Abstract: According to the present invention, a fastener system is provided having an anchor (20) and a washer (40). The anchor includes an upset stud shaft (28) to which the washer is attached. The fastener system is preferably used in the inventive method of restoring/applying cladding such as plaster or plaster-like materials such as stucco. According to the inventive method, the anchors of the fastening system are driven into the building structure before application of a moisture barrier membrane. After application of the membrane, a support mesh (90) is secured to the anchors using the washers (40). This allows the membrane to provide a watertight seal around the fasteners. The inventive method may be used in new construction or restoration.

Abstract: Structural panels are provided which utilize commercially available components and a cost effective method of fabrication. The structural panels include commercially available trusses, fillers positioned between and aligned with the trusses and sandwiched to form a solid panel core, and commercially available wire mesh substantially covering opposing side surfaces of the panel core and attached to the trusses with wire to hold the panel core together. The trusses include generally parallel rods and wire bent around the rods in a zigzag configuration. The fillers may include a foamed filler such as solid foamed plastic or solid foamed glass. Alternatively, the filler may include a stabilized organic material. A commercially available lathing member may also be imbedded into the structural panel. The structural panels are fabricated by aligning the fillers and trusses in an alternating sequence. The alternating masonry reinforcement trusses and fillers are then pressed to form a panel core.

Abstract: A prefabricated insulated wall panel for building a wall. The wall panel includes one or more outer planar portions, a plurality of rib portions integral therewith and normal thereto and between which insulation is received, a strip of insulation attached to the inner edge of each rib portion for reducing thermal conductivity from the respective rib portion to wallboard attached to the wall panel, and a wallboard nailer strip which extends about the sides of the strip of insulation and has edge portions which are anchored in the respective rib portion. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the nailer edge portions are insulated from the respective rib portion to limit thermal conductivity from the respective rib portion to the nailer. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a pair of planar portions extend at an angle relative to each other so that the panel serves as a corner wall panel.

Abstract: A resilient flooring formed over a base floor which includes a plurality of parallel spaced channel members secured with the base floor. Each channel member which forms a channel includes a base, spaced vertical sides and inwardly directed rims secured at upper ends of each of said sides. At least one resilient member is positioned between adjacent of the channel members and sub-floor panels are arranged between the channel members over the resilient member. Opposed ends of the sub-floor panels adjacent the channel members are formed with a recessed shoulder. Adjacent shoulders form a groove across the sub-floor panels. Flooring strips are secured with the sub-floor panels forming a flooring surface. Clips which engage the rims of the channel members and with the shoulders of the sub-flooring panels, act to secure the resilient flooring a maximum position away from the base floor while allowing movement toward the base floor.

Abstract: A shaped, water-expandable water-sealing article used for sealing an area between a first section of at least partially cured concrete and a second, adjacent section of substantially uncured concrete. The clay water sealing article is in the shape of a quadrilateral, preferably a trapezoid, and is disposed to bridge an area between the two sections of concrete. Upon hydration of the clay contained within the shaped water sealing article, expansion of the clay creates expansion forces extending from a corner of the article that is surrounded by the uncured concrete, wherein the corner has an included angle greater than 90.degree., preferably at least 100.degree.. The expansion force developed by the expansion of the shaped water sealing article are absorbed by a substantially increased area of the uncured concrete as compared to expansion forces resulting from a clay-based water seal having a 90.degree. included angle at the corner(s) surrounded by the uncured concrete.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a metal brace consisting of a strip of sheet metal the side portions of which are doubled over or bent through about 180 degrees, so that the strip, or at least a nailing flange of the strip, is of double thickness sheet metal. In this way the raw edges of the strip are safely displaced from the sides of the brace. Moreover, it has been found that it is much easier to drive a nail through two superimposed thicknesses of sheet metal than to drive it through a single piece of sheet metal of double the thickness. Therefore the bracing strip according to the invention made of light gauge sheet metal may have high strength in compression, but be easier to nail, without preformed nail holes, than a conventional bracing strip. An alternative embodiment may have formed in it a plurality of access locations to use as nail holes.

Abstract: A composite metal-concrete column or beam is described for use in building construction. It comprises (a) a pair of channel members fabricated of galvanized steel sheet, each channel member having a central web portion and first and second flanges substantially perpendicular to the web portion, the free edges of the flanges forming narrow lips substantially perpendicular to the flanges and the web portion having openings through which wet concrete may freely pass, the channel members being positioned in back-to-back spaced relationship with the flanges projecting outwardly, (b) panel members extending across between the flanges of each the channel member and held within the narrow lips and (c) concrete filling the space between the panel members and extending through and around the web portions, whereby the cured concrete and channel members form a strong, composite structure.

Abstract: Soffits for interior construction purposes are preformed from U-shaped foam material having inset furring strips for attaching the soffits to walls and/or ceilings and, in some cases, for also hanging cabinets from the soffits. The preformed soffits are brought to the job site, quickly cut to length, fastened and/or glued in place, and then covered with plasterboard before the cabinets are mounted below.

Abstract: Interlocking blocks for erecting a wall assembly formed by building blocks laid up in end to end abutting relation by multiple staggered block courses. The blocks of the wall assembly are characterized by at least one opening extending between its top and bottom surfaces with an upstanding endless tongue on its top surface surrounding the opening and nested by a rabbeted recess around the opening in the bottom surface nesting the endless tongue when one block is superposed on another. Coextensive grooves, formed in block side walls, receive furring strips. Nailable material blocks selectively secured to end surfaces of the blocks define wall openings.

Abstract: A fire rated, demountable partition structure is disclosed which provides H-shaped studs having a core of combustion-resistant insulation material and opposed channel-shaped metal members secured to opposite faces thereof. Spline clips secure one side of the stud to the panel at joints therebetween. Each clip includes a lateral projection extending with a close fit into a kerf in the edge of the panel and a reverse bend providing opposed clip walls which fit along opposite sides of an adjacent flange on the stud. If the partition is exposed to a fire or the like, which tends to cause shrinkage of the panels and opening of the joints, the core of the stud bridges the joint and prevents direct exposure of the metal channel elements of the stud to heat or water through the opened joint. The spline clips are free to expand if the clips are subjected to greater heat than the channel members so that the stud is not caused to bow toward the fire side of the partition.