The remodel has been proceeding apace as winter approaches: we’ve been lucky in that there haven’t been too many rainy days this far, so there have been few interruptions. In week ten, which was shortened a bit by the Thanksgiving holiday, the biggest change was the installation of beams and other structural supports for the second floor. For example, a massive beam was placed across the center of the living room ceiling where the ceiling joists had been cut; it looks as though this will be the support for the front wall of the upstairs playroom.

One of the more interesting aspects of the new construction (to me, at least) is the means through which two beams which meet at a 90º angle are fastened to one another, as shown in this photo. The solution to this challenge is a metal bracket, called a beam hanger, and a boatload of nails. As is likely evident if you’ve been reading these posts, I don’t know anything about building a house, but I can appreciate the simplicity of a brute-force solution.

Gallery: Week 10: Support

Credits: Julia Neva Wong contributed some of these photos.