Bob flashed back to the installation of the new roof. First the crew removed the old layers of roofing material from the barn. Next they added a layer of Louisiana Pacific oriented strand board (OSB) over the original sheathing. It's manufactured with thin wafers of wood, resins and wax compressed under intense heat. When used as roof sheathing it's extremely resistant to moisture damage. Then they stapled down a layer of felt paper and marked with chalk lines to lay out the courses of asphalt shingles. Since these are double layer shingles, they're fastened along the pre-marked white line to assure that both layers are attached to the roof. Frames for the Velux VSE skylights were installed. These vented skylights will be operated with a hand-held remote. Copper step flashing is added to the side of the skylights and the asphalt roof shingles are fastened up to it.

Bob discusses the advantages of hazard-resistant building techniques pertaining to sheathing the roof with Bryan Readling of the APA, Engineered Wood Association, on the Mt. Pleasant house in South Carolina.

Bob continues framing the affordable home in Mashpee, Massachusetts, with General Contractor Wes Lohr. Lohr begins by squaring the wall, which is done by taking measurements from corner to corner diagonally and checking that they are the same. The crew then snaps a line 36 1/2 inches up from the bottom for the overlapping sheathing that will cover the bottom band and pressure-treated sill. Lohr uses Louisiana Pacific (LP) oriented strand board (OSB) to sheathe the wall. It is treated with a wax coating on one side to protect against weather. LP OSB will not delaminate when wet and is marked with nailing guides to help nailers hit studs every time when studs are properly placed. Any overlapping OSB that blocks window or door openings is cut away, then the wall is raised and eyeballed for placement.

Bob meets with Brian Redding of the APA-Engineered Wood Association and they look at the roof framing techniques for resisting hurricanes and high winds.

Bob confers with carpenter/contractor Cortney as he sheaths the new back-porch roof of the Studio City Bungalow. Bob outlines the new ridge poles used to create the new roofing. Cortney explains the framing technique used to replicate the front porch.

TechShield radiant barrier sheathing can help homeowners conserve energy by keeping up to 97 percent of the sun's radiant heat from entering the attic. TechShield, the only radiant barrier sheathing with post-lamination incising, effectively allows moisture to escape from the foil side of the board should it get wet. Studies have shown that using a radiant barrier can effectively reduce the amount of energy required to cool the home by up to 20 percent. And TechShield radiant barrier sheathing adds no additional time or labor costs to the construction, because the foil is already laminated to the board.

Loss of the roof causes the greatest amount of damage during hurricanes. Construction techniques have been developed for securing roofs during high winds. Use metal clips to tie the rafters to the top plate. Improve the attachment of the roof sheathing by spacing nails closer together. Seal the sheathing joints with an adhesive membrane (to prevent water penetration.)

Re-roofing is an opportunity to retrofit your home to prevent wind and water damage. After removing the old roof covering, improve the connection of the sheathing to the framing by adding more nails or screws. Check local building codes for spacing. (It can vary from 4 to 8 inches on center.) Seal the sheathing seams with a self-adhesive membrane. Finish with a new roof cover.

Building science consultant Steve Easley joins Bob Vila to discuss a few of the key elements that help our home in the desert beat the heat. R-Control structural insulated panels, Bonded Logic natural fiber insulation, Philips Products Marquee 9000 Series windows, Touch N Foam sealants, CertainTeed FiberCement Siding, and L-P TechShield roof sheathing, all featured in the project, are discussed.

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.