Garden State Size Up

Garden State Size Up Nj firefighter striving to help all those with construction, size up, tactics,history etc.

The cape cod houseA Cape Cod house features a simple, rectangular, 1.5-story timber frame layout designed to withstand h...
09/16/2026

The cape cod house

A Cape Cod house features a simple, rectangular, 1.5-story timber frame layout designed to withstand harsh New England weather.

Layout and Floor Plan
Symmetrical Exterior: Features a central front door flanked by multi-pane, double-hung windows (classified as half, three-quarter, or full Capes depending on window count).
Central Chimney: A massive masonry chimney sits directly behind the front door, allowing fireplaces to heat primary first-floor rooms.
First Floor: Traditionally contains a central hallway, parlor (living room), and a keeping room/kitchen. Modern layouts often open up this floor. Master bedroom.
Upper Half-Story: Accessed via a steep, narrow “Captain’s stairway” to conserve heat and space, containing low-ceiling bedrooms or bonus spaces.
Dormers: Added outward-projecting windows on the roof slope provide light and headroom to the upper rooms.

Construction
Roof: A steeply pitched side-gabled roof sheds heavy snow and rain efficiently. It has minimal to no overhang to resist strong coastal winds.
Framing & Foundation: Historically built with heavy timber framing on shallow foundations or wood sills due to sandy regional soil. But through the years it’s changed with modern advances.
Siding: Traditionally finished with overlapping wooden clapboards or weathered cedar shingles designed to weather the elements.

Upper Floor Layout
Sloped Ceilings: Upstairs bedrooms often have angled walls and lower ceilings because of the pitched roof.
Bed Placement: historically the bed headboard against the lower slanted wall is the usual layout choice to maximize walking space. (But homeowners can do what the want)

Main Floor Options
First-Floor Master: Classic Cape Cod floor plans often put the main bedroom on the ground floor close to a full bathroom. Usually in the front.
Flex Space: Extra main-floor rooms can serve as a guest room, a home office, or a nursery.

09/14/2026

O is for overhaul.

When overhauling Sheetrock/gypsum. The punch technique is the most optimal for firefighter energy conservation as well as making easy work taking decent sections of wall out. Imagine rectangles on the walls and punch them out with your hook and then pull out manageable sections. These videos show the punch method being used with a ny hook. Make sure after the wall is open the insulation is removed as well. Clear the bays. Messy overhaul is lazy overhaul. Clear the room out and look professional.

Just a safety tip, when pulling the ceiling try to have it flap away from you and not towards you. Pre-Punching the ceiling for a cockloft fire while awaiting a hose line is an aggressive truck tactic.

Originally taught by

25 years have past We must never forget 9/11
09/11/2026

25 years have past
We must never forget 9/11

N is for non combustible construction Type 2 construction, also known as non-combustible, is a building classification i...
09/10/2026

N is for non combustible construction

Type 2 construction, also known as non-combustible, is a building classification in which the walls, columns, partitions, floors, and roofs are made of non-combustible materials. This type of construction uses the same types of materials as type 1 or fire-resistive construction, but the structural components do not have fire-resistant coatings and insulation, making them susceptible to collapse. If fire protection is provided, it is of a lower rating than that required for Type I construction.
Type 2 buildings are typically made of steel, metal, or concrete blocks. Its structural framework may be similar to type 1 construction.
Metal framing members, reinforced masonry or tilt-slab walls, metal cladding, and metal deck roofs with unprotected open-web joists are common in this type of construction.
Sometimes lightweight concrete is used for roofing. However, asphalt waterproofing and a combustible felt paper covering might also be present.
Type 2 construction, like type 1 construction, is divided into two types: 2A and 2B. These types are non-combustible but have little to no fire resistance. 
Type 2A, or “Protected Non-Combustible,” requires the application of fire-resistant materials to the building elements. All structure elements have a minimum of one-hour fire protection, lower than that of type 1 construction.
This type is used for smaller buildings that cost less, and the intent is to preserve life so there are fewer occupants. 
Type 2B, or “Unprotected Non-Combustible,” has no fire resistance requirements, exposing structure elements. 

Examples of Type 2A structures include: 
* Daycare facilities
* Educational institutions up to 12th grade
* College institutions
* Religious, educational buildings
Examples of Type 2B structure include: 
* Large box-type department stores
* Shopping malls or strip malls
* Retail or wholesale stores
* Markets

A few Heavy timber trusses still standing at this church fireThe inside of a the top floor of a mansard style home fully...
09/09/2026

A few Heavy timber trusses still standing at this church fire

The inside of a the top floor of a mansard style home fully gutted

1870 foundation with 2026 framing

Icf block exterior w/ heavy steel beams going in to this future store block of stores

The capabilities of heavy timber glulam beams

Corner post with wall brace

Vps window and door systems in place… how are you getting in

A ln older hybrid home Balloon and brace frame elements

Top floor deck failure

Townhouse going up…. Fiberboard firewall going between units

Windows can help you size up the building and give you some inside to the layout. Here is a good view of what is most likely a staircase going up the side of the building

Knife places added to help secure these decorative heavy timber posts

Flinch plate main center beam helping carry the load of the building

Double knee wall? A closet framing in with knee wall void behind it

Buttresses on the exterior can give you an idea of what’s going on inside

Inside the heavy timber trusses lined up with the buttresses on the exterior

Good thing they don’t have some sort of runner over the floor

You might never find this basement trap door if there was a rug or mat over it.

