Oak wall plates

Oak wall plates are beams placed at the roof foot, they are laid flat. It is a horizontal beam which goes longitudinally through the truss. It is firmly connected to the supporting wall of the building and if it extends beyond the ground floor ceiling, it is called underpinning. 

In modern rafter trusses, oak wall timber posts have a supporting function on which the whole weight of rafters rests. As already mentioned, this type of purlin is laid horizontally and a great attention is paid to its firm anchoring. 

Oak wall plates are very firm, resistant to humidity. Oak wood have been used for centuries. If it is placed on the attic supporting wall as drawn in the project. It must be laid properly on the attic underpinning along its entire length. It is possible to underlay them with a cardboard strip along their entire length. Then, it is properly anchored into tie beams. Oak timber posts are made of oak beams that withstand loads of several tonnes. 

The size of oak wall plates is determined by the roof shape and pitch or by the roofing type. Lumber from sawmill or KVH square beams are used for its production. The advantage of KVH square beams is that it is not necessary to impregnate them. In the case of lumber, oak wall plates must be treated against pests, wood destroying fungi and moulds. 

Oak wood for wall plates is heavy very strong and flexible, it is perfect for chopping and you will appreciate it long service life. Thanks to its stability in water, it is great for various constructions. Even these days, oak wood is an irreplaceable raw material. Oak wood is divided according to quality into several groups. The visual sorting depends on the visible characteristics such as the number of knots, annual rings, fibre deflection and others that influence the wood characteristics.