Resources
Below are some useful links to various construction resources. If you have any suggestions you would like to see added to this list please feel free to contact us.
Medeek BIM (mdkBIM)
A SketchUp Extension Library
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Medeek TrussUse the Medeek Truss extension to create accurate 3D truss and roof geometry within SketchUp. This plugin utilizes the SketchUp Ruby API programming interface and is compatible with the latest SketchUp releases (SketchUp Make 2017 64-bit and SketchUp Pro 2024 64-bit). This plugin is intended for architects, engineers, designers and homeowners who are using SketchUp as their primary 3D design tool.Medeek Truss |
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Medeek WallUse the Medeek Wall extension to create accurate 3D wall framing geometry within SketchUp. This extension utilizes the SketchUp Ruby API programming interface and is compatible with the latest SketchUp releases (SketchUp Make 2017 64-bit and SketchUp Pro 2024 64-bit). This extension is intended for architects, engineers, designers and homeowners who are using SketchUp as their primary 3D design tool.Medeek Wall |
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Medeek FoundationUse the Medeek Foundation extension to create accurate 3D foundation and footing geometry within SketchUp. This extension utilizes the SketchUp Ruby API programming interface and is compatible with the latest SketchUp releases (SketchUp Make 2017 64-bit and SketchUp Pro 2024 64-bit). This extension is intended for architects, engineers, designers and homeowners who are using SketchUp as their primary 3D design tool.Medeek Foundation |
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Medeek FloorUse the Medeek Floor extension to create accurate 3D floor framing geometry within SketchUp. This extension utilizes the SketchUp Ruby API programming interface and is compatible with the latest SketchUp releases (SketchUp Make 2017 64-bit and SketchUp Pro 2024 64-bit). This extension is intended for architects, engineers, designers and homeowners who are using SketchUp as their primary 3D design tool.Medeek Floor |
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Medeek ProjectUse the Medeek Project extension to manage all of your mdkBIM geometry and project data within SketchUp. This extension is intended as an add-on to the mdkBIM Suite and works exclusively with the Medeek extensions. This extension utilizes the SketchUp Ruby API programming interface and is compatible with the latest SketchUp releases (SketchUp Make 2017 64-bit and SketchUp Pro 2024 64-bit). This extension is intended for architects, engineers, designers and homeowners who are using SketchUp as their primary 3D design tool.Medeek Project |
Medeek MEP (mdkMEP)
A SketchUp Extension Library
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Medeek ElectricalUse the Medeek Electrical extension to create accurate 2D and 3D electrical geometry within SketchUp. This plugin utilizes the SketchUp Ruby API programming interface and is compatible with the latest SketchUp releases (SketchUp Make 2017 64-bit and SketchUp Pro 2024 64-bit). This plugin is intended for architects, engineers, designers, contractors and homeowners who are using SketchUp as their primary 3D design tool.Medeek Electrical |
Design Parameters
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Seismic Design Categories MapUse our IBC Seismic Design Categories map to easily obtain the seismic design category (Section 1613 of the IBC 2015) for any location in the contiguous United States and Alaska.IBC 2015 - Seismic Design Categories |
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ASCE Wind Speeds MapUse our ASCE Wind Speeds map to easily obtain the basic wind speed (ASCE7-05, ASCE7-10, ASCE7-16) for any location in the contiguous United States and Alaska.ASCE Wind Speeds |
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Ground Snow Loads MapUse our ASCE Ground Snow Loads map to easily obtain the ground snow load (Figure 7-1 of ASCE 7-10) for any location in the contiguous United States. Many states have additional snow load data and requirements for their jurisdictions. Please visit our State Snow Loads page for further details.ASCE Ground Snow Loads |
Services
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API ServiceUse our API Service to programmatically query locations in the United States for geographic, seismic and climate data.(ASCE/IBC/IRC) API Service |
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Toolbox ServiceUse our Toolbox Service to customize the PDF report output of any of our maps and calculators with your company name and logo. A toolbox key is also required for "unlimited" access to any of our maps, calculators and spreadsheets.Toolbox Service |
Calculators
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Truss DesignerThis application is intended to be used primarily by Design Professionals (architects, engineers, etc.), Building Code Officials, Contractors and Inspectors for understanding the loads, parameters, calculations and limitations of a given common truss design. By changing geometry and loading parameters multiple design scenarios can be quickly compared and analyzed. Member buckling, bending and deflection is considered along with metal plate checks for tension, compression, shear and net section. Engineering is per the MPC wood truss standard (ANSI/TPI 1-2007).Truss Designer |
