How To Use Batter Boards

Setting out (laying out)

In order to begin digging the trenches required for a edifice's foundation, the architect must first transfer the lines and measurements indicated on his or her foundation programme to the building site. That is, the exact length, width, depth, and position of the foundation trenches must be marked on the basis.

This motion from the plan to the bodily site is called setting out. It is probably the most disquisitional step in the unabridged construction process.

Floor plan

A building that is gear up out accurately will be:

• level: no function of the floor or foundation higher than another;

• square: walls parallel and the same length;

Level

• plumb: straight up and down, not leaning to i side or the other

Plumb

A edifice that is set out carelessly will be hard or impossible to construct according to plan. As a result, the finished structure may be expensive to maintain and unhealthful. And then it is of import to accept special care when setting out.

At that place are three major steps to setting out:

• Orientation of the building on the site;

• Marker a unproblematic outline of the edifice'southward foundation on the ground;

• Placing "concoction boards" around the foundation outline and marking the position of within walls, doors, and windows on the boards.

The tools shown on this page are needed to set up out a edifice and so that it will be level, square, and accurately measured.

Record measure

Plumb bob

Orientation

The orientation of a building is the direction its front walls face: due north, east, south, west or something in between.

To marking the orientation on the site, first find north. This is easiest with a compass. But if no compass is available, finding northward is still fairly simple.

The builder should stand at the building position and then that his/her right arm points at the spot where the lord's day rose in the forenoon while the left arm points to where the sun gear up the terminal night. In this position the builder will be facing north.

Standing in the aforementioned position, if the architect moves his/her arms and so they form a straight line to the sides, they will be pointing due w (left arm) and east (right arm).

In one case the main compass points have been established, utilise a stick to marking out the shape and position of the edifice. Add about 2 meters to the dimensions of the building on all sides: the extra space will exist needed for supplies and work space during construction.

Next, clear the footing within this area of trees, shrubs, and loose plant growth. If the topsoil is loose, clear away the top 15cm or then to become downwardly to hard world: loose soil volition not support a building.

Guess building site

If clearing the land at the position outlined proves too difficult, or if it would require felling copse that are desired for their shade or beauty, consider moving the edifice a short distance earlier clearing the country.

Marking the foundation outline

The next step is to mark the outline of the foundation on the site using string and pegs.

Three measures are very important:

* the length of each wall must be marked exactly;

* the string must be exactly level;

* the corners must be square: exactly 90�

The length of each wall is piece of cake to set out on level ground. Simply measure information technology with a record measure, making sure to pull the mensurate tight.

When the site is on uneven ground, care must be taken to measure the length of the wall forth a level line: post-obit the slope of the ground will throw off the measurements.

Marking the foundation outline

To prevent errors, begin at the highest end of the first wall's length and attach the string to a peg planted at the finish-point. Ready a new peg every 2 meters to prevent the cord from sagging, and exam to make certain the string is level by using a plumb bob and mason'south foursquare as shown: when the plumb bob stops swinging it will be plumb (direct up and down); the string volition be exactly level when it is a 90� to the bob string.

Repeat this process until the length of string set out is equal to the planned length of the first wall.

Plumb bob

If the ground is sloped very steeply, it may be easier and more authentic to measure the wall'due south length in steps or stages. To do this run a new length of cord from the bottom of every second peg (that is, every 4 meters). Examination with a plumb bob to exist sure that every peg is straight up and down. In addition, to be certain there are no gaps or overlaps in the measurement of each new stage, establish a modest cake with a circle on it right next to every other peg: then in measuring the next phase (or step) along the wall, concord the tape mensurate to the bespeak in the circumvolve that marks the stop of the final phase.

Marking block

Once the first wall has been set out, the second wall should be ready out at right angles to it (90�). There are several ways to brand sure that this bending, and the angles betwixt all the walls ready out are square:

• A mason's square is adept for distances up to 3 meters. Use information technology to get started, but don't use information technology to check the entire outline.

