The Second Monday

The first day of framing was greatly anticipated. Thanks to the efforts of the team last week all of the door frames and window frames had been built and braced to keep them square.

Today the team was divided into two primary teams. Each worked on a long wall. (the house is 28 by 50 feet). They layed the top plates and bottom plates down. Then they placed the standard studs in between. The places there were windows and doors they place the prebuilt frames at the right locations. They then nailed the top and bottom plates to the studs and frames. They were guided by lines drawn on the deck by the prep team. The wall was them slid to the edge of the deck.

After a brief warning about how to lift, both teams lined the top of the wall, lifted to their waist and then pushed the wall up as they moved towards the edge of the deck. It took but a few seconds. The wall was then checked for vertical and braces placed to hold it in place.








Debbie the case worker was standing next to me when the wall went up. She started to cry. Even as I teased her about it, I understood. There was so much symbolism in that first wall. New beginnings. The combined efforts of the twenty that made it possible for the wall to go up. The realization that this was really going to happen. It was a giant step forward in the process.

Next the other long wall was raised. Work then began on the two short walls. By eleven thirty all four walls were up and in place.

Work then began on the interior walls. Work on the porch was begun. All of these needed to be done before the roof trusses could be added.

Sheathing was nailed to the sides of the walls.

By the end of the day almost all of the interior walls were in place and much of the sheathing had been complete.

Another great day.