I have been following this awesome channel a few years now. Saturday morning cup of tea with an episode of SBC before I 'hoof it' to club rugby . Mind you every episode needs a comment or quip from Ray the Flying Dutchman . that Man is hilarious to listen to
Next time you’re in Welly, get onto a tour of the parliament buildings, they show you the base isolators that can stand massive earthquakes. I think their piles are isolated with lead that melts and rapidly hardens to absorb the movement of the building. World leading tech invented here.
personally i prefer piles over concrete floor slabs. i like to be able to get under my house to do things, rather than digging up the floor with a jackhammer. the old wooden houses handle earthquakes exceptionally well. the flex they have absorbs a lot of energy. in one earthquake in the 90's in the old villa i had back then i am sure the corners of the house were out of square by at least ten degrees as it rocked. i honestly thought it would fall of its piles. we did lose the old brick chimney, but everything else was fine. now living in an old (100 year old) wooden two story you really feel the quakes upstairs in the bedroom. after the kaikoura quake we were so dizzy after it stopped shaking that it was hard to go down the stairs and get outside. but that was a 7.8 and rather large.
@DiHandley Exactly that! I lived through that as a child in the family home. So I built my family home on stumps (fancy name, screw piles). People "in the know" looked at me like I had 2 heads but I can scoot under the house and inspect/repair/modify anything with relative ease. Best decision on the whole build.
Live in 100 year old place in Christchurch - only the newer bitt are attached to the foundations, the old bits just sit. Minimal damage in Christchurch Earthquakes. Just bunced a bit - base isolation :) Had already removed brick chimneys.
I really enjoyed your interaction with the German that seemed to imply that houses in Germany assembled themselves, and the humans should show up to finish it....
We would never be allowed to do timber piles in scotland 🏴 but I’ve seen plenty old farm sheds that have lasted a longgggggggg time just concreted posts in the ground. My Friday night highlight watching the latest video , inspired me to start my own channel and this style heavily influenced me . 👍
It's a great point about the drones and the heli landing pad. Civil avation rules prohibit ANY flying within 4km of an aircraft landing site. Here in Wellington the Westpac helicopter landing pad being located on the central city waterfront, the hospital pad in Newtown and the airport in Rongotai effectively means a total drone flight ban anywhere in Wellington and the surrounding suburbs from Miramar/Seatoun on the south coast to Johnsonville in the North and west to all of Karori.
We live in a house built on timber poles in Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia. It a very steep block, around 50 to 55 degree slope. The house has four levels which climb up the hill, so we don't have really long poles on the down-side of the hill that would be needed to support something on one level. We do shake a bit when we get a very occasional earthquake. We also feel strong wind gusts. But we get a fabulous view. I'm another one with one kidney - cancer.
The little city of Launceston in Tasmania is very like Nelson geographically, though just inland and had the same wood heating smoke issue - the council gave home owners rebates to switch to heat pumps and clean up the winter time Jerry 😮👍 Interesting build - it’ll have a killer view!
G, day Scott Brown Carpentry from Sydney Australia. Topographic survey lines can be a handy addition to site plans or sketches. 1. Topographical lines continues 2. Never cross over 3. You can mark levels in line spaces. (Closer together the steepest terrain. Wide apart flat ground). 🇦🇺🙃
We do the same thing in the Southeastern United States, treated timber in the soil. Whether it’s pilings driven into the earth for an elevated structure or posts for a deck.
30+ years ago I used to do neonatal retrievals from Wellington to Nelson in a chopper. we landed on the local high school rugby field- play had to be delayed until we departed!
Next time you’re in Welly, get onto a tour of the parliament buildings, they show you the base isolators that can stand massive earthquakes. I think their piles are isolated with lead that melts and rapidly hardens to absorb the movement of the building. World leading tech invented here.
the giza pyramid complex...the big pyramid is also built on five isolators - massive flat stone sockets under it so it can move - for earthquakes and also coz it was a piezo electric machine. giant vibrating machine - and i wont tell you what for...the best book I've ever read on them is JP Farrells Giza Death Star Revisited which has about 20 physics anomalies about it. giant vibrating machine...
Venice is actually built on timber piles! They do everything other materials like steel or concrete do, but as you said are very cost effective and easy to work with.
@SBC aditionally a real scarf joint is meant to be in a specific position of the beam. Its about 1/4 or 1/5 of the length to the next post. At this point there is zero momentum in the beam, wich allows the beam to be looked at as a multi-field carrier. If done properly, definitly helps the static characteristics of the beam.