• One of the easiest and near accurate methods of checking big distances for squareness is to compare the diagonals. Simply measure out the diagonal lines from opposite corners of the foundation. When they are exactly equal in length, all the angles will exist 90�. On uneven ground, be sure to apply the record measure out along a level line'

• If measuring the diagonals is inconvenient, or if the edifice is non a simple rectangle, another method is the 3-4-5 calculation:

If the wall on one side of a right angle is three units long and the wall on the other side is iv units long, a line drawn between their ends will always be five units long. Here's how to apply this dominion to examination whether the angle between two walls is foursquare: Along the string prepare out for one wall, mensurate and marking off 1.5 meters (3 ten .5m). Then, along the cord set out for the second wall, mensurate and mark off two meters (iv x .5m). Adjacent, measure and cut a piece of string 2.five meters long (5 x .5m) and hold its ends to the points marked off along each wall. When the 2.5 meter cord just touches both marks with no slack left over, the angle between the two wall strings will be exactly foursquare. If the 2.five meter string is as well brusk or long, adjust either i of the wall strings until it fits exactly.

Mark

MARKING THE Inside FOUNDATION LINES

Once the outside walls of the foundation have been set out with pegs and string, the next step is to set out a second prepare of lines to mark the inside of the foundation walls. Use the same procedures to keep them level, accurate in length, and square.

The easiest way to begin is to measure the width of the foundation wall and mark information technology along the strings set out for two opposite walls. Then gear up out a cord betwixt these 2 points and fasten the ends with pegs. Utilize a plumb bob to exist sure each peg is straight beneath the exterior foundation line.

Next, echo this process for each of the remaining walls. Identify a peg at every point where the new lines cross: these are the inside corners of the foundation walls.

Width of foundation

Batter boards

Batter boards are like a single rail argue placed effectually the building position. They should be placed after the foundation lines have been set out and before whatever digging for structure begins. Batter boards are essential for two reasons:

• They provide permanent reference points for the position of the foundation walls: these will be needed one time the string markings accept been removed during construction;

• They can be used to measure and mark off the exact position of doors, windows, and floors, thus making it much easier to build the walls accurately.

To be useful, concoction boards must be exactly level and should be set most 1 meter back from the string marking the outside foundation line.

Concoction boards

PLACING BATTER BOARDS

To identify batter boards around the building postion, offset find the highest signal on the site nigh one meter outside the outer foundation line and identify a wooden pale firmly in the ground.

Boom the first board to this stake so that the top of the board is at least every bit loftier every bit the top of the foundation walls will be. Since the foundation walls must be as high as the floor, this will exist at least twenty-3Ocm. above the ground.

Adjacent, place a second stake 2 meters from the first and 1 meter outside the outer foundation line. When this pale is secure, boom the other end of the first batter lath to it, taking care that the batter board is level. Nail a second board to this aforementioned stake and repeat the process of placing new stakes, levelling, and nailing the boards, until the batter boards course a fence that goes completely around the edifice position.

Placing batter boards

HOW TO LEVEL Batter BOARDS

A commercially made "spirit level" is the easiest levelling device to use. Place it on the surface - in this instance the superlative edge of the batter lath - and continue adjusting the elevation of the board at the opposite end until the chimera is in the center.

When joining boards at stakes, place the level over the seam of the board to maintain a continuous level line.

An additional bank check on level can be made at the corners: use an actress board to provide a surface for the level.

Another method is to employ a water level: this is a clear plastic hose that is filled with water, Arrange the first finish of the hose to a known level mark. When the other end of the hose is placed at the next stake, the water inside will be at the same level as at the first finish. To prevent spillage the ends may exist plugged until the hose is in position, But all plugs must be removed to get an accurate measurement.

How to level batter boards

TRANSFERRING MARKS TO BATTER BOARDS

Once the batter boards are consummate, all the measurements shown on the written foundation plans should be marked on the boards.

Commencement, transfer the foundation lines marked by the strings gear up out earlier: run a string from one board to the opposite lath direct over each foundation line. Employ a plumb bob to make sure this new string is over the corner pegs.

Next, place nails or saw cuts in the tops of the boards where they intersect the strings.

A good system is to use dissimilar marks for the foundation lines than those to be used for other important measures such as wall lines and the positions of doors and windows. For example, use small-scale notches cut with a saw to indicate the foundation lines. Then employ nails to indicate the wall lines.

Once the foundation lines and wall lines have been marked on the concoction boards, the builder is ready to start digging the foundation trenches. Note: the digging will be easier if the strings are left in place until the trenches have been well started.

Transferring marks to batter boards

How To Use Batter Boards,

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