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Beam CalculatorUse our Beam Calculator to investigate or design a wood beam (sawn lumber, glulam, SCL) for your residential or commercial project. Bending, shear, bearing and deflection are considered with engineering per the wood standard (AWC NDS 2012). Printable PDF report is now available.Beam Calculator |
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Snow Load CalculatorUse our Snow Load Calculator to determine design loads for common gable and hip type roofs. Balanced, unbalanced and ice dam snow loads are considered with engineering per the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10). Printable PDf report is now available.Snow Load Calculator |
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Sliding Snow Load CalculatorUse our Sliding Snow Load Calculator to determine design loads for mono-slope roofs attached to common gable and hip type roofs. Sliding snow loads are considered with engineering per the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10). Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Sliding Snow Load Calculator |
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Wind Load Calculator (Envelope Procedure)Use our Wind Load Calculator to determine design loads for gable, hip and flat roofs. Wind loads are calculated using the Envelope Procedure (Chapter 28, Part 1) per the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10). Printable PDf report is now available.Wind Load Calculator - Envelope Procedure |
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Wind Load Calculator (Directional Procedure)Use our Wind Load Calculator to determine design loads for gable, hip and flat roofs of enclosed or partially enclosed buildings. Wind loads are calculated using the Directional Procedure (Chapter 27, Part 1) per the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10). Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Wind Load Calculator - Directional Procedure |
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Wind Load Calculator (Components and Cladding)Use our Wind Load Calculator to determine design loads for gable, hip and monoslope roofs of enclosed or partially enclosed low-rise buildings. Wind loads are calculated using the Low-Rise Buildings Procedure (Chapter 30, Part 1) per the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10). Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Wind Load Calculator - Components and Cladding |
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Wind Load Calculator (Directional Procedure - Open Building)Use our Wind Load Calculator to determine design loads for pitched (gable) roofs of open buildings. Wind loads are calculated using the Directional Procedure (Chapter 27, Part 1, Section 27.4.3, Fig. 27.4-5) per the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10). Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Wind Load Calculator - Directional Procedure - Open Building |
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Wind Load Calculator (Components and Cladding - Open Building)Use our Wind Load Calculator to determine C&C design loads for pitched (gable) roofs of open buildings of all heights. Wind loads are calculated using the C&C Directional Procedure (Chapter 30, Part 5, Fig. 30.8-2) per the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10). Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Wind Load Calculator - Components and Cladding - Open Building |
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Stud Wall CalculatorUse our Stud Wall Calculator to check the axial, bending and combined bending strength of a stud wall per the wood standard (AWC NDS 2015). Calculations include a sill plate bearing check and deflection per (IBC 2015). Input of MWFRS and C&C wind loads required for determining lateral loads. Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Stud Wall Calculator |
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Nail CalculatorUse our Nail Connection Calculator to check the lateral (single and double shear) capacities for nails per the AWC NDS 2015. Wood-to-wood connections are possible. This calculator does take into account the tapered tip assumptions that became part of the NDS standard in 2012, hence its yield equation values may differ slightly from the online AWC Connection Calculator, which is based on the 2005 NDS. Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Nail Calculator |
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Column CalculatorUse our Column Calculator to check the vertical load (axial) capacity of a free standing column per the wood standard (AWC NDS 2015). Calculations include built in eccentricity with combined bending and axial loading and a sill plate bearing check. Input of dead, live, live roof, snow, wind and seismic loads enabled with worst case (ASD) load combination analyzed per the "Mininum Design loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10). Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Column Calculator |
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Shear Wall CalculatorUse our Shear Wall Calculator to check the design of a segmented (multi-panel) shear wall per the wood standard (AWC NDS 2015) and the wind and seismic provisions (AWC SDPWS-2015). Calculations include sheathing capacity, holdowns, anchor bolts, framing clips, deflection, sill plate bearing check, chord tension and compression, and bottom plate nailing. Input of wind and seismic shear required for full analysis. Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Shear Wall Calculator |