Another good reason to use timber is that they're easier to work with. You don't need to be as fussy about making sure they're all at the same height, because you can just put a laser level across them all after the fact and lop them off. Also, instead of hammering the bolts in, use a 18v rattle gun aka impact wrench. It's a LOT faster.
I love this. As an ex Aucklander living in Perth something I always notice is we do retaining walls differently. Everything is limestone blocks here, timber piles in NZ. Weird fascination 😂
i love the ground barrier down from the start and keeping it clean. however the extremely low timber not so much. i have dug my way under way to many houses.
I bet an SDS+ rotary hammer with a ground rod driver bit would save a ton of time getting those long through-bolts pushed through the timber posts. That looks like quite a chore to do with a hammer.
I'm from Sweden, we use a lot of wood in construction. Because 70% of Sweden Is covered in forest! Fun fact, Sweden's forest is one of few in the world that is growing because we are very rigorous when it comes to replanting trees we cut down.
It’s nice to see you back on site and not at your house, don’t get me wrong they were great videos but your site work is way better. Have a great weekend.🇬🇧
Cool progress. We just moved from a home that about that close to a helipad on a hospital and it was a little annoying at times, especially when the pilots would come in low, rattling your teeth! If there are any structural engineers in the chat, I would be interested in their take on having the plies of those "beams" not fastened together. From my educational background in carpentry and design, having the plies connected makes for a much stronger beam, rather than just floating 2 separate timbers out there. And the notching of floor joists; does that not reduce their effective span, because of reducing the bearing depth? I have a brain that just has to know these things. I suppose that's because I have worked with so engineers on so many projects. It's really fun to see different types of construction from all over the world. I got to see, first hand, the piles being driven into the sea bed for a resort on the water in Malaysia, many years ago, and then the stick framing that went on that to create villas. Very cool.
Really interesting to see the mix of galvanised and stainless steel fixings in this build . My experience building in Aotearoa tells me that even galvinised fixings deteriorate pretty badly when embedded through H3 H4 H5 timbers ...even though they would be accessible to remove and replace in the bigger subfloor spaces ( once corroded this aint easy ) ...it just makes sence to do all of it in stainless steel ...the extra cost now outways the longer term problems i think . Also whats with the DPC on the piles to bearer connections ...i get the use as packers ...but not as a seperation ? Only required on concrete to timber and on piles within a certain distance from the ground .... I need to go read up on that i think . Great vid ...keeps us all on our toes ! Cheers josh
Im guessing the piles would at times, especially the shorter ones, be quite wet. And the DPC would prevent this moisture from affecting the beams. The beams aren't treated as much as the posts.
The dpc on the post is another gimmick in the building industry. It is to prevent the post from absorbing moisture. I was also surprised they were using galv bolts in h5 posts. The other one was that they changed from a 190mm joist to a 140mm. It would be interesting to know what the span was, either that or they now have to apply hangers to all the joists. Sounds like a bit of a balls up of the architects side of things.
Engineer here - timber pile foundations have got nothing to do with Seismic or building on a slope.. both timber and steel columns have elastic properties, both can be used in lateral earth movement (earthquake) designs, (as can Reinf. Concrete), both the large diameter timber pole and steel columns can also provide lateral wind bracing resistance.. a Geotech report would typically specify the suitable founding substrate for building on sloped sites, i.e. footings would need to be founded (x) deep and/or socketed in to rock/stiff natural ground with (x) bearing capacity to avoid any possible land slip hazard and/or subsidence issues.. for the most part NZ simply builds with treated timber poles because its the most cost effective material for the intended purpose...
Janitor here - Mr Engineer I believe you are incorrect. Timber piles when hit with seismic poo it becomes stable enough to be as brittle as white dog poo. The natural ground also becomes white dog poo so therefore I am correct and you are not.
His explanation is still correct. Steel may also be an option in seismic zones. Brick not so much. Reinforced concrete would need to be designed for it. Timber is comparatively cheap.
His explenation is 100% right. timber ist the most cost effective way to do this until a certain point. In most cases it makes no sense apending 3 or 4 times the cost for a private home, if you can reach this with timber! But at acertain point you will have to switch to steel reinforced concrete, thats when you reach the limits of wood! with steel and concrete you can go beyond the limits of wood... but you will have to pay for it 🤑🤑🤑
On the subject of wood piers- Here in the U.S, all of the old buildings in New Orleans were built on foundations of wood piers, mostly cypress logs is my understanding. Many buildings are well over 100 years old and are still sound.
There were a few different foundation types that were specified for builds in Christchurch after the earthquakes, some of them were a pain to draw up and detail. Eg: timber piles through a concrete slab at ground level and plywood bracing around the perimeter.
