PREFABRITCATED FRAMING MEMBER SUPPORT SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR INSTALLING A PREFABRICATED FRAMING MEMBER SUPPORT SYSTEM IN A CONSTRUCTION APPLICATION

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a prefabricated framing member support system and methods for installing such a system with a horizontal framing member, the horizontal framing member having a top chord, a bottom chord, a web connecting the top chord to the bottom chord and a framing member cross sectional end profile. The prefabricated support system includes an integrated rim board component having a substantially L-shaped cross sectional end profile. The integrated rim board component includes a substantially vertical portion and a substantially horizontal portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application relates to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______(Atty Docket 26723), filed on the same day as the present patent application, and titled “Prefabricated Framing Member Support System,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is directed generally to prefabricated framing member support systems and methods for installing prefabricated framing member support systems in various construction applications.

BACKGROUND

Many types of prefabricated horizontal framing components are used in residential and commercial construction. Framing, in construction, is a building technique based around structural members which provide a stable frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are attached, and support horizontal framing members such as trusses, joists, and dimension lumber, and other framing elements. Prefabricated I-joist framing members are one example of a horizontal framing member.

Diagrams of a conventional two-story construction application 100 using framing members are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this example, I-joists are shown, but other horizontal framing members could easily be substituted. In this case, the construction application utilizes I-joists in a flooring system. Constructing a flooring system is a long, multi-step, and time-consuming part of any construction process. The first part of the process involves preparing a foundation 102 for the first floor. Then a series of structural layers are installed atop the foundation 102. In conventional construction applications, these layers may include a sill plate, a rim board, an I-joist attached to the rim board, and floor sheathing.

As shown in FIG. 1, a foundation 102 is shown with a first sill plate 104 attached to the foundation 102. A first rim board 106 is then attached to the first sill plate 104 with a toe nail 105. The attachment of the first sill plate 104 to the first rim board 106 is typically performed on the construction site and requires a significant amount of time.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a conventional rim board and sill plate combination 300 produced according to conventional procedures. The rim board and sill plate combination 300 includes a rim board 302 connected to a sill plate 304 with a toe nail 306. The toe nail 306 is typically driven into the rim board 302 at an angle into the sill plate 304.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, after the first sill plate 104 and the first rim board 106 are connected, a first I-joist 108 is attached and a first floor sheathing 110 is installed. The first story is constructed by attaching a first bottom plate 112 to the first floor sheathing 110. A first wall member 114 (e.g., a stud) is then attached to the bottom plate 112. A first top plate 116 is attached to the stud. The second top plate 118 completes the first story.

The second story is constructed by attaching a second rim board 120 to the second sill plate (or first double top plate) 118 using a toe nail 119. The second story is constructed in a similar fashion to the first story by attaching a second I-joist 122 to the second rim board 120 and subsequently installing a second floor sheathing 124, a second bottom plate 126, a second wall member 128, a second top plate 130, and a second double top plate 132.

Referring to FIG. 2, a header 134 is installed on the first story. A header is a horizontal structural member that supports the load over a window or door opening. In conventional two-story construction applications, a header 134 must be used in a doorway 136 to support the load from the structure above it. Trimmers 138 are then installed to support the header 136 and finish the opening for doors and windows.

In conventional applications, the first floor sheathing 110 and the second floor sheathing 124 transfer lateral loads into the rim board, into the wall and eventually into the foundation 102. The toe nail connection between the first and second rim boards 106 and 120 and the first and second sill plates 104 and 118 are weak connections in the structure. It is also the last link to transfer the force to the foundation. Therefore, the loading is often limited by the strength of these connections.

In addition to the system described above, horizontal framing members may be connected directly to a beam when the beam spans a large opening such as garage doors. Diagrams of a conventional garage door construction application 400 using I-joists are shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. In conventional applications, a foundation 402 is constructed and bracing elements (e,g., panels, shear walls, block walls, concrete, etc.) 404 are attached to the foundation 402. Beams 406 spanning the distance between the bracing elements 404 and I-joists 408 are attached with joist hangers. 410. The joist hangers 410 are steel sections shaped like a stirrup, which are specially bent so they can be fastened to the beams 406 in order to provide end support for the I-joists 408.

Thus, there is a need to develop a framing member support system and a method for installing a framing member support system in a construction application that addresses the disadvantages of conventional systems and methods. More specifically, there is a need to develop a framing member support system that is easier to install than current systems. Ideally, such a system would also provide the same or better loading capacity and a higher composite action factor than conventional systems.

