Still Making Progress

Last night the first rimboard went up. In my enthusiasm, I thought "Sure, I can carry this thing up the ladder!" Bad idea. First, I may have to look into a better ladder - the creaking and groaning sounds were rather alarming as I carried the LVL up for placement. Afterwards, I checked the load rating (how's that for thinking ahead?) and determined I had exceeded design spec by about 50 percent. Second, the deadlift and carrying part were not too bad. But, as I started up the ladder, it dawned on me that the final placement would require getting the beam up over my head. Luckily, the stepladder was level enough that the beam would balance on the top while I took a breather. I plan to approach the next rimboard placement differently, since the effort required to lift a 165 lb beam all at once is very close to my limits. It may require some extra time and rigging, but I figure the reduced risk of grisly death is probably worth it.

Once all the rimboard is in place, the next step will be applying the decking - 3/4" T&G plywood. The trusses will be arriving next Monday, but I do not believe I will be quite ready to place them by then. The biggest holdup looks to be the steel hardware required to hang the "open ends" of the I-joists where the stairway opening comes through the floor. I have them on order, but they are scheduled for mid-January delivery. Oh, well, I think I can find something to keep me busy till then.