Garage framing

I made a start on the garage framing today, after finishing up a few little bits upstairs. There are still two things to do there:

1. Install the internal wall brace; and
2. Fix the frames to the slab.

There are basically two ways I can fix the frames down - either by drilling a bunch of 14mm holes, chem-setting 12mm allthread in there and bolting them down (lots of work when they need to be done at 1800mm centres) or I can concrete nail them.

I thought I'd try the concrete nails. How hard can that be?

Did I mention how bad I am with a hammer? The problem with concrete nails is that although they're hardened, it takes a serious blow with a heavy hammer to drive them into the concrete and unless you strike them perfectly square, they bend. I've got more bent nails in my bottom plates than I have driven ones.. and even then, I'm not convinced they're actually going to prevent the walls from lifting with a serious wind.

So it looks like I'll be chem-setting allthread, then...

... another time.

In between a trip to Seymour to pick up the internal wall brace, some more speedbrace for the external walls and a few other bits & pieces, this is what I got done.

I'm really excited with this bit.. although I've now pretty much finished the dwelling frame it's the garage that I've really been looking forward to and so seeing the walls come up is just fantastic.

Still a lot to do, though. I still hope to get the post & beam frames erected by the end of the week, although I still don't know how I'm going to do that...