SUMMARY

The following summary is provided for the benefit of the reader only and is not intended to limit in any way the invention as set forth by the claims. The present disclosure is directed generally towards prefabricated framing member support systems and methods for installing prefabricated framing member support systems

In one embodiment, a prefabricated framing member support system is provided for use with a horizontal framing member. The horizontal framing member has a top chord, a bottom chord, a web connecting the top chord to the bottom chord and a framing member cross sectional end profile. The prefabricated support system includes an integrated rim board component having a substantially L-shaped cross sectional end profile. The integrated rim board component includes a substantially vertical portion having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a substantially horizontal portion having a top surface and a bottom surface. The integrated rim board component is configured to support the horizontal framing member by arranging the horizontal framing member on the substantially horizontal portion of the integrated rim board component so that the framing member cross sectional end profile makes contact with the inner surface, the bottom chord makes contact with the top surface, and the framing member cross sectional end profile is located in a plane substantially perpendicular to the L-shaped cross-sectional end profile.

In some embodiments, the substantially horizontal portion of the integrated rim board component and the substantially vertical portion of the integrated rim board component are connected with chemical or mechanical fasteners. In some embodiments this connection is done to achieve a composite action factor between about 0.8 and about 1.0. In some embodiments, the horizontal framing member is an I-joist; however, other framing members known to those of ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the disclosure.

Further aspects are directed towards methods for installing pre-fabricated framing member support systems. In some embodiments, such methods include the steps of providing a foundation or bracing element, attaching an integrated rim board component according to embodiments of the disclosure to the foundation or bracing element, and attaching a horizontal framing member to the integrated rim board component.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is better understood by reading the following description of non-limitative embodiments with reference to the attached drawings wherein like parts of each of the figures are identified by the same reference characters, and are briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1 is a section view of a conventional framing member support system in a first construction application;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a conventional framing member support system in the first construction application;

FIG. 3 is a section view of a conventional rim board and sill plate;

FIG. 4 is a section view of a conventional framing member support system in a second construction application;

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of a conventional framing member support system in the second construction application;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a conventional framing member support system in the second construction application;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an integrated rim board component according to the disclosure;

FIGS. 8 through 13 are section views of embodiments of integrated rim board components according to the disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a section view of an embodiment of a framing member support system according to the disclosure in the first construction application;

FIG. 15 is an elevation view of an embodiment of a framing member support system according to the disclosure in the first construction application;

FIG. 16 is a section view of an embodiment of a framing member support system according to the disclosure in the second construction application;

FIG. 17 is an elevation view of an embodiment of a framing member support system according to the disclosure in the second construction application;

FIG. 18 is a top view of an embodiment of a framing member support system according to the disclosure in the second construction application; and

FIGS. 19 through 21 are isometric views of an integrated rim board according to the disclosure in various loading cases.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure describes to prefabricated framing member support systems and methods for installing prefabricated framing member support systems. Certain specific details are set forth in the following description and FIGS. 7 through 21 to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the disclosure. Well-known structures, systems, and methods often associated with such systems have not been shown or described in details to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of various embodiments of the disclosure. In addition, those of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that additional embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without several of the details described below.

The term “wood product” is used to refer to a product manufactured from logs such as lumber (e.g., boards, dimension lumber, headers and beams, timbers, mouldings and other appearance products; laminated, finger jointed, or semi-finished lumber (e.g., flitches and cants); veneer products; or wood strand products (e.g., oriented strand board, oriented strand lumber, laminated strand lumber, parallel strand lumber, and other similar composites). The term “framing member” is used to refer to a structural member designed to support a floor or ceiling load (e.g., trusses, joists, I-joists, dimension lumber, etc.).

FIG. 7 is an example of an integrated rim board component 700 according to embodiments of the disclosure. The integrated rim board component 700 has a substantially vertical portion 702 and a substantially horizontal portion 704. The substantially vertical portion 702 and the substantially horizontal portion connect to form a structure having a substantially L-shaped cross-sectional end profile 706.

Materials used to construct the integrated rim board component 700 may include wood products, metals, composites, or any other suitable material. Specific wood products which may be used include but are not limited to laminated veneer lumber, oriented strand lumber, parallel strand lumber, and plywood. The integrated rim board component 700 may also be constructed from a combination of the materials listed above.

