The
Australian House Building Manual - 7th Edition
by Allan Staines
(Australian Publication)
Softcover
210 x 295mm
158pp
Published by Pinedale Press, Caloundra, QLD
R.R.P.$39.50
ISBN 978-187521730-4
As reviewed in House & HOME Issue 21
Allan Staines - author of several Australian home improvement, building and renovation manuals - has released a new title, The Australian House Building Manual.
The book is aimed at a wide audience, but will be of particular interest to those involved in building education and apprentice training, or owner-builders, architects, designers and contractors seeking to re-familiarise themselves with the essential details of building construction will also find this comprehensive book helpful.
The Australian House Building Manual divides residential construction into four main types - brick veneer, timber or steel frame, cavity brick and concrete block. Each method is described in step-by-step detail, with illustrations.
The focus is not simply on the general aspects of wall construction, but follows through with explanations and illustrations of the building process, from the bottom up. It covers concrete footings/slab floors, timber floors and sub floors, wall framing, roof construction, finishing and miscellaneous issues.
The book relies heavily on cross-sectional drawings; in fact, every page has more than one. The text serves mainly to highlight particular details in the drawings.
Tables are employed to display information such as spacing of piers, bracing, stair tread spans and other construction requirements where the types or dimensions of materials employed are interdependant on other elements.
Tongue and groove flooring, door, window and cladding installation, wall frame assembly, levelling and bracing, several forms of roof construction, and most aspects of interior detailing - including building staircases - are just some of the specific issues detailed with step-by-step instructions.
Every effort seems to have been made at the time of publication to reflect current BCA and Australian Standards. To his credit, the author does point out that regulations do change, and the latest releases from relevant departments should be consulted for up-to-date specifications, if any doubt exists.
Miscellaneous subjects covered include termite control, arches in brickwork, suspended concrete patios, waterproof retaining walls, estimating quantities, waterproofing and installing shower recesses and bathtubs, as well as drawing and detailing a typical house plan.
All round it's quite a hefty package. The Australian House Building Manual is packed with information, and makes every effort to present a decent range of variations possible for many of the subjects covered.
The book relies heavily on the instructive value of drawings, and is an excellent visual reference. If readers expect to digest all the information in the book from cover to cover, they might feel a bit overwhelmed, but thankfully the table of contents provides a comprehensive and handy guide to the wide range of subjects covered.
Illustrations: Black & White
Units of Measurement: Metric
Contents
Typical Construction Methods
The
4 Main Building Systems
The Timber or Steel Frame House
Some Common
Timber Framing Details
Timber Wall Framing 2-Storey Construction
Brick
Veneer Construction
Brick Veneer Footing & Slab Edge Details
Brick Veneer
Ties
Brick Veneer Soffits & Joinery
Brick Veneer with Brick Gables
Brick Veneer with Timber Floor
Designing Single Leaf Brick Veneer Base Walls
Cavity Brick (Double Brick) Construction
Cavity Brick Footings & Slab
Edge Details
Joining Partitions into Cavity Walls
Roof Tie Down
Cavity Brick & Timber Floor
Installing Joinery into Cavity Brick
Cavity
Brick with Dissimilar Internal Leaves
Concrete Block Construction
Blocklaying
& Grouting
Block Masonry Wall Heights & Lintels
Concrete
Footings/SIab Floors
Siting the House
Cut &Fill Sites &
Slab Floors
Setting out Profile Hurdles
Footing Preparation
Column
or Stump Sub-Floors
Pier & Beam Footings
Concrete Slab Floors
Timber
Floors & Sub Floors
Single Leaf
Brick Bases
Laying Bearers
Nominal Joints and Fastening for Bearers
Beams & Installation
Notches and Holes in Members
Floor Joist Construction
Platform Floor Construction
Fitted (Cut-in) Floors
Using hyJOISTS
('I' Joists)
Stairwell Trimmer Joists/Cantilevered Joists
Antcapping &
Marking Out Joists
Laying Floor Joists
Solid Blocking & Herringbone Strutting
Sheet Flooring
T & G Flooring
Scyon Sheet Wet Sheet Flooring
Wall
Framing
Wall Framing
Wall Plates
Stud & Jack Stud Lengths
Stud Positioning
Corner & Double Studs
Cutting Studs & Lintels
Wall Frame
Assembly & Noggings
Bracing & Squaring Frames
Erecting Frames
Plumbing
Frames
Straightening Top Plates
Typical Tie Down Methods
Notching
Trenching & Drilling Studs
Roof
Construction
Prefabricated Roof Trusses/Truss Types
Erecting Roof
Trusses
Gable Construction
Dutch Gables
Hip Roofs
Roofs with
Valleys
Cathedral Ceilings
Near Flat Roofs
Diagonal Roof Bracing
Roof Truss Fixing & Battens
Preparing Roofs for Tiles
Flashings
for Tile roofs
Other Flashings
Finishing
Weatherboard & Sheet
Claddings
Installing Aluminium Windows
Installing Aluminium Sliding
Patio Doors
Interior & Exterior Door Installation
Door Handles, Latchsets
& Locksets
Garage Doors
Ceiling Framing
Plasterboard Lining
Staircase Construction
Constructing Exterior Timber Stairs
Concrete
Stair Construction
Handrailing
Architraves & Skirting
Wet Areas
Bath & Shower Recess Installation
MisceIIaneous
Termite Control
Clay Brick & Masonry Block Modules
Arches
in Brickwork
Suspended Concrete Patios
How
to Build & Waterproof Retaining Walls
Thin Section Rendered Coatings
Adhesives
& Sealants
Safety on the Job
Building in Bushfire Prone areas
Energy
Efficiency
Estimating Quantities
Details Plans should Contain
Typical
House Plan Example
Abbreviations
Index