Another one was near a river. The bearers had to point towards the river and they were on 1m x 1m x 600? concrete pads and were only bolted at one end. At every other pad the bearers were allowed to slide through the brackets.
The beehive is made of a concrete construction for the most part I believe and that’s is earthquake proof ? Not sure what you call it but it’s like on rubber so it won’t crack as such
That’s a spin out Scott I got my kidney out when I was a baby , I’m 27 now working towards my trade “ carpentry “ and keep fit in the gym. So I’m not the only one
TRULY beautiful work, all of it!!! ahemmm...course there's a thriving after-market industry providing IN-WATER PILE SHEATHING-WRAPS, here in SW FL, USA. just sayin' :-))) (funny how some big ol' dudes think they should become "gymrats", when...buildin' a structure can do it for 'em better!! nobody fitter than a framer!!
The Japanese homes & temples that are built on timbers which are scribed to rocks are amazing. Their resistance to earthquakes also comes from their ability to wiggle with the quake.
Thanks for explaining the use of timber piles Scott. Would the hybrid scarf joint at 8:46 not be better if both ends were actually bearing onto the pile as one end is relying on the other to hold it up and it is surely forming a slip plane reliant on the side fixings into the pile? What is the minimum end-bearing code for the joists sitting on the pile?
Short answer is timber can get wet but will eventually rot with oxygen and moisture if it can’t dry out. Sitting in the ground is not ideal. Timber stumps isn’t the issue and a galvanised steel connection cast into the concrete footings to timber post with appropriate air gap between would make sense. You can visually inspect the connection between the timber to concrete. This is standard practice in Australia and makes sense regardless of the climate. It might last 50 years but may also fail due to unforeseen circumstances like the unpredictable Mother Nature.
I can't believe that anyone thinks that a wood pier lasting 50 years is good. ONLY 50 years? What the fuck do you do when your FOUNDATION fails in ONLY 50 years? Look at homes built in Europe. They are HUNDREDS of years old, and people pass them down from one generation to another. Only 50 years? What total shit.
Didn't we (the "royal" we), Kiwi engineer/scientists invent a massive _ball bearing plate structure thing_ that would sit between the foundations in the Shaky Isle and the very large building sitting above the Shaky Isle to dampen the energy transfer between the moving object and the building object so the building didn't collapse? IIRC they were first plonked under a building in Wellington some 30 to 40 years ago. Japan sure loves them and I believe they have made the _ball bearing plate structure things_ even bigger and stronger. They have them under their very high rise buildings. We may have a lot of quakes but Japan has even more *and* they are stronger than what we usually experience on a day to day basis and their high rise building are still standing.
Here in Aussie, hardwoods have been used for wharf piers and trestle bridges etc, still standing after 100 years. I've seen heavily treated softwoods used in retaining walls rot out in less than 20.
I've seen hardwoods rot out in 20years too due to poor installation as well as H4+ treated pine. Put it in concrete and ventilate/drain it properly (geotextile, gravel, drainage behind retaining walls etc) and both will last a long time. I wouldn't put either directly in contact with soil. Once it becomes persistently damp or has dirt piled up around it where it comes out of the ground that's the end of it. Also painting it is a sure fire way to send it to an early grave.
The house across from me is on a much steeper hill and is a giant block of concreate with a single diagonal telephone poll coming out of it. It then sits on 11 or 12 more telephone poles. Looks like the prow of a ship. I have house sat it years ago and it pretty much constantly swings in the wind. You have to tighten the telephone poll bolts like every 10 years. Apparently the owner was friends with the CEO of Edison and the donated the poles. Its allegedly one of the safest houses in CA for earth quakes.
It's so fast. British groundwork on complex terrain would be weeks of trenching, piles, expensive steelwork in never to be seen ringbeams and blockwork. Whereas you and half a dozen chippies are up to floor in next to no time. I'm jealous.
I may be wrong, but I was always told that galvanised fixings shouldn’t be used with treated timber as the chemical reaction between the two rots the metal. Coated fixings designed specifically for treated timber are preferred. That was the case in the UK when I lived there and in Australia where I live now. Maybe in NZ those bolts are manufactured for treated and just referred to as galvanised?
No hot dipped galv,, yes there’s a good case for all being stainless under the floor, especially if it’s semi exposed. but our building code’s a bit funky so you can get away with galv in some spots. and ss is 4 time the price. Galv and CCA timber treatment do react a bit and can fail over time if there’s moisture/salt/sulfer in the mix.