FIG. 7 illustrates exemplary dimensions for the integrated rim board component 700. In this example, the substantially vertical portion 702 may be between approximately 7¼ inches to 24 inches long and between approximately ¾ inch and 3½ inches wide. The substantially horizontal portion may be between approximately 1 inch and 3½ inches long and between approximately 3½ to 7¼ inches wide. The depth D of the substantially vertical portion 702 and the substantially horizontal portion 704 may be between approximately 8¼ to 27½ inches. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the dimensions listed are merely examples and that embodiments of the disclosure contemplate integrated rim board components 700 having dimensions other than those listed.

In some embodiments, the integrated rim board component 700 is formed integrally from a single piece of material. In other embodiments, the integrated rim board component 700 may be constructed from two or more separate components which are connected with one or more assembly components (e.g., chemical or mechanical fasteners or connectors). FIGS. 8 through 13 show examples of integrated rim board components and assembly components according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIGS. 8-10 show examples of mechanical connectors or fasteners. In FIG. 8, an integrated rim board component 800 having a substantially vertical portion 802, and a substantially horizontal portion 804 is shown. In FIG. 8, the substantially vertical portion 802 is connected to the substantially horizontal portion 804 with a mechanical connector 806 inserted through the substantially horizontal portion 804 and into the substantially vertical portion 802. In FIG. 9, the substantially vertical portion 802 is connected to the substantially horizontal portion 804 with a mechanical connector 906 located on an inside surface 908 of the integrated rim board 800. In FIG. 10, the substantially vertical portion 802 is connected to the substantially horizontal portion 804 with a mechanical connector 1006 located on an outside surface 1008 of the integrated rim board 800. Mechanical fasteners or connectors according to the disclosure include but are not limited to nails, brackets, braces, or other known devices for connecting components.

FIGS. 11-13 show examples of chemical fasteners or connectors. In FIG. 11, a section of the substantially vertical portion 802 and a section of the substantially horizontal portion 804 are manufactured to have finger joints 1106. The substantially vertical portion 802 may then be connected to the substantially horizontal portion 804 with an adhesive (e.g., glue, epoxy, or another adhesive known to those of skill in the art). As shown in FIG. 12, the substantially vertical portion 802 may simply be connected to the substantially horizontal portion 804 with an adhesive on a connection plane 1206. Alternatively the substantially vertical portion 802 and the substantially horizontal portion 804 may be manufactured as a tongue and groove joint 1306 and subsequently connected with an adhesive.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the substantially vertical portion 802 and the substantially horizontal portion 804 may be connected in any manner that is known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Likewise, the substantially vertical portion 802 and the substantially horizontal portion 804 may be connected using a combination or variation of the methods disclosed herein.

FIGS. 14-18 illustrate applications of a two-story construction application using embodiments of framing member support systems according to the disclosure. The basic construction is similar to the conventional methods shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 14, a foundation 1402 is constructed. Instead of attaching a separate sill plate and rim board, a first integrated rim board component 1404 is attached to the foundation 1402. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, the first integrated rim board component 1404 includes a substantially vertical portion 1406 with finger joints connected to a substantially horizontal portion 1408 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 11). It should be noted that other embodiments of integrated rim boards components according to the disclosure may be substituted for the integrated rim board component shown. Because the first integrated rim board component 1404 is prefabricated, there is no need to use the conventional toe nailing procedure described in FIG. 3. The elimination of the installation of a separate rim board and sill plate and nailing procedure can reduce construction time, thereby resulting in a cost savings to the builder.

After the first integrated rim board component 1404 is attached, a first I-joist 1410 (comprising a top chord 1502, a bottom chord 1504, and a web 1506) is then attached to the first integrated rim board component 1404. In this embodiment, the framing member is shown as an I-joist, but other framing members known to those of ordinary skill in the art may be used in place of I-joists. The first integrated rim board component 1404 supports the first I-joist when the first I-joist 1410 if attached to the substantially horizontal portion 1408 so that the web 1506 is arranged in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the substantially vertical portion 1406 of the first integrated rim board component 1404. The top chord 1502 and the bottom chord 1504 may be arranged in a plane that is substantially parallel to the substantially horizontal portion 1408 of the first integrated rim board component 1404. The bottom chord 1504 may make contact with the substantially horizontal portion 1408 and the substantially vertical portion 1406. The top chord 1502 may make contact with the substantially vertical portion 1406. The web may make contact with the substantially vertical portion 1406.

