DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT SERVICES
DIVISION 6
WOOD
DIVISION 6
WOOD
Division 6 of the Carnegie Mellon University Design and Construction Standards Manual
addresses the following standards for performing rough and finish carpentry on
University projects.
06100 ROUGH CARPENTRY
06200 FINISH CARPENTRY
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT SERVICES
DIVISION 6
WOOD
06100 ROUGH CARPENTRY
This section addresses wood grounds, furring, nailers, blocking, and sleepers.
All miscellaneous lumber fabrication shall be from dimension lumber and shall comply
with the following:
• Moisture content 19% maximum
• No. 3 standard grade lumber per American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) for
any species
• No. 3 common grade per Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association (NELMA)
Blocking, to support other work, is a major portion of rough carpentry work at the
University. To avoid change orders, the scope of blocking required shall be clearly
indicated. The following list includes some of the common items that may need
concealed wood blocking:
• Miscellaneous metals such as handrails
• Finish carpentry and millwork, including office shelves and casework
• Roof and flashing
• Roof accessories and skylights
• Windows
• Chalkboards and tackboards
• Toilet partitions
• Signage and graphics
• Fire extinguishers and cabinets
• Toilet accessories
• Projection screens
• Casework and attached furnishings, including laboratory bench casework
• Window treatment such as blinds, shades, and drapes
• Electrical framing such as mounting boards for telephone, fire alarm, and electrical
panels
Roof Blocking
Roof blocking shall be aligned with top roof insulation to prevent any sharp or abrupt
change of plane that would damage the roof covering. The roof blocking structure shall
be anchored securely to:
• Withstand at least a 360-lb uplift force when tested at any location
• Comply with the roof system manufacturer’s requirements
• Comply with Factory Mutual Prevention Data 1-49
The most restrictive requirement shall govern.
December 1998
P. 6-3
DIVISION 6
WOOD
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Preservative Treatment
Lumber indicated to be preservative-treated shall comply with the applicable
requirements of the American Wood Preservers Association, AWPA C2 (lumber) and
AWPA C9 (plywood).
Preservatives for treated-wood blocking and nailers in contact with membrane roofing
systems must be approved by the roof system manufacturer. Creosote, pentachlorophenal,
copper napthenate, and copper 8-quin-olinate are typically not approved by roofing
system manufacturers.
Fire-Retardant
The University requires fire-retardant treated wood in accordance with applicable
requirements of AWPA C20 and UL. Intumescent and surface-applied fire-retardant
treatments are not acceptable.
06200 FINISH CARPENTRY
Finish carpentry refers to carpentry work that is exposed to view and is non-structural.
The Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) publication “Architectural Woodwork
Quality Standards, Guide Specifications, and Quality Certification Program” shall be used
when designing, detailing, and specifying finish carpentry and millwork.
The fire-performance standard shall be in accordance with UL classifications and as
follows:
• AWPA C20, standard for lumber
• AWPA C27, standard for plywood
• ASTM E 84, surface burning characteristic
• Flame spread 25
Custom casework shall be detailed in both elevation and section. The AWI publication
“Architectural Casework - General” is a good reference and includes some typical
casework details. The specification shall follow the master guideline specifications
included in the AWI publication referenced in the paragraph above. The quality of the
case materials, the thickness of each panel, and the types of connections and construction
shall all be defined clearly.
Since the AWI reference standard requires only “hardware standard with woodworker,”
the casework hardware must be specified in detail to control quality. Inferior quality
hinges are a common problem; institutional-quality knuckle-butt hinges shall be specified
wherever possible. High quality ball-bearing slides with load capacity appropriate for the
intended use shall be specified. Drawer and door pulls shall be barrier-free but shall not
protrude in a manner that suggests the pull could be used as a step (a common problem
for lower drawer pulls).
P. 6-4
December 1998
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT SERVICES
DIVISION 6
WOOD
Hardware used on casework must be readily and commonly available. Hardware that has
been available for a long time and is expected to be available in the future shall be
specified.
Plastic laminate countertops shall be constructed with backer sheets or balancing sheets
on concealed surfaces to reduce warping. All parts of the core shall be completely
covered with laminate or thoroughly sealed against moisture to reduce the likelihood of
the core swelling and causing the laminate to come loose; this is especially important at
loose splashes.
Countertops in toilet rooms at lavatories shall not be laminated; they are difficult to keep
dry, difficult to clean, and easily damaged. Wall-hung lavatories without countertops are
preferred. A countertop opposite or near the lavatories, however, is desirable to provide a
place for books, purses, and parcels when using the lavatory. Countertops shall be
adequately braced and framed to support heavy and unusual loads (such as people sitting
or standing on the countertops).
The University prefers woodwork to be field finished with polyurethane or alkyd varnish
since these can easily be touched-up and repaired. Care shall be taken to avoid specifying
finishes for finish carpentry and millwork that are difficult to touch-up and re-coat on site.
Oil finishes, which often require excessive maintenance, shall be avoided. Oil finishes
shall definitely not be used on an exterior application.
December 1998
P. 6-5