabricated housing prove adequate to superior when compared with conventional materials and constructions. The industry will continue to search for quality and for innovative products–including more plastic types of wood fiber products–and new building techniques–including more use of roof trusses. The Prefabricated Home Manufacturers’ Institute has developed Commercial Standard CS-125-45, distributed by the Department of Commerce through the Government Printing Office, which is more stringent than most performance codes.

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