Framing a house using engineered wood has many advantages. Glue laminated beams are stronger than their conventional solid sawn counterparts. (Laminated veneer lumber comes in smaller dimensions for headers and ridge beams.) Engineered I-joists span greater distances and their stiffness prevents squeaky floors. Oriented strand board sheathing prevents racking and provides good nailer for siding.

Bob outlines the steps involved in framing up the house. Once the first floor joists were in place, the crew started in on the subfloor using ToughPly, a thicker plywood product from Georgia-Pacific. A single layer of ToughPly can be used under hardwood, tile, or carpet, and its quick-fit tongue and groove design saves time fitting the panels together. Next the crew framed the sidewalls with Riverside CDX plywood sheathing harvested from sustainable forests in British Columbia. While only slightly thicker than standard OSB or plywood, it's three times as stiff for a greater load carrying capacity and its favorable weight to strength ratio makes its easier to work with.

Bob and Ryley meet up with framing contractor Kevin Parquette of Timberline Building Specialists. Kevin comments on the advantages of working with the 28 ft. long engineered wood All-Joists from Boise Cascade. Designed for high performance and stiffness, All-Joists significantly speed up the framing process. Next Kevin points out the 1 1/8" engineered wood rim board. For fastening Kevin's crew used 12-penny nails covered with a glue which is activated by the speed of the nail coming out of the gun.

Bob tours the newly opened up first floor of the house and the turns his attention to the little family room addition. The wall has been bumped out a couple of feet and at an angle. Bob flashes back to the construction of the new addition. The carpenters began by framing the deck with pressure-treated 2 x 10s anchored to the existing frame and set on concrete footings in the ground. The framed the walls with conventional 2 x 4s and attaching plywood to stabilize the structure. Then they framed knee walls to supports the windows that will fill in the corner of the addition. The second floor is now supported using LVLs attached to a 6 x 6 clear fir post which transfers the weight of the upper floors to a new footing directly below with the addition is framed around it. The effect when finished is similar to a greenhouse.

The EdenPURE Infrared Portable Heater can cut your heating bills and save you money. With over 1,000,000 EdenPURE heaters sold EdenPURE is #1 in both savings and reliability. Remember not all heaters are the same. There are many imitators on the market but only one EdenPURE.

Getting a Dremel® Multi-Max Oscillating Power Tool is almost like getting 5 tools in one. With it you can cut, grind, remove grout, scrape and sand. Powerful and heavy-duty, the Multi-Max is just the tool to help you tackle a wide variety of do-it-yourself projects.

Sustainable materials, non-wasteful practices and energy efficiency are hallmarks of eco-friendly housing efforts. Now, one organization and a federal program are looking more directly at how these efforts can make homes healthier for their occupants.

you and your family stay comfortable the entire season while protecting your investment. The good news is that it doesn t have to be expensive. There are a surprising number of easy things you can do at minimal cost that can maximize energy savings this winter. BobVila.

BEFORE. This washed-out fireplace has no pizazz. Faux painting and a refinished mantle subtly enhances the bricks, offering more depth and character. Photo courtesy of Brick Transformers.

Oklahoma City-based kitchen designer Karen Black-Sigler appreciates the texture that stone and brick veneer can bring to a room. She s incorporated both into her own kitchen. Photo courtesy of A Karen Black Company.