@@robertandsharon9428 as above, bolts are hot dipped galv here in NZ or ss, you can get treated pine screws, but coatings come off pretty easy if you have to take in and out , or while just driving in.
im predicting in coming years all timber in the ground will be required to be mold sealed, like the tar we seal retaining walls with, super simple and bulletproof
It's OK to wear shorts in the cold, I don't know if it's OK to wear shorts that go above the knee though... that seems to be unique to New Zealand... they look like they should be on the rugby pitch.
There are a couple distinct differences in how youre building that site to what is best practice here in the US. First, sill plates want a membrane separation from the foundation to prevent direct contact between the wood and concrete. Even when the timber is treated, it will hold moisture and promote insects. Second, the ledger against the concrete would also want the membrane, or even better a "packer" as you call it to stand the ledger off the wall by 10-13mm. You nail/screw through the packer for all the strucutral integrity, but the air gap allows the moisture to dry and no insects. Timer piles is a very good solution for all the reasons you cite.
you should never complain about the chopper noise, it means someone is terminally ill, respect to the pilots and the medical staff, love the channel, been watching for years now
terminally ill? Half the idiots they chopper in to my hospital are drunk drivers who weren't wearing a seat belt. Don't be such a bleeding heart. We need fewer humans on this planet.
6:25 You should not be doing angled cut on that joint. Its gonna want to slide sideways under vertical load. The cut should be square, like tetris. It would be more structurally stable that way.
Okay. What are we all thinking when i comes to the square washers for bolts in the bearers. Are we square/level gang or diamond gang? Interested in your guys thoughts. Wellington builder here.
I'm a carpenter in the UK and like your content, how easy is it to pick up work over in NZ and also how easy would it be to get a start if I was to move over there.
Definitely appreciating the old site style content!
Great video showing a very professional (and compassionate in one instance) crew. It's almost back to the old Scott Brown building videos.
I have been following this awesome channel a few years now. Saturday morning cup of tea with an episode of SBC before I 'hoof it' to club rugby . Mind you every episode needs a comment or quip from Ray the Flying Dutchman . that Man is hilarious to listen to
Don't worry, I'm working on a come back
@@Raysways1 Yes!! Hup Holland
Loving the exciting SBC-back-on-site episodes
I loved this episode! Getting to see the different building style. Love it!
Watching this really makes me want to go on a working holiday to NZ
There are lots of 'decades' on the Internet. Thanks for being a great influence for good.
Hot tip,
If you’re using 12mm bolts, use a 1/2 inch drill bit. Gives them just a tiny bit of room to go in a lot easier 👍
🇦🇺
Your a very lucky man to live in Such a Beautiful place. 😊
Wow. What a great addition to Friday afternoon here. Thanks. 🍻 🇦🇺
And Marty T just dropped a vlog as well. 😊
Next time you’re in Welly, get onto a tour of the parliament buildings, they show you the base isolators that can stand massive earthquakes. I think their piles are isolated with lead that melts and rapidly hardens to absorb the movement of the building. World leading tech invented here.
Cannot wait to see how it is going to look . Nice seeing you out and about on the job site
I also have the diamondback vest. It is expensive but definitely worth it if you find your hips are sore after a ten hour day on the jobsite.
That little Makita circular saw is impressive!
My favorite channel on TH-cam hands down 💯
Donated a kidney. What a fantastic person.
I found out by accident 5 years ago that I had a malformed right kidney, lower lobe, haven't got enough spare to give away
I would never ask someone for a kidney or give one way except for wife or family
@@kristene2372You would rather die than ask for a kidney from someone that isn't your family? Oh, very well then. More kidneys for me.
personally i prefer piles over concrete floor slabs. i like to be able to get under my house to do things, rather than digging up the floor with a jackhammer. the old wooden houses handle earthquakes exceptionally well. the flex they have absorbs a lot of energy. in one earthquake in the 90's in the old villa i had back then i am sure the corners of the house were out of square by at least ten degrees as it rocked. i honestly thought it would fall of its piles. we did lose the old brick chimney, but everything else was fine. now living in an old (100 year old) wooden two story you really feel the quakes upstairs in the bedroom. after the kaikoura quake we were so dizzy after it stopped shaking that it was hard to go down the stairs and get outside. but that was a 7.8 and rather large.
Why on earth would you jackhammer up a concrete floor... never tried that yet!
@@DrakeBuilderswhen the plumbing fails. It’s a real mess!
I agree 100%.
@DiHandley Exactly that! I lived through that as a child in the family home. So I built my family home on stumps (fancy name, screw piles). People "in the know" looked at me like I had 2 heads but I can scoot under the house and inspect/repair/modify anything with relative ease. Best decision on the whole build.
