Raised Wood Floor Construction Featured in New Brochure

A variety of residential raised wood floor construction methods are showcased in the new publication, Raised Wood Floors: Case Studies in Progressive Home Construction. The brochure is published by APA, in cooperation with the Southern Pine Council, as part of a Raised Floor Living campaign to promote the advantages of raised floor construction using sustainable wood products in the Southeastern U.S.

“A raised wood floor is the savvy way for builders to address design issues such as sloping lots, floodplain concerns, problematic soils and traditional aesthetics,” said Bob Clark, APA Raised Floor Project Manager. “And studies show that consumers prefer raised wood floor homes.”

Eight case studies are featured in the brochure. “This diverse compilation shows how other builders and designers are experiencing success with raised wood floors,” said Clark. “By combining traditional architecture with progressive building techniques, these builders are constructing raised wood floor homes that are durable, aesthetically pleasing and sell quickly.” The case studies include: 

• Entry-level raised wood floor homes in Houston, built on shallow poured one-piece pier footings that are effective in the area’s problematic soils.
• A progressive Florida home that features a conditioned crawlspace for improved moisture management and easy access to electrical and plumbing systems.
• A custom home builder in Houston who likes the technical advantages offered by raised wood floor systems, such as the ability to easily level or repair a shifting foundation.
• A traditional neighborhood development in Mississippi that incorporates new and efficient building products while maintaining the character and historical feel of traditional homes.
• A high-end home builder in Atlanta whose raised wood floor homes sell quicker and for more money than houses on concrete slabs.
• A Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) raised floor that combines structural framing, insulation and an air barrier into an “all-in-one” floor system.
• A Mississippi builder that elevates homes on treated wood pile foundations that are faster and less expensive than pouring concrete slabs on compacted fill dirt.
• The first house in a Houston floodplain zone to feature a closed crawl space, designed to protect building products from moisture.

The brochure also identifies 10 top reasons for builders to design and build raised wood floor systems, including: costs less to build than slab-on-fill; expedites the scheduling of trades; speeds up construction; provides more level foundations on any soil type; solves floodplains and sloping lots; simplifies repairs and renovations; identifies the builder as green and progressive; sells homes faster and for more profit; matches changing consumer preferences; and reduces call-backs and liability.

Raised Wood Floors: Case Studies in Progressive Home Construction, Form K110, is available for free download at www.apawood.org. Print copies of the brochure are available from APA for $2.00. Additional information about the featured builders and raised wood floor construction systems is available at www.apawood.org/raisedfloors.

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More about Raised Floor Living
Raised Floor Living is a promotional program sponsored by the Southern Pine Council in partnership with APA. The program’s objective is to provide home builders, home designers and home buyers with the resources they need to make informed decisions about building, designing and selecting raised wood floor homes. For more information, visit www.RaisedFloorLiving.com.

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