These materials were used to build lightweight buildings with nailed frames made of dimensional lumber. It was said to have been called balloon construction because the buildings were so light they looked like they would float away.

Is balloon framing good?

However, balloon framing does offer some advantages as well. It can be useful when creating two story spaces and you are less likely to have cracking develop in your interior and exterior finishes because of the minimal amount of vertical shrinking that occurs with this method.

What are the disadvantages of balloon framing?

Balloon-framed buildings are also very susceptible to sagging (particularly the floors) making these old houses very challenging and therefore expensive to renovate well, with some materials and methods not being compatable at all.

What is the difference between balloon framing and platform framing?

The central difference between balloon and platform framing is that the studs in a balloon frame extend from the foundation to the rafters, whereas in a platform frame, the studs are independent on each storey.

Why is balloon framing no longer used?

Firefighters who frequently respond to fires in the area usually instantly recognize if the home is balloon-framed and take proper precautions. “The problem with balloon framing is that it creates a lot of open chase way,” Erwin said. “Anytime there are empty vertical spaces, there is an increased fire hazard.”

What type of construction is balloon frame?

Balloon framing is a style of wood-house building that uses long, vertical 2″ x 4″s for the exterior walls. These long “studs” extend uninterrupted, from the sill on top of the foundation, all the way up to the roof.

What are advantages and disadvantages of balloon framing?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of balloon framing? The advantage of balloon framing is there is not a lot of vertical shrinkage. The disadvantages of balloon framing are the lumber is large and hard to handle and the vertical hollow spaces allow for fires to travel quickly.

Is a balloon frame house safe?

Most balloon-frame homes are two or three stories tall. This allows for unimpeded fire spread from the basement to the attic in a matter of minutes via the interior stud channels of the exterior walls.

Do balloon framed houses have load bearing walls?

Crucially, the walls were non-load bearing – the weight of the structure was entirely supported by the timber frame. The balloon frame, essentially, eliminates the heavy timber frame. Instead, the floor members sit on the walls directly, which become load bearing elements.

When did they stop balloon framing?

Balloon framing was the most common form of construction in America from about the 1880s to the 1930s.

What are two advantages of balloon framing?

The main advantage balloon framing has over platform framing is the increased wind load strength. The roof structure tied to the sole plate by the continuous studs make balloon framing very popular in hurricane-prone areas. Balloon frame structures also have less settling than platform framing as a result of shrinkage.

How do I know if my house has a balloon framing?

As a homeowner you might be wondering how to tell if your house is balloon frame construction? The most common characteristics of balloon frame constructed houses are that the windows are stacked. Meaning that the windows on the second floor are directly above those on the first floor.

What are the 3 types of framing for wood structures?

Modern wood framing essentially includes three types: balloon, platform and semi-balloon framing. With long lumber lengths, vertical load-bearing framing studs run continuously from foundation to roof.

How are second floor joists supported when using balloon frame construction?

The floor joists for the second floor were usually supported on a ledger or ribbon that was let into the studs. Balloon-framing was replaced by platform-framing (today’s building method of choice) when the trees that produced the long studs became scarce.

Why is a platform frame construction generally preferred over balloon framing?

Balloon framing has less vertical shrinkage from drying out of the wood, while platform framing is easier and safer to erect, uses shorter lengths of lumber for studs, and is automatically firestopped, for which reasons it has become the method of choice.

What came after balloon framing?

Once popular when long lumber was plentiful, balloon framing has been largely replaced by platform framing.

Where is balloon framing used?

In balloon framing, the studs (vertical members) extend the full height of the building (usually two stories) from foundation plate to rafter plate, as contrasted with platform framing, in which each floor is framed separately. Balloon framing is used primarily in Scandinavia and in the United States.