| WCD #1 is a comprehensive summary of rules and guidelines for the proper construction of wood frame buildings built to conventional construction provisions in the model building codes. WCD #1 includes information on various types of construction, framing systems, fire and draftstopping, protection against termites and decay, fastenings, insulation, and materials, as well as a series of figures included to illustrate proper framing techniques.
The purpose of this document is to summarize and illustrate conventional construction rules as a guide for architects, builders, carpentry foremen, building inspectors and students in the building trades. The application of conventional construction rules may be limited by building code requirements in use where the building is being constructed. Conventional construction provisions, as found in this publication, represent techniques with a history of satisfactory performance.
Today, some building codes may require a more rigorous structural design methodology than is associated with conventional construction. This requirement may result from a need for better building performance when the structure is exposed to moderate-to-high wind, seismic, and snow loads. AF&PA publishes the Wood Frame Construction Manual for One- and Two-Family Dwellings to provide solutions based on engineering analysis, in accordance with recognized national codes and standards. Like conventional construction, the engineered solutions are provided in a prescriptive format. |