Live in 100 year old place in Christchurch - only the newer bitt are attached to the foundations, the old bits just sit. Minimal damage in Christchurch Earthquakes. Just bunced a bit - base isolation :) Had already removed brick chimneys.
I really enjoyed your interaction with the German that seemed to imply that houses in Germany assembled themselves, and the humans should show up to finish it....
We would never be allowed to do timber piles in scotland 🏴 but I’ve seen plenty old farm sheds that have lasted a longgggggggg time just concreted posts in the ground.
My Friday night highlight watching the latest video , inspired me to start my own channel and this style heavily influenced me . 👍
It's a great point about the drones and the heli landing pad. Civil avation rules prohibit ANY flying within 4km of an aircraft landing site. Here in Wellington the Westpac helicopter landing pad being located on the central city waterfront, the hospital pad in Newtown and the airport in Rongotai effectively means a total drone flight ban anywhere in Wellington and the surrounding suburbs from Miramar/Seatoun on the south coast to Johnsonville in the North and west to all of Karori.
In NZ we even put 5-6 storey apartment buildings on timber piles. Saw it done in my subdivision recently
We live in a house built on timber poles in Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia. It a very steep block, around 50 to 55 degree slope. The house has four levels which climb up the hill, so we don't have really long poles on the down-side of the hill that would be needed to support something on one level. We do shake a bit when we get a very occasional earthquake. We also feel strong wind gusts. But we get a fabulous view.
I'm another one with one kidney - cancer.
The little city of Launceston in Tasmania is very like Nelson geographically, though just inland and had the same wood heating smoke issue - the council gave home owners rebates to switch to heat pumps and clean up the winter time Jerry 😮👍 Interesting build - it’ll have a killer view!
Good video again scott! Keep these type of videos coming man i missed these videos where you was out on site working!
Amazing content, adorable people and pets around. Keep up these extremely interesting videos of objects such as this. Good luck and stay healthy.
Double thumbs up for the opera music
Nice to see builders actually paint preservative on the cut ends. 👍
I have timber posts holding up my home. They have only been there for 85 years and have changed a bit in the 24 years I've owned it.
Also a member of the single kidney club. Removed by shrapnel in 1982, Recovery also not nice 😁
So good SBC to see you on a building site 😎
G, day Scott Brown Carpentry from Sydney Australia. Topographic survey lines can be a handy addition to site plans or sketches.
1. Topographical lines continues
2. Never cross over
3. You can mark levels in line spaces.
(Closer together the steepest terrain. Wide apart flat ground).
🇦🇺🙃
We do the same thing in the Southeastern United States, treated timber in the soil. Whether it’s pilings driven into the earth for an elevated structure or posts for a deck.
Great video! I really enjoy seeing the building process in other countries! I love your house videos too. Great channel.
30+ years ago I used to do neonatal retrievals from Wellington to Nelson in a chopper. we landed on the local high school rugby field- play had to be delayed until we departed!
Next time you’re in Welly, get onto a tour of the parliament buildings, they show you the base isolators that can stand massive earthquakes. I think their piles are isolated with lead that melts and rapidly hardens to absorb the movement of the building. World leading tech invented here.
Yes, the tour under there is very interesting. Highly recommended.
Te Papa (the national museum) in Wellington also has the technology on display.
Old technology now. Preference on cost is seismic dampers. Basically giant hydraulic structural pistons
the giza pyramid complex...the big pyramid is also built on five isolators - massive flat stone sockets under it so it can move - for earthquakes and also coz it was a piezo electric machine. giant vibrating machine - and i wont tell you what for...the best book I've ever read on them is JP Farrells Giza Death Star Revisited which has about 20 physics anomalies about it. giant vibrating machine...
@@sspacegghost Hell yeah brother, Space Aliens 👾
Venice is actually built on timber piles! They do everything other materials like steel or concrete do, but as you said are very cost effective and easy to work with.
I was going to say the same thing, Venice is fascinating!
I like it all in all. But I would use hot dip galvanized for all of the bolts. Stainless is a lot softer.
Otherwise this is a fantastic job!
@SBC aditionally a real scarf joint is meant to be in a specific position of the beam. Its about 1/4 or 1/5 of the length to the next post. At this point there is zero momentum in the beam, wich allows the beam to be looked at as a multi-field carrier. If done properly, definitly helps the static characteristics of the beam.
Some quality editing in this. Nice work
Another good reason to use timber is that they're easier to work with. You don't need to be as fussy about making sure they're all at the same height, because you can just put a laser level across them all after the fact and lop them off.
Also, instead of hammering the bolts in, use a 18v rattle gun aka impact wrench. It's a LOT faster.
even in winter the brutally harsh nz sun shows through in the video.
