Construction Guide

This chapter discusses optional finishing items in a Yankee Barn including: doors; stairsets; balcony and stair railings; Southern yellow pine flooring; and wainscoting.
Each Yankee Barn is a custom design. You select the materials and options, such as trim, doors, and stairsets, to achieve the look and feel you want in your Yankee Barn. Many of these options are made from reclaimed beams and specialty lumber that are not available from other sources. Refer to your plans and specifications to confirm whether any of these items are included in your order.

Yankee Barn four panel doors are specially made to complement the atmosphere of a Yankee Barn. The four panel doors are formal with four flat panels rather than the six raised panels commonly seen on standard doors. Standard hardware can be used on the 1 3/8" thick doors. As an option, doors can be ordered prehung in a knocked down jamb.

 

8.1.1 Care
It is important to protect the doors from water damage and high humidity. They have been tested for proper moisture content, rough sanded, wrapped, and crated. Store in a dry place (not in a basement!) and allow them to acclimate before installing. For best results, have the permanent heating system installed and operating a minimum of two weeks prior to the installation of the doors. Doors should be touch-sanded, stained, and sealed immediately after installation. If the doors have to be trimmed after installation, be sure to reseal any cut edges.

Yankee Barn preassembled stairsets are available in Southern Yellow Pine, Douglas Fir or White Oak.  Stairsets are closed riser stairsets made with 1.5 " pine treads with 3/4" risers.  Stairsets are also available with no riser. 
The stairsets are offered in a variety of configurations to suit your particular stair design. These include straight, “L” and “U” shaped platform, and “winder” stairs. Packages are supplied with newel posts, railings,balusters and necessary hardware. A complete materials list will be provided in the three ring binder.

8.2.1 Design
Stairsets are comprised of preassembled stringers and treads which are mortised, glued and screwed in place. The stairsets have "closed" stringers with the side of the stringer forming the finished surface at the side of the stairs. Any screw holes on the stringers that will be visible are plugged.
Traditional style closed riser stairsets have the treads and risers wedged and glued into the stringer. The bottom of the stair is finished on site using conventional materials.  Open riser stairsets have the treads mortised in.
"L" or "U" shaped platform stairs include two sets of preassembled stair units. The platform is fabricated on site using conventional framing materials supplied by the builder. Yankee Barn supplies the platform nosing as well as finish flooring for the platform to match the stairset’s treads and stringers. "Winder" stairs include one or two straight units and as many as three appropriately shaped platform components.

8.2.2 Installation
Carefully review the stair layout and floor plan in your construction plans before installing the stairset. Decide how you will enclose the space between the stringer and the floor, and where your partitions will run, since this will affect the installation of your rails and balusters.
Partitions can be placed just outside the stringer and extend from floor to floor, or can be a sloped partition which extends only to the bottom of the stringer. Usually sloped partitions are placed just outside the stringer and they often end at a structural post. Sloped partitions can also be built under the stringer as long as there is at least the three feet of width (required by code) in all stairways, including the basement stair.
Rails and balusters are normally designed with the rails directly above the stringers. Occasionally, rather than going the entire length of the stair, the rail will end at a structural post or wall. In this case the rail is normally offset from the stringer and centered on the post and the sloped partition wall that follows the top or bottom of the stringer.

Layout:

1. Verify floor to floor dimensions. If there is a discrepancy, adjust top, bottom, and platform risers equally. Riser variations must be less than 1/4". The stairset is designed to set on the subfloor, with 3/4" as the assumed thickness of the finish floor, and the nosing at the top of the stairset should be flush with finish floor.
2. Mark on the floor actual locations of platform/winders, first riser, last riser, edge of stringers and newel posts.
3. Mark heights of platforms on posts or walls.
4. Verify the components fit as planned.
5. Verify the layout as marked will allow rails and balusters to fit.

For safety reasons each stairset should have one continuous handrail from top to bottom. Handrails will need 1 1/2" clearance between walls and posts to allow hand clearance the entire length of the stair.

Trial Installation:

1. Tack the platforms/winders in place.
2. Place lower stairset in place to assure fit. Scribe as necessary for any adjustments. The top nosing should be flush with the finish flooring of the adjoining platform.
3. Position upper stair set in place with the top nosing flush with the upper finish floor. Scribe the bottom of the stringers to the platform below. Check to verify you have a 6'8" minimum headroom clearance.

Installation:

1. After confirming all components and rail details will fit, proceed with installation by permanently fastening the platform/winders. Refer to plan Z-5.1 for stringer set placement.
   
2. Fit the upper and lower stairs to the platform and permanently install. Stair components can be fastened with 1/4" x 3 1/2" lag screws, common nails (where concealed), and finish nails.

In most installations the stairs fit between two posts or walls. The stairsets are designed to be narrower than this space to allow for easier installation. The space left between the post or wall and the stringer should be filled with a ripping or a small cap (by builder).

