Costalegre Jalisco Mexico

Hey Scott ...

Just have to ask ... why the two courses of white block just below the windows?

I'm assuming that since the two brick types are similar in size ... they are not exact and the cement block may be a way to bring the wall level up instead of adding more mortar. Then again maybe they just like a change. Since they put some block in almost every wall with no pattern I figured it was not worth asking about

I asked because down in Xico, Veracruz a fella named John had a storage shed put up by local folks and they left blocks in place in prep for a future door. I was thinking that maybe when the windows were installed the white block maybe cut cleaner or provided some better physical characteristics suitable for that step.

check this page http://www.vivaveracruz.com/blog/?cat=13 ... 'Opening Doors'

Sometimes those who build will do what they do because that is how they were taught with no concern ... BUT ... when we were down in Barra I asked a fella about why he was doing a wall a certain way and he had a list of good reasons for the steps.

I've seen un-mortared bricks just filling a space ... which might be more for security

They started on the dalas last week after finishing the walls. Here is todays work. With almost all the rebar in place they are installing the wooden forms

So how do the builders handle door and window headers?

Just put a board across the top of the door, prop it up, run the rebar across, put up the wooden sides .... and fill with cement. That 2 meter high dala (header) that circles the building becomes the door header

Seems like here the builders frame in a header then lay two courses on top of that. As one would guess, building in México is different than notb.

Thanks for the fotos.

There will be more brick on top of the header .... to whatever height you want your ceiling.

Don`t know .... but this bottom up construction makes sense to me

" bottom up construction " ... seems like the strength that's engineered into traditional stick construction here is actually in the truss design. If I recall the 'mechanics' the load on the roof is transferred through the truss design onto the bearing walls. I think that is a "top down construction".

Anyway ... I also like the ideas incorporated in house building in México. A fella I knew who lived up in La Peñita (north of PV) had a fabulous house with the most interesting floor/ceiling structure I've ever seen.

good stuff!