Great video Scott have a awesome weekend thanks for posting
I love this. As an ex Aucklander living in Perth something I always notice is we do retaining walls differently. Everything is limestone blocks here, timber piles in NZ. Weird fascination 😂
Watching from Canada and 17 is TOTALLY shorts weather 😅❤
Great to see a different way of building a house on a slope.
Thanks Scotty excellent build. Cheers
i love the ground barrier down from the start and keeping it clean. however the extremely low timber not so much. i have dug my way under way to many houses.
I bet an SDS+ rotary hammer with a ground rod driver bit would save a ton of time getting those long through-bolts pushed through the timber posts. That looks like quite a chore to do with a hammer.
I'm from Sweden, we use a lot of wood in construction. Because 70% of Sweden Is covered in forest! Fun fact, Sweden's forest is one of few in the world that is growing because we are very rigorous when it comes to replanting trees we cut down.
NZ forest are farmed.
Mostly Pinus radiata from California.
Grows like a weed here 25 year rotation from seedling to harvest..
It’s nice to see you back on site and not at your house, don’t get me wrong they were great videos but your site work is way better. Have a great weekend.🇬🇧
Scott Brown on a friday, i think i’m in 2019 😊
Nice to start the day with some Scott Brown.
I like the music. :)
love the diamondbback vest , been wearing it for a week its awesome
Cool progress. We just moved from a home that about that close to a helipad on a hospital and it was a little annoying at times, especially when the pilots would come in low, rattling your teeth!
If there are any structural engineers in the chat, I would be interested in their take on having the plies of those "beams" not fastened together. From my educational background in carpentry and design, having the plies connected makes for a much stronger beam, rather than just floating 2 separate timbers out there. And the notching of floor joists; does that not reduce their effective span, because of reducing the bearing depth? I have a brain that just has to know these things. I suppose that's because I have worked with so engineers on so many projects. It's really fun to see different types of construction from all over the world. I got to see, first hand, the piles being driven into the sea bed for a resort on the water in Malaysia, many years ago, and then the stick framing that went on that to create villas. Very cool.
Really interesting to see the mix of galvanised and stainless steel fixings in this build . My experience building in Aotearoa tells me that even galvinised fixings deteriorate pretty badly when embedded through H3 H4 H5 timbers ...even though they would be accessible to remove and replace in the bigger subfloor spaces ( once corroded this aint easy ) ...it just makes sence to do all of it in stainless steel ...the extra cost now outways the longer term problems i think .
Also whats with the DPC on the piles to bearer connections ...i get the use as packers ...but not as a seperation ? Only required on concrete to timber and on piles within a certain distance from the ground .... I need to go read up on that i think .
Great vid ...keeps us all on our toes ! Cheers josh
Im guessing the piles would at times, especially the shorter ones, be quite wet. And the DPC would prevent this moisture from affecting the beams. The beams aren't treated as much as the posts.
The dpc on the post is another gimmick in the building industry. It is to prevent the post from absorbing moisture.
I was also surprised they were using galv bolts in h5 posts. The other one was that they changed from a 190mm joist to a 140mm. It would be interesting to know what the span was, either that or they now have to apply hangers to all the joists. Sounds like a bit of a balls up of the architects side of things.
Engineer here - timber pile foundations have got nothing to do with Seismic or building on a slope.. both timber and steel columns have elastic properties, both can be used in lateral earth movement (earthquake) designs, (as can Reinf. Concrete), both the large diameter timber pole and steel columns can also provide lateral wind bracing resistance.. a Geotech report would typically specify the suitable founding substrate for building on sloped sites, i.e. footings would need to be founded (x) deep and/or socketed in to rock/stiff natural ground with (x) bearing capacity to avoid any possible land slip hazard and/or subsidence issues.. for the most part NZ simply builds with treated timber poles because its the most cost effective material for the intended purpose...
And by far the easiest to work with on site.
Janitor here - Mr Engineer I believe you are incorrect. Timber piles when hit with seismic poo it becomes stable enough to be as brittle as white dog poo. The natural ground also becomes white dog poo so therefore I am correct and you are not.
His explanation is still correct. Steel may also be an option in seismic zones. Brick not so much. Reinforced concrete would need to be designed for it. Timber is comparatively cheap.
His explenation is 100% right. timber ist the most cost effective way to do this until a certain point. In most cases it makes no sense apending 3 or 4 times the cost for a private home, if you can reach this with timber!