To enhance the look and feel of the home, Yankee Barn supplies rugged, simple balcony railing packages, often made of the same materials as the beams and stairsets. The railing packages include the hardware needed to assemble them. They are shipped unfinished, so you can stain them on site to match your beams, leave them natural, or paint them.
The Traditional railing is the style used at the show homes. It has a 3x4 handrail, made from the same stock as your beams. The 2x2 balusters are made either from new Douglas Fir or Southern Yellow Pine. Doug Fir baluster are usually stained and clear finished. Southern Yellow Pine balusters are usually painted.

8.3.1 “Traditional” Railing Installation
Review the floor plan, materials list and“Balcony and Stair Rail Details” plan (Z-5.1). The “Traditional” railing and baluster system places the balusters under the rail and on top of the finished floor. Balcony balusters are attached to a cap that fits into the milled rabbet on the underside of the handrail and to a base baluster shoe. Stair balusters are also attached to a cap at the top, but are screwed directly to the top of the stair stringer on the bottom. Balcony railings and posts are designed to be centered on the structural posts located at the end of the balcony. The stair rails have finger grooves milled into them; the balcony rails have no grooves.

Traditional Railing Installation at Balconies

1. Review your floor plan, the “Balcony Railing” material lists, and the rail lengths to determine post locations. The posts are centered on and extend to the floor beams below. They are notched around the floor system. Posts are usually left about 2" taller than the rail, with a flat top and slightly chamfered edges. Bolt the posts to the band joist with two 5/16" x 5" lags (the lags should be countersunk), and toenail with 16d or 20d finish nails as necessary.
2. Yankee Barn supplies a 1x10 or larger skirtboard that will run between the posts and trim the outside face of the floor system. Rip the skirtboard to be flush with the top of the subfloor, and cut it to fit between the posts. Nail it to the band joist with finish nails. Later, the baluster shoe will cap off the top of the skirtboard and serve as a nosing for the finish flooring.
3. Cut the handrails, the baluster caps and the baluster shoes to fit between the posts. Determine the required length of the balusters, and cut them to length. Check local codes for minimum rail heights (usually 36").
4. After rails, caps, shoes, and balusters are cut, determine the baluster spacing. Typically balusters must have less than a 4" space between them. (Again, check local codes). Lay out the baluster spacing on the caps and shoes and attach using (1) 2 1/2" wood screw and (1) finish nail at each end of the baluster (The nails will prevent twisting). The shoe acts as a nosing over the skirtboard and should extend approximately 3/4"; the distance of the baluster from the “nose” of the shoe must be set accordingly.
5. Once balusters are attached to caps and shoes, the assembled baluster units are attached to the subfloor (typically nailed 16" O.C. to match the nailing pattern on the finished floor). The handrails are set over the caps; caps are attached with carpenter’s glue and an occasional finish nail. The rails are attached to structural and intermediate posts with lag screws and rail bolts, which are countersunk and plugged.
6. If a newel post is located away from a balcony edge, a Coffman Newel Bolt (or equivilant) will be supplied for installation.

Traditional Railing Installation at Stairs
Review your floor plans and stair layout for rail and baluster locations. Determine post locations. For safety reasons be sure to have one handrail that extends the complete length of the stairs, and is held off all posts and walls 1 1/2" to allow room for a hand to grip the rail. Check with your local codes for required rail height (usually 30" ­ 36" vertically at the nosing of the tread) and maximum space between the balusters (usually less than 4") before starting assembly.
Rails, balusters, and newel posts are usually centered on the stringers. Newel posts at the intersection of the balcony rail and stair rail are centered on both the floor beam and stringer. Posts at the end of a stringer may have a groove designed to fit over and around the end of the stringer (Type "A") to make the post more secure. Posts are usually left about 2" taller than the rail, with a flat top and slightly chamfered edges.

1. Locate, cut and fit, and plumb newel posts at the ends of the stringers. Fasten them with two 5/16" x 5" lags (lags should be countersunk).
2. Measure and cut the rails and baluster caps to fit between the plumbed newel posts. Cut the balusters to length (the cuts will be angled to match the slope of the stairset). Fit the rails between the posts. Pre-drill the lags and rail bolts used to attach the rails.
3. Layout the baluster spacing on the baluster cap and stringer.
4. Screw the baluster to the baluster cap with a #10 x 2 1/2" screw at each baluster.
5. Put the assembled cap and balusters in place between the posts, and tack the cap in place.
6. Attach the bottom of each baluster to the stringer with a countersunk #10 x 2 1/2" screw. Be sure the balusters are all plumb and parallel before fastening them.
7. Place the rail over the cap and attach with carpenter’s glue and nails. Secure the end of the rail to the posts with lags or rail bolts, and plug any holes.

Many homeowners choose the wide boards of Yankee Barn Southern Yellow Pine flooring to create the casual look they want in their Yankee Barn. It is supplied in 6" and 8" widths, 3/4" thick.

