PWF Institute
Wood Foundations # 1
Topic Areas: Design and Materials

Instructor: Roscoe Clark and Warren Koch

Course Methods: Training Manuals, slide show, discussion, workshop format

Course Goals: The objective of this program is to offer builders an in-depth look at permanent wood foundations systems. Everything from digging the initial hole to what the finished system should look like will be covered in this 4 hour session.

Course Outline:

• Permanent Wood Foundations
• Technical Report No. 7 (AFPA)
  

Course Description: This is the first part of a two-part presentation. Wood foundations consist of load-bearing walls framed with 2-inch nominal lumber and sheathed with FDN plywood. The walls are designed to withstand backfill and vertical loading. They are supported laterally at the top by the floor system, and at the base by backfill and foundation footing of crushed stone or gravel. The footing distributes the vertical load from the structure to the soil.

The recommendations for foundation sheathing, studs and connections are based on thorough design analysis, developed by experts of the wood products industry and the National Association of Home Builders Research Foundation, Inc. to provide a quality "engineered" foundation system that resists backfill and wind or seismic loads. The design details are applicable for most common construction applications in a variety of soils.

Instructor Bio:

Roscoe Clark and Warren Koch, wood foundation system designers, has 21 and 32 years of experience in design, installation, and inspection of wood foundations. They are members of the advisory boards of the Southern Pine Council, American Forest and Paper Association, and the American Plywood Association, and is involved in developing their technical manuals on wood foundations. They teach certified training courses for building inspectors, architects, and engineers across the U.S. and Canada.

Course Number: Act 54 Michigan