After the first I-joist 1410 is set in place a first floor sheathing 1412 is laid. A first bottom plate 1414 may then be connected to the first floor sheathing 1412. A first wall member 1416 (e.g., a stud) may then be attached to the bottom plate 1414. This completes construction of the first story. A double top plate may not be required since the integrated rim board component 1404 can be manufactured in long lengths, thus eliminating the splice in the top plate.

Instead of installing a top plate as described in the conventional application, a second integrated rim board component 1418 including a substantially vertical portion 1420 and a substantially horizontal portion 1422 may be attached directly to the first wall member 1416. A second I-framing member 1424 may then be attached to the substantially horizontal portion 1422 of the second integrated rim board component 1418. Again, the step of nailing a rim board and sill plate together may be eliminated. The second I-framing member 1424 may be connected to the second integrated rim board component 1418 in a manner similar to the one described with respect to the first integrated rim board 1404 and the first I-framing member 1410. The second story may be completed by installing a second floor sheathing 1426, a second bottom plate 1428, a second wall member 1430, a second top plate 1432, and a double top plate 1434.

Referring to back to FIG. 2, a header 134 is typically installed on the first story in a conventional application. In some embodiments according to the disclosure, a conventional header may be replaced with a more convenient structure. Referring to FIG. 15, a trimmer 1436 is shown in place of a header. In embodiments according to the disclosure, a trimmer 1436 may be used in place of a header because the integrated rim board component 1418 supports the load from the structure above it.

As discussed earlier, in conventional applications, the toe nail connection between the rim board and the sill plate is the weakest connection in the structure. It is also the last link to transfer the force to the foundation. In some embodiments according to the disclosure, the integrated rim board component may be able to transfer a significantly larger load than a conventional rim board and sill plate combination connected with a toe nail.

FIGS. 16-18 show a garage door construction application according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As in conventional applications, a foundation 1602 is constructed and bracing elements (e,g., panels, shear walls, block walls, concrete, etc.) 1604 are attached to the foundation 1602. Integrated rim board components 1606 having a substantially vertical portion 1608 and a substantially horizontal portion 1610 are then attached to the bracing elements 1604. As described earlier, in a conventional application (e.g. FIGS. 4-6) beams and joist hanger are typically used to install I-joists. In embodiments according to the disclosure, I-joists 1612 may be attached directly to the integrated rim board components 1606, thereby eliminating the need for joist hangers.

A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that joist support systems according to the disclosure may be used in construction applications no explicitly discussed in this application. When compared to traditional joist support systems, joist support systems according to embodiments of the disclosure may be able to withstand more bending and loading. Thus, it may be desirable to replace a conventional rim board and sill plate combination in a construction application with an integrated rim board component according to embodiments of the disclosure.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the specific embodiments of the disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the disclosure. For example, integrated rim board component according to the disclosure may be constructed by other means or using other materials than those disclosed. Additionally, framing member support systems according to the disclosure may be used in construction applications other than those explicitly described and pictured.

Aspects of the disclosure described in the context of particular embodiments may be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. For example, chemical fastening methods may be combined with mechanical fastening methods. As another example, construction techniques in some embodiments may be combined with construction techniques in other embodiments.

Further, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the disclosure may have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

Example

The following example will serve to illustrate aspects of the present disclosure. The example is intended only as a means of illustration and should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure in any way. Those skilled in the art will recognize many variations that may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.

When two pieces of material are connected together to form a single piece, their effectiveness to perform as one homogenous piece is dependant on the strength of the connection between the two pieces. In traditional light-framed construction, rim board and sill plates are assumed to act independently i.e. the composite action factor between the two pieces is zero. Therefore, if designing the rim board and sill plate as a bending member, only the modulus of inertia of the rim board is used in design. Calculating composite action is a standard procedure already used when designing floor systems. Typically, floor sheathing nailed to floor joists is assigned a composite action factor of 0.25. If floor sheathing is glued and nailed to floor joists, the assembly is assigned a composite action factor of 0.45. Composite action factors for different configurations can be established and validated through testing. Having a connection made of a rigid adhesive or fasteners designed appropriately, a composite action factor of between 0.8 and 1 is easily achieved.

