Operable sliding doors for retail/apt lobby/etc entrances come in many options. One of the most popular manufacturers is Stanley, who produces many other items besides sliding doors.
Permitting officials are starting to look for cutsheets for this information, so the specs and drawings on the site provide the code compliance info that they need.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Trench drains
Often overlooked, the last defense against water entering interior spaces. Especially in backsloped basement areas or HC entrances.
Best solution is to grade properly so as not to have them at all.
Bigger, beefier ones for parking lots, garages, etc. Smaller ones end of HC ramps that slope toward buildings (like the Parkwood leasing office).
Considerations are size, depth (must be formed in concrete), type of grate openings, where outfall leads to.
Neenah Foundries line spec'd for Georgia Commons.
Used at Fairlawn Marshall Scattered Sites to divert sheet flow from the parking lot toward the buildings (bad pre-existing site condition).
Best solution is to grade properly so as not to have them at all.
Bigger, beefier ones for parking lots, garages, etc. Smaller ones end of HC ramps that slope toward buildings (like the Parkwood leasing office).
Considerations are size, depth (must be formed in concrete), type of grate openings, where outfall leads to.
Neenah Foundries line spec'd for Georgia Commons.
Used at Fairlawn Marshall Scattered Sites to divert sheet flow from the parking lot toward the buildings (bad pre-existing site condition).
Treads and risers
7-11.
Not the Slurpee store. Not the 1st American pro cycling team to compete in the Tour De France.
7" risers, 11 " treads. Code minimums. Some jurisdictions allow for up to 8 1/4" risers and 9" treads within dwelling units, but this is becoming passe.
Another good rule of thumb, for anthropomorphic reasons, is the number 18, as follows:
riser + tread = 18"
Lower risers require longer treads, to accommodate the natural gait of walking...
Not the Slurpee store. Not the 1st American pro cycling team to compete in the Tour De France.
7" risers, 11 " treads. Code minimums. Some jurisdictions allow for up to 8 1/4" risers and 9" treads within dwelling units, but this is becoming passe.
Another good rule of thumb, for anthropomorphic reasons, is the number 18, as follows:
riser + tread = 18"
Lower risers require longer treads, to accommodate the natural gait of walking...
Authorities Having Jurisdiction: DC
Some key things to remember:
DC requires 15% (!) of units to be Type A ANSI accessible. This is fraught with different interpretations. 15% of units on the accessible route? 15% of units for the entire building/project? It is only clear that new construction in an elevatored building has 15% HC units, due to the fact that every unit is on an accessible route. Woodson Heights demonstrated that the same agency can have 2 different interpretations of this during the permitting process, and no clear answer.
DCRA website.
DC Building Code Supplement of 2008.
DC Building Code Supplement of 2003 (now defunct, but still enforced for buildings with permit submissions prior to December 2008)
DC requires 15% (!) of units to be Type A ANSI accessible. This is fraught with different interpretations. 15% of units on the accessible route? 15% of units for the entire building/project? It is only clear that new construction in an elevatored building has 15% HC units, due to the fact that every unit is on an accessible route. Woodson Heights demonstrated that the same agency can have 2 different interpretations of this during the permitting process, and no clear answer.
DCRA website.
DC Building Code Supplement of 2008.
DC Building Code Supplement of 2003 (now defunct, but still enforced for buildings with permit submissions prior to December 2008)
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Fire separation assemblies
Contrary to popular belief, the gypcrete in the UL L-528 floor ceiling assembly is not required to achieve the 1 hour rating. Flooring system No. 1 specifically shows underlayment without any sort of gypcrete.
UL ratings can be accessed online here.
Fire resistance assemblies can be selected by fire rating here. This is a cool little interactive exercise that avoids having to thumb through the Big Orange Book. It's still a good idea to consult the B.O.B. anyway as we can't depend entirely on the web...
Use ALL the tools at your disposal.
UL ratings can be accessed online here.
Fire resistance assemblies can be selected by fire rating here. This is a cool little interactive exercise that avoids having to thumb through the Big Orange Book. It's still a good idea to consult the B.O.B. anyway as we can't depend entirely on the web...
Use ALL the tools at your disposal.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Cabinet nomenclature
BLSH3636 = BRC36 = Base lazy susan with full height doors
This can get quite confusing.
Every cabinet manufacturer has a different label for type of cabinet...drawings should have a legend/note indicating exact cabinet type to convey intent.
This can get quite confusing.
Every cabinet manufacturer has a different label for type of cabinet...drawings should have a legend/note indicating exact cabinet type to convey intent.
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