Slate roof under asphalt shingles

Alice view of this mansard style home with rain roof added over part of the mansard

09/06/2026

Pre arrival video from the 3 alarm fire in Elizabeth this morning… prayers going out to the victims and families effected.

09/05/2026

Glulam and steel hybrid trusses being installed as the roof system for a school in BC Canada.

Seven trusses. 63 feet each.
All fabrication and assembly in the company’s shop and then delivered and craned into place.

How It Works
Compression Members (Glulam): Wood excels under compression. Large glulam beams typically form the top chords or primary arched members where forces push inward.
Tension Members (Steel): Steel has superior tensile strength and ductility. It is used for bottom chords, vertical/diagonal web members, or tie rods that undergo pulling or stretching forces.
Connections: Steel gusset plates, knife plates, and high-strength bolts join the timber and steel components securely at the structural nodes.

Some key features are
Longer Spans: The pairing allows for wide, column-free interior spaces (such as in community centers, gymnasiums, and large open-roof structures) that pure timber might struggle to achieve efficiently.
Reduced Weight & Bulk: Replacing heavy timber tension webs with slim steel profiles reduces the overall dead weight and visual bulk of the truss.

The Steel Weakness: Unprotected steel web members, tension rods, or gusset plates rapidly absorb heat. Steel begins losing its structural integrity and can twist, deflect, or collapse in as little as 10 to 15 minutes when exposed to temperatures around 800°F to 1,000°F.
The Glulam Strength: Massive engineered timber elements (glulam) actually perform exceptionally well in a fire. Heavy timber chars superficially at a highly predictable rate (roughly 1.5 inches per hour). The outer char layer insulates the inner wooden core, keeping it strong and preventing sudden failure.

Follower request….A saltbox roof is a historically significant, asymmetrical New England colonial design featuring a lon...
09/04/2026

Follower request….
A saltbox roof is a historically significant, asymmetrical New England colonial design featuring a long, sloping pitch that mimics the lidded wooden boxes once used to store salt. A gable roof with one short, steep side and one long, low-sloping side that meets at an off-center ridge.

The post-and-beam framework used traditional timber joinery, which minimized the need for costly metal nails back in the day. Through the years the framing changed like in all homes during those times so it’s important to know when your district was founded to make the right guess as to what it could be.

Saltbox roof homes are most commonly found in the New England region of the United States and other east coast states. Branching off a little to the north western part of the country.

Firefighters responding to a fire in a saltbox-style home must anticipate rapid hidden vertical fire spread, unique roof pitch challenges, and complex legacy floor plans.

Concealed Voids: The long, asymmetric roofline creates large continuous attic and rafter voids that can channel fire from the lower rear floors directly up to the ridge line without showing obvious external signs.

Because of the asymmetrical framing and mixed knee-walls or half-stories under the long slope, firefighters must perform extensive overhaul.

These legacy structures frequently feature dual sets of stairs—a primary front staircase and narrow rear “butlers” stairs off the kitchen—which can complicate orientation, search patterns, and fire containment paths.

From 1870 to 2026 this house is getting totally revamped…only original part is the foundation.Anyone else track the pro...
09/03/2026

From 1870 to 2026 this house is getting totally revamped…only original part is the foundation.
Anyone else track the progress of renovations and new builds or am I weird lol At least these builders aren’t using any lightweight components

09/02/2026

Multiple roof layers

What’s the most you have ever seen when ventilating a residential roof like this one? Comment below 👇 the worst I’ve ever encountered was last year I cut a roof with 4 layers of shingles over slate.

A single layer of standard asphalt shingles typically weighs between 2 and 5 pounds per square foot (PSF). Architectural shingles usually weigh 4–4.3 PSF, while 3-tab shingles are lighter at 2.3–2.5 PSF. Total weight varies by material, with heavy materials like slate (up to 12 PSF) weighing much more than metal or shingles. 

Common Roofing Material Weights (Per Square Foot)
Asphalt Shingles (3-Tab): 2.3 – 2.5 lbs.
Architectural Shingles: 4 – 4.3 lbs.
Wood Shingles/Shakes: 3.5 – 6 lbs.
Metal (Steel/Aluminum): 0.5 – 1.3 lbs.
Slate: 8 – 12 lbs.
Clay/Concrete Tile: 8 – 20 lbs.
Synthetic/Rubber: 1 – 4 lbs. 

Contractors measure in “squares” (100 square feet). A 3-tab shingle roof (1 layer) usually weighs 230–250 lbs per square, while architectural shingles can reach 400–430 lbs per square.

Most building codes allow a maximum of two layers of asphalt shingles on a residential roof. While a “re-roof” (overlay) saves money, a complete tear-off is recommended to avoid structural weight issues, shortened roof lifespan, and voided warranties. Three or more layers are generally prohibited by building codes. but here I am talking like the homeowners care about what’s code and what isn’t.

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Elizabeth, NJ

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