General equation for determining the modulus of inertia (I) for a composite section:

I=(CompositeActionFactor)×I_{(CompositeRimboard+SillPlate)}+(1−CompositeActionFactor)×I_(Rimboard)

Equation typically used for floor sheathing nailed to floor joists:

I=(0.25)×I_{(CompositeJoist+Sheathing)}+(1−0.25)×I_(Joist)

Equation that would be used for conventional rim board and sill plate:

I=(0)×I_{(CompositeRimboard+SillPlate)+(}1−0)×I_(Rimboard)=I_(Rimboard)

Equation that would be used for integrated L-shaped section:

I=(1)×I_{(CompositeRimboard+SillPlate)}+(1−1)×I_(Rimboard)=I_{(CompositeRimboard+SillPlate)}

FIGS. 19-21 show an integrated rim board component 1900 (comprised of a substantially vertical portion 1902 and a substantially horizontal portion 1904) according to embodiments of the disclosure in various loading cases. Models were used to predict the results of the loading on the integrated rim board component 1900 and on a conventional rim board and sill plate combination connected with a toe nail (not shown under loading, but illustrated in FIG. 3). Table 1 compares the approximate connection capacity of an integrated rim board component 1900 according to embodiments of the disclosure to the approximate connection capacity of a conventional rim board and sill plate combination 300. All measurements were calculated in pounds per lineal foot.

When modeling the conventional rim board and sill plate combination 300, assumptions about the properties and dimensions were made. The cross sectional dimensions of the rim board 302 were assumed to be 1.25 inches by 11.875 inches. The cross sectional dimensions of the sill plate 304 were assumed to be 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches. Both the rim board 302 and the sill plate 304 were assumed to have a modulus of elasticity of 1,300,000.

When modeling the integrated rim board 1900, similar assumptions were made. The substantially vertical portion 1902 was assumed to have a cross section of 1.25 inches by 11.875 inches. The substantially horizontal 1904 portion was assumed to have a cross section of 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches. In the example modeled, the substantially vertical portion 1902 was connected to the substantially horizontal portion 1904 with glued finger joints (e.g., FIG. 11). Both the substantially vertical portion 1902 and the substantially horizontal portion 1904 were assumed to have a modulus of elasticity of 1,300,000.

In FIG. 19, the integrated rim board component 1900 is shown subjected to shear loading as represented by arrows 1906. In FIG. 20, the integrated rim board component 1900 is shown subjected to tension loading as represented by arrows 2006. In FIG. 21, the integrated rim board component 1900 is subjected to shear loading as shown by arrows 2106. The capacities shown in Table 1 for conventional rim board and sill plate connection are based on conventional nailing schedules. The capacities for the integrated rim board are based on a 400 psi connection strength for Case 1, and 100 psi connection strength for Cases 2 and 3.

TABLE 1
Approximate Connection Capacities (pounds per lineal foot)
		Case 1	Case 2	Case 3
		(FIG. 19)	(FIG. 20)	(FIG. 21)
	Conventional Rim	240	Less than 100	Less than 240
	Board and Sill
	Plate
	Integrated Rim	6,000	1,500	1,500
	Board

According to the results, embodiments of integrated rim board components 1900 according to the disclosure are expected to exhibit higher connection capacities than conventional rim board and sill plate combinations 300 in all three loading cases, Although the modeling for Table 1 was based on an integrated rim board component 1900 constructed using glued finger joints, integrated rim board components having different configurations are expected to show similar results.

In addition to estimating connection capacity, the models described above were used to estimate bending properties for embodiments of integrated rim board components 1900 according to the disclosure and conventional rim board and sill plate combinations 300. Modulus of inertia and moment capacity were calculated and the results are presented in Table 2.

TABLE 2
Approximate Bending Properties
		Modulus of	Moment
		Inertia (in4)	Capacity( ft-lb)
	Conventional Rim	174	5,690
	Board and Sill Plate
	Integrated Rim Board	349	11,880

According to the results, embodiments of integrated rim board components 1900 according to the disclosure are expected to exhibit both a higher modulus of inertia and a higher moment capacity than conventional rim board and sill plate combinations 300.