But at acertain point you will have to switch to steel reinforced concrete, thats when you reach the limits of wood! with steel and concrete you can go beyond the limits of wood... but you will have to pay for it 🤑🤑🤑
Concrete cracks and steel cracks if you bend it too often. Everyone knows concrete and steel are cheaper than wood.
On the subject of wood piers- Here in the U.S, all of the old buildings in New Orleans were built on foundations of wood piers, mostly cypress logs is my understanding. Many buildings are well over 100 years old and are still sound.
Mate, this possibly the most amazingly edited vid you've posted. It's excellent Scott, really great, thanks so much.
There were a few different foundation types that were specified for builds in Christchurch after the earthquakes, some of them were a pain to draw up and detail. Eg: timber piles through a concrete slab at ground level and plywood bracing around the perimeter.
Another one was near a river. The bearers had to point towards the river and they were on 1m x 1m x 600? concrete pads and were only bolted at one end. At every other pad the bearers were allowed to slide through the brackets.
Favourite TH-camr!
Fantastic righteous work. in a beautiful place...
people do build with steel piles in new zealand also. but there is a lot more accuracy required in a steel structure
you can do cement piles as well
Rot also depends on water... if the ground is free draining, there is not likely to be enough water exposure to encourage rot.
You men know your building business. 💤👍
And women.
The beehive is made of a concrete construction for the most part I believe and that’s is earthquake proof ? Not sure what you call it but it’s like on rubber so it won’t crack as such
That’s a spin out Scott
I got my kidney out when I was a baby , I’m 27 now working towards my trade “ carpentry “ and keep fit in the gym. So I’m not the only one
Tool vest is very common in Scandinavia, atleast in Norway. Toolbelts are becomming more normal now though, with the influx of social media.
Spotted a Peak tool belt 🤌
TRULY beautiful work, all of it!!! ahemmm...course there's a thriving after-market industry providing IN-WATER PILE SHEATHING-WRAPS, here in SW FL, USA. just sayin' :-))) (funny how some big ol' dudes think they should become "gymrats", when...buildin' a structure can do it for 'em better!! nobody fitter than a framer!!
The Japanese homes & temples that are built on timbers which are scribed to rocks are amazing. Their resistance to earthquakes also comes from their ability to wiggle with the quake.
Great video, very informative.
Thanks for explaining the use of timber piles Scott.
Would the hybrid scarf joint at 8:46 not be better if both ends were actually bearing onto the pile as one end is relying on the other to hold it up and it is surely forming a slip plane reliant on the side fixings into the pile? What is the minimum end-bearing code for the joists sitting on the pile?
Short answer is timber can get wet but will eventually rot with oxygen and moisture if it can’t dry out. Sitting in the ground is not ideal. Timber stumps isn’t the issue and a galvanised steel connection cast into the concrete footings to timber post with appropriate air gap between would make sense. You can visually inspect the connection between the timber to concrete. This is standard practice in Australia and makes sense regardless of the climate. It might last 50 years but may also fail due to unforeseen circumstances like the unpredictable Mother Nature.
I can't believe that anyone thinks that a wood pier lasting 50 years is good. ONLY 50 years? What the fuck do you do when your FOUNDATION fails in ONLY 50 years? Look at homes built in Europe. They are HUNDREDS of years old, and people pass them down from one generation to another. Only 50 years? What total shit.
Didn't we (the "royal" we), Kiwi engineer/scientists invent a massive _ball bearing plate structure thing_ that would sit between the foundations in the Shaky Isle and the very large building sitting above the Shaky Isle to dampen the energy transfer between the moving object and the building object so the building didn't collapse? IIRC they were first plonked under a building in Wellington some 30 to 40 years ago. Japan sure loves them and I believe they have made the _ball bearing plate structure things_ even bigger and stronger. They have them under their very high rise buildings. We may have a lot of quakes but Japan has even more *and* they are stronger than what we usually experience on a day to day basis and their high rise building are still standing.
Here in Aussie, hardwoods have been used for wharf piers and trestle bridges etc, still standing after 100 years.
I've seen heavily treated softwoods used in retaining walls rot out in less than 20.
In NZ, the whole house gets jacked up and new piles are placed. It is very common to move whole houses in NZ and reinstate/transfer elsewhere.
the cca treatment is very very durable.
I've seen hardwoods rot out in 20years too due to poor installation as well as H4+ treated pine. Put it in concrete and ventilate/drain it properly (geotextile, gravel, drainage behind retaining walls etc) and both will last a long time. I wouldn't put either directly in contact with soil. Once it becomes persistently damp or has dirt piled up around it where it comes out of the ground that's the end of it. Also painting it is a sure fire way to send it to an early grave.