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Diaphragm and Sheathing CalculatorUse our Diaphragm and Sheathing Calculator to check the design of a wood framed structure per the wood standard (AWC NDS 2015), APA publication Q225G and the wind and seismic provisions (AWC SDPWS-2015). Calculations include diaphragm shear capacity, chord splices, roof panel loads, roof panel nailing, wall panel loads, and wall panel nailing. Input of C&C wind and snow loads required for full analysis. Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Diaphragm and Sheathing Calculator |
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Portal Frame Calculator (Wood)Use our Portal Frame Calculator to check the design of a single or double portal frame with holdowns. Engineering utilizes a mechanics based approach to predict the strength of the portal frame (Principles of Mechanics Model for Wood Structural Panel Portal Frames, Zeno Martin, APA/ASCE 2008). Deflection of the portal frame is estimated using the three term shear wall deflection equation per the wind and seismic provisions (AWC SDPWS-2015). Calculations include sheathing capacity, nail capacity, holdowns, anchor bolts, header straps, deflection, moment distribution, shear distribution, and prescriptive checks. Input of wind and seismic shear required for full analysis. Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Portal Frame Calculator (Wood) |
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Square Footing CalculatorUse our Square Footing Calculator to check the design of a reinforced concrete square footing per the concrete standard (ACI 318-14) and utilizing ASD load combinations per the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10). Calculations include bearing pressure, beam shear, punching shear, baseplate bearing, bending, reinforcement and reinforcement development length. Input of appropriate gravity loads required for full analysis. Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Square Footing Calculator |
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Stem Wall Footing CalculatorUse our Stem Wall Footing Calculator to check the design of a reinforced concrete stem wall footing per the concrete standard (ACI 318-11) and utilizing ASD and LRFD load combinations per the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10). Calculations include bearing pressure, beam shear, bending, transverse and longitudinal reinforcement and reinforcement development length. Input of appropriate gravity loads required for full analysis. Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Stem Wall Footing Calculator |
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Deck CalculatorUse our Deck Calculator to check the lateral loads on a typical residential deck per the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10) and "Deck and Porch Lateral Loading by Occupants", Donald A. Bender 2013. Calculations include wind, seismic and occupant lateral loading. Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Deck Calculator |
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Chain Link Fence CalculatorUse our Chain Link Fence Calculator to determine line post spacing, diameter and footing depth for commercial and residential chain link fences per the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10) and ASTM F-567. Calculations include wind loads on chain link fences with options for constrained footings, privacy slats and steel post type. Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Chain Link Fence Calculator |
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Sign CalculatorUse our Sign Calculator to determine the lateral wind loads on a solid freestanding sign per Chapter 29.4 of the "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures" (ASCE/SEI 7-10). Calculations includes wind load and wind pressure with a check for load case C. Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Sign Calculator |
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Gambrel Roof CalculatorUse our Gambrel Roof Calculator to examine different gambrel roof profiles by varying the out-to-out span and upper and lower roof pitches. Calculations include total roof height, location of pitch breaks and check of the maximum shipping height. Calculator is in Excel spreadsheet format, click here for preview of output.Gambrel Roof Calculator |
Building Codes and Standards
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ICC (International Code Council)The definitive source for all residential and commercial building codes in the United States. All sections of the IRC are available for viewing free of charge.http://www.iccsafe.org |
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American Wood CouncilPublisher of the National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction.http://www.awc.org |
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American Society of Civil EngineersPublisher of the ASCE 7-10, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures. Sets the standards for which much of the IRC and IBC is based upon.http://www.asce.org |
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The Engineered Wood AssociationThe leading resource for information on engineered wood products and co-publisher of "A Guide to the 2012 IRC Wood Wall Bracing Provisions".http://www.apawood.org |
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Truss Plate InstituteTPI establishes the methods of design and construction for all metal plate connected wood trusses in the United States. Publisher of the ANSI standard, ANSI/TPI 1-2014.http://www.tpinst.org |