Claims

1. A prefabricated framing member support system for use with a horizontal framing member having a top chord, a bottom chord, a web connecting the top chord to the bottom chord and a framing member cross sectional end profile, the prefabricated support system comprising:

an integrated rim board component having a substantially L-shaped cross sectional end profile, the integrated rim board component comprising: a substantially vertical portion having an inner surface and an outer surface; and a substantially horizontal portion having a top surface and a bottom surface;

wherein the integrated rim board component is configured to support the horizontal framing member by arranging the horizontal framing member on the substantially horizontal portion of the integrated rim board component so that the framing member cross sectional end profile makes contact with the inner surface, the bottom chord makes contact with the top surface, and the framing member cross sectional end profile is located in a plane substantially perpendicular to the L-shaped cross-sectional end profile.

2. The prefabricated support system of claim 1 wherein the integrated rim board component is a wood product.

3. The prefabricated support system of claim 2 wherein the wood product is selected from the group consisting of laminated veneer lumber, oriented strand lumber, parallel strand lumber, dimension wood, and plywood.

4. The prefabricated support system of claim 1 wherein the integrated rim board component is a metal.

5. The prefabricated support system of claim 1 wherein the substantially vertical portion and the substantially horizontal portion are separate components which are connected by an assembly component.

6. The prefabricated support system of claim 4 wherein the assembly component is a mechanical fasteners or a chemical fastener.

8. The prefabricated support system of claim 5 wherein the mechanical fastener is located on the inner surface or the outer surface.

9. The prefabricated support system of claim 5 wherein the chemical fastener is a glued finger joint, a glued butt joint, or a glued tongue and groove joint.

10. A prefabricated framing member support system for use with a horizontal framing member, the horizontal framing member comprising a top chord, a bottom chord, and a web connecting the top chord to the bottom chord, the prefabricated support system comprising:

an integrated rim board component comprising: a substantially vertical portion having a top end and a bottom end; and a substantially horizontal portion attached to the bottom end of the substantially vertical portion with an assembly component thereby forming an L-shape;

wherein the integrated rim board component is configured to support the horizontal framing member when the horizontal framing member is placed on the substantially horizontal portion so that: the web is arranged in a first plane that is perpendicular to the substantially vertical portion; the top chord and the bottom chord are arranged in a second plane, the second plane being substantially parallel to the substantially horizontal portion and substantially perpendicular to the first plane and the substantially vertical portion; the bottom chord makes contact with the substantially horizontal portion and the substantially vertical portion; the top chord makes contact with the substantially vertical portion; and the web makes contact with the substantially vertical portion;

wherein the substantially horizontal portion is connected to the substantially vertical portion before the horizontal framing member is placed on the substantially horizontal portion;

wherein the assembly component is a mechanical fasteners or a chemical fastener before being configured to support the horizontal framing member.

11. The prefabricated support system of claim 10 wherein the integrated rim board component is a wood product.

12. The prefabricated support system of claim 11 wherein the wood product is selected from the group consisting of laminated veneer lumber, oriented strand lumber, parallel strand lumber, and plywood.

13. The prefabricated support system of claim 10 wherein the integrated rim board component is a metal.

14. The prefabricated support system of claim 10 wherein the assembly component is a mechanical fasteners or a chemical fastener.

15. The prefabricated support system of claim 10 wherein the integrated rim board component acts substantially like a single unit with a composite action factor between about 0.8 and about 1.0

16. The prefabricated support system of claim 10 wherein the horizontal framing member is selected from the group consisting of trusses, framing members, I-framing members, and dimension lumber.

17. A method for installing a prefabricated framing member support system comprising:

providing a foundation or bracing element having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface being fixed;

providing an integrated rim board component having a substantially L-shaped cross sectional end profile, the integrated rim board component comprising a substantially horizontal portion and a substantially vertical portion;

providing a horizontal framing member having a framing member cross sectional end profile, the horizontal framing member comprising a top chord, a bottom chord, and a web connecting the top chord to the bottom chord;

attaching the integrated rim board component to the foundation or bracing element so that the substantially horizontal portion is attached to the top surface of the foundation or bracing element; and

attaching the horizontal framing member to the integrated rim board component;

wherein the bottom chord contacts the substantially horizontal portion and the substantially vertical portion;

wherein the top chord contacts the substantially vertical portion;

wherein the web contacts the substantially vertical portion; and

wherein the substantially L-shaped cross sectional end profile is arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular to the framing member cross sectional end profile.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein a header is not installed.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein a framing member hanger is not installed.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the integrated rim board component has acts substantially as a single unit and has a composite action factor between about 0.8 and about 1.0.