The house across from me is on a much steeper hill and is a giant block of concreate with a single diagonal telephone poll coming out of it. It then sits on 11 or 12 more telephone poles. Looks like the prow of a ship.
I have house sat it years ago and it pretty much constantly swings in the wind. You have to tighten the telephone poll bolts like every 10 years.
Apparently the owner was friends with the CEO of Edison and the donated the poles. Its allegedly one of the safest houses in CA for earth quakes.
Dog being the mascot of the buildsite. Keeping up the morale.
That or hes like a foreman, barking when youre slacking.
I wonder how these treated wooden piers compare to those new metal helical piers some people are using now. They are definitely pricier for sure.
It's so fast. British groundwork on complex terrain would be weeks of trenching, piles, expensive steelwork in never to be seen ringbeams and blockwork.
Whereas you and half a dozen chippies are up to floor in next to no time. I'm jealous.
Venice has been built on wooden piles for thousands of years.
Could have done a lovely scarf joint on that join. Not needed by why not
I may be wrong, but I was always told that galvanised fixings shouldn’t be used with treated timber as the chemical reaction between the two rots the metal. Coated fixings designed specifically for treated timber are preferred. That was the case in the UK when I lived there and in Australia where I live now. Maybe in NZ those bolts are manufactured for treated and just referred to as galvanised?
No hot dipped galv,, yes there’s a good case for all being stainless under the floor, especially if it’s semi exposed. but our building code’s a bit funky so you can get away with galv in some spots. and ss is 4 time the price. Galv and CCA timber treatment do react a bit and can fail over time if there’s moisture/salt/sulfer in the mix.
I thinks you are correct-e.g treated pine screws. NZ? who knows?
@@robertandsharon9428 as above, bolts are hot dipped galv here in NZ or ss, you can get treated pine screws, but coatings come off pretty easy if you have to take in and out , or while just driving in.
Nope. You are correct. We just do things a bit differently here.
im predicting in coming years all timber in the ground will be required to be mold sealed, like the tar we seal retaining walls with, super simple and bulletproof
Should be greasing those stainless bolts fellas
Back in the day they used ponga logs as piles. Lasted for a long time too.
there is a cottage on the beach at kaikoura and the foundations are whale vertebrae. wattle and daub walls. great attraction to visit.
Love your's videos Scott, blessings for you and your family 🙏🙏.
40+ yo office worker here. Love my job honestly and I know nothing about anything to do with building.
But man... you've got me looking up courses
It's OK to wear shorts in the cold, I don't know if it's OK to wear shorts that go above the knee though... that seems to be unique to New Zealand... they look like they should be on the rugby pitch.
Some proper old school smog in the air. Pretty crazy to see in this day and age. Not too harmful in a non-industrial town, though.
There are a couple distinct differences in how youre building that site to what is best practice here in the US. First, sill plates want a membrane separation from the foundation to prevent direct contact between the wood and concrete. Even when the timber is treated, it will hold moisture and promote insects. Second, the ledger against the concrete would also want the membrane, or even better a "packer" as you call it to stand the ledger off the wall by 10-13mm. You nail/screw through the packer for all the strucutral integrity, but the air gap allows the moisture to dry and no insects.
Timer piles is a very good solution for all the reasons you cite.
It the same here in NZ a Damp Proof Membrane is all ways used between timber and concrete
you should never complain about the chopper noise, it means someone is terminally ill, respect to the pilots and the medical staff, love the channel, been watching for years now
terminally ill? Half the idiots they chopper in to my hospital are drunk drivers who weren't wearing a seat belt. Don't be such a bleeding heart. We need fewer humans on this planet.
Having piles of varying lengths above ground probably reduces risks of harmonic resonance during an earthquake.
8:49 do they not paint the cut of the scarf joint with cca? they already had it for the posts,
kinda like that vest
6:25 You should not be doing angled cut on that joint. Its gonna want to slide sideways under vertical load. The cut should be square, like tetris. It would be more structurally stable that way.
How much does those stainless steel bolts and nuts cost? 😬
Okay. What are we all thinking when i comes to the square washers for bolts in the bearers. Are we square/level gang or diamond gang? Interested in your guys thoughts. Wellington builder here.
I go diamond where there’s a chance of water sitting on them, otherwise level as it looks better (IMHO). How about yourself?
Never thought about it before - I always go level, but not coz of OCD or nothing...
We had the same chat on site, went with square/level for the looks
For once, Scott Brown Carpentry’s day looks like mine. Houses on post, in bloody cold and wet weather.
I'm a carpenter in the UK and like your content, how easy is it to pick up work over in NZ and also how easy would it be to get a start if I was to move over there.