The pine flooring should be laid using manufacturers recommended procedures for installing finish flooring, taking particular care to ensure that the flooring is stored in a dry place prior to installation. For best results, have the permanent heating system installed and operating so the flooring can acclimate for a minimum of three weeks prior to installation. If the installer is unsure of the preparation and installation proceedure, a SYP installation manual is available from Yankee Barn Homes upon request.
Yankee Barn supplies equal quantities of 6" and 8" boards. We recommend toenailing the tongues with a power nailer into joists during installation. 6" and 8" boards should be laid perpendicular to floor joists and alternated. To obtain the look of an old plank floor, the flooring can be face-nailed with cut nails into each joist after the floor is laid. The nails should be set. Flooring nails are not provided.
Yankee Barn does not recommend or warranty the installation of our pine flooring over radiant sub-floor heat or below grade installations.
The following information has been adapted from Southern Forest Products’ association’s installation instructions and is intended to be used as a guide. Yankee Barn Homes supplies this as a courtesy.

8.4.1 Material Handling
To protect the beauty and performance of your Southern Pine floor take the following precautions prior to and during installation.

1. Protect from moisture before and during installation.
   1. Do not store in the rain, snow or other humid conditions (such as a basement).
   2. Prior to installation, make sure basements and crawl spaces are dry and well-ventilated.
   3. In joist construction with no basement, outside cross ventilation must be provided with no dead air areas.
   4. A ground cover of 6 mil polyethylene film is essential as a moisture barrier. May also be used between felt and subfloor as necessary.
   5. Make sure any plaster or masonry walls on the jobsite are dry before starting to acclimate flooring.
2. Control humidity at the jobsite.
   1. In new construction, the temperature in house should not be below 70 degrees during the summer; or 62 to 70 degrees (no higher) when outdoor temperatures are below freezing.
   2. Severe overheating should also be avoided. Temperatures should be kept approximately the same as they will be when the house is occupied.
3. Acclimate flooring to room. Open bundles and spread flooring out so that all surfaces are exposed to air for at least two weeks prior to installation.
4. Width variations. Southern Yellow Pine is a reactive specie and depending on how it was sawn, will change widths with variations in temperature and humidity. Wide plank flooring (over 2.5" wide) should be sorted by nominal widths and further sorted by growth changes.

8.4.2 Preparing the Subfloor

1. Prepare subfloor. Where a plywood or board subfloor exists renail any loose areas and sweep subfloor clean.
2. Cover subfloor with red rosen paper or other shield approved for this application.

8.4.3 To Install the Southern Pine Flooring

1. Measure area to be floored and locate the longest dimensionperpendicular to the floor joists ­ this is your starter wall (preferably this should be an outside wall.) Flooring should be installed parallel to this wall.
2. Helpful Hint: It’s best to work from left to right. You’ll be working with your back to the starter wall most of the time so determine left and right with your back to the wall. When necessary to cut a strip to fit the right wall, use a strip long enough so that the cut-off piece is 8" or longer. Start the next course on the left wall with this piece.
3. Place first row of flooring 1/2" from starter wall with groove side toward wall. Mark a point on the subfloor at the edge of the tongue at both corners of the room. Snap a chalk line between the two points. The 1/2" space between this strip and the wall is needed for expansion space and will be covered by your base and shoe mould.
4. Align tongue of first strip with chalking line and nail in place with hammer using 8d finishing nails. Drive nails at both ends of each piece and every 8"-10" near the grooved edge. The nail heads will be covered by the shoe mould. Predrilling nail holes will prevent splits.
5. Lay out seven or eight loose rows of flooring in a staggered pattern with endjoints at least 6" apart. Distribute long and short pieces evenly ­ avoid clusters of small boards.
6. Cut end pieces to fit within 1/2" of end wall (the 1/2" space allows for expansion and will be covered by the base and shoe mould.)
7. Fit each board snug, groove to tongue and blind nail through the tongue and into the subfloor. Nail at each end and space nails every 8"-10". Avoid nailing into a subfloor seam. You’ll need to use a hammer for the first three courses (rows) until there’s enough space to use the nailing machine.
8. Countersink all hand nailing. Nails applied by a nailing machine do not require countersinking.
9. Continue across room following steps 5 through 6.
10. Allow 1/2" space between last row and wall. It may be necessary to rip to fit.

8.4.4 Finishing Recommendations
These are general recommendations: Always follow the stain paint and sealer manufacturer’s recommendation for application.

1. Sand to desired finish. Remove sanding dust by vacuuming and wiping with tack cloth.
2. Apply high quality stain, if desired, with cheese cloth. Wipe first across the direction of the grain and finally with the direction of the grain. If you prefer a natural finish proceed with Step #3. If you plan to paint, follow the primer and paint manufacturer’s application instructions.
3. Apply a minimum 2 coats of high quality floor sealer such as Water Lox Tung Oil or polyurethane.
4. Install base moulding and base shoe. This will adequately cover the 1/2" spaces between wall and flooring. Nail the base into the wall and the base shoe into the base moulding not into the flooring.