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American Concrete InstituteThe American Concrete Institute (ACI) is a leading authority and resource worldwide for concrete design, construction, and materials. Publisher of the concrete standard, 318-14: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary.http://www.concrete.org |
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American Institute of Steel ConstructionThe American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) is a technical institute and trade association serving the structural steel construction industry in the United States. Publisher of the Steel Construction Manual, which contains the specification for structural steel buildings (ANSI/AISC 360).http://www.aisc.org |
Attic Access Ladders
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Werner LaddersThe #1 brand in ladders and professional climbing equipment.http://us.wernerco.com |
Building Construction & Equipment
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Simpson Strong-TieSimpson Strong-Tie works closely with industry professionals to provide code-listed, field-tested products, and value-engineered solutions. Its product lines include Structural Connectors, Fasteners, Wood and Steel Strong-Wall® prefabricated shearwalls, Anchor Tiedown Systems for multi-story buildings, Quik Drive® auto-feed screw driving systems, and Anchor Systems for concrete and masonry. Simpson Strong-Tie products are known for their consistent quality and availability as well as for helping structures resist high winds, hurricanes and seismic forces.http://www.strongtie.com |
Building Materials
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Home DepotThe Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with more than 2,200 retail stores in the United States (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Canada, Mexico and China.http://www.homedepot.com |
Cabinets
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American WoodmarkAmerican Woodmark Corporation is a leading manufacturer and distributor of kitchen and bath cabinets for the remodeling and new home construction markets.http://www.americanwoodmark.com |
Construction Videos & Books
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DEWALT Carpentry and Framing Complete HandbookWhether you are a seasoned professional or just entering the construction industry, this is the ultimate handbook for residential wood framing and related topics.http://www.amazon.com/Carpentry-Complete-Handbook-Professional-Reference |
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A Guide to the 2012 IRC Wood Wall Bracing ProvisionsA new illustrated book, co-published by the International Code Council (ICC) and APA -The Engineered Wood Association, provides an explanation of the lateral bracing provisions of the 2012 International Residential Code (IRC). A Guide to the 2012 IRC Wood Wall Bracing Provisions, the third edition in the series, details the correct application of the code-bracing requirements, explores the history and theory behind wall bracing, and provides real-world bracing examples. An excellent resource for understanding the theory and practical calculations required to satisfy the IRC bracing provisions.http://shop.iccsafe.org/a-guide-to-the-2012-irc-wood-wall-bracing-provisions-1.html |
Doors
Coming Soon.
Cupolas & Weathervanes
Coming Soon.
Garage Doors
Coming Soon.
Roof Trusses
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BMC WestProfessional building and remodeling centers supplying construction professionals, builders, and contractors with tools and materials they need on projects throughout the western states.http://www.bmcwest.com |
Siding Materials
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HardiePlank Lap SidingWorld leader in fiber cement siding and backerboard.http://www.jameshardie.com |
Stairs
Coming Soon.
Tools
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StabilaGerman manufacturer of the world's highest quality levels. Stabila levels are very durable and will maintain their stated accuracy for life.http://www.stabila.com |
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Estwing HammersDesigner and manufacturer of the world's most durable hammers for tradesmen and craftsmen alike.http://www.estwing.com |
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DeWalt Power ToolsThe DEWALT Power Tools line consists of over 200 electric power tools and over 800 accessories including: drills and hammer drills; screwdrivers; circular, chop, miter, table, reciprocating, and jig saws; planers; impact wrenches; die, angle, and bench grinders; shears; nibblers; sanders; laminate trimmers; routers, and plate joiners.http://www.dewalt.com |
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Stanley FatMax® Measuring TapesThe Stanley FatMax® measuring tapes deliver with a sturdy well built chassis, cushion grip and 1-1/4 inch tape with an 11 foot tape standout.http://www.stanleytools.com |
Windows
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Milgard Windows and DoorsSecond largest manufacturer of windows and patio doors in the United States and Canada. Manufacturer of very high quality vinyl, wood and fibreglass windows in many form factors and sizes.http://www.milgard.com |
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Pella Windows and DoorsLargest manufacturer of windows, patio doors, entry doors and storm doors in the United States and Canada. Manufacturer of quality vinyl windows in many form factors and sizes.http://www.pella.com |
Woodworking
Coming Soon.