Construction Rods, Jigs, & Templates

Furring jig

Furrings are sold in set pitches and lengths from the merchants for use in flat roof and boxed gutter applications. Occasionally though, very specific length furrings with a precise taper must be custom made to achieve a certain outcome. In order to make a set of accurate, identical furrings by ripping down wider timber, a jig can be created to assist us. This jig is incredibly easy to assemble and can be adjusted to create any width of furring. Planks should be set up on some benches to support the jig and the lengths of timber that are ripped down to create them. 3-4 supporting offcuts of timber or battens are placed along the planks to keep the saw blade from cutting into the planks and provide stability to the timber being ripped. A straight length of timber is placed along the blocks and fixed in place. This timber must be the same thickness as the timber that is being ripped down for the jig to work. The length that is being ripped down is then placed tightly next to it. The desired width and length of furring is marked out on the timber to aid in alignment. We can measure the distance from the blade of the circular saw to the outside face of the base plate of the saw. From each end of the marked furring, we can mark this distance on the fixed timber fence. We can then fasten another timber to the fixed timber in alignment with these marks. When the saw is run down this timber, the pitched cut of the furring will be made on the timber. To make repeated cuts accurately, simply flip the ripped timber end for end after every cut to keep the grain of the furring running in the same direction. Provided that the ripped timber is butted tight into the bottom rail, the furrings will all be the same width and length.  

Soffit Jig

This jig is intended for accurately cutting hollow soffit to length with a circular saw, with speed and efficiency in mind. Whilst this example is specifically aimed at cutting soffit, the design and concept can be adapted to any material such as plywood strips or cutting solid blocking. 

The jig is assembled on two benches. A few planks are laid out between the benches to provide width and stability to the lengths of hollow soffit, supporting them along the majority of their length. A length of timber is screwed along the edge of an offcut of plywood. The skill saw is run along the length of timber to rip the plywood down so that the edge of the plywood displays the line of the cut of the saw. A larger offcut of plywood is placed on the bench, with the soffit placed on top of it. Two more small offcuts of 12mm plywood are placed either side of the soffit to sandwich it, with a small allowance for the soffit to slide freely between them. These offcuts are fixed to the base layer of plywood. The saw track we made is then placed on top of the plywood spacers to complete the jig. Care should be taken to ensure that the length of soffit runs square to the top layer of plywood so that all the cuts made are square. Now, the depth of the saw can be set so that it skims the surface of the bottom layer of plywood. The soffit can be freely pushed through the jig and easily cut off square at any length we desire. By setting a temporary stop at a set distance, we can rapidly make repeated cuts with square edges. This is especially useful for long runs of wide soffit such as on a low pitch bungalow. 

Layout rods

Layout rods are timber batten rods that can be used to accurately display and transfer a specific layout or alignment of a workpiece. Whilst in modern construction we have the luxury of carrying around accurate tape measures with us, operatives in the past were not so fortunate. Historically, accurate layout was achieved through the use of rods. Rods are simply lengths of timber that can be used to transfer marks from one surface to another, or to align certain components. A length of batten is a stable material that won't change shape or length (to any important degree) provided that it's not cut. By registering a length of batten off of a known point, we can transfer existing layout marks onto the rod. From here, we can register the rod off of the known point at another location on the site to accurately transfer the marks. We can also cut rods to specific lengths to help with measurement-free layout. Useful examples of this can include rods that are -

●       The internal width of structural roof openings

●       The height from a known point (datum line or finished floor level) to the top of the wall plate

●       The distance from a known point to a critical internal location (for layout purposes)

Overall, there are limitless uses for rods in construction, and transferring marks or using specific length rods are always more reliable than measuring.  

Protective cover for nailing finished components

When installing fascias or cladding, nails are commonly used to hold these components in place. In the case of plastic fascias, these nails feature a plastic head to match the colour of the fascia. By drilling a small hole in a piece of thin plywood, we can create a small protective tool that can aid in the installation of these fixings. Gently start the nail into the desired location and slide the ply with the slightly oversized hole over the nail. With this piece in place, the immediate area around the nail is protected somewhat from missed hammer strikes. This is a perfect little tool to help improve the confidence of beginners by eliminating some of the pressure of missing.  

Fixing placement

When installing finished components such as cladding and fascias, the fixings that we use are typically on display to some extent. To maintain a professional aesthetic in all aspects, the fixings that we use should be evenly spaced, both along the length of the components as well as across their width. To achieve this, a jig can be made to aid in the consistent installation or marking of fixing positions. For example, a common manufacturer of modern tongue and groove cladding states that two fixings should be installed per batten per length. These fixings should be installed at quarter points along the width of the board. In order to speed up this process, a square piece of 6mm plywood can be cut slightly larger than the width of the cladding boards. Another small rip of 12mm plywood can be glued or screwed to the top face of the plywood square. A central mark should be made down the opposite face of the square. The appropriate positions for the fixings can then be marked out from the underside of the plywood strip on the internal face of the jig, and slightly oversized holes can be drilled at these locations. From here, the jig can be quickly hooked over the top of the cladding during installation, using the vertical line on the face to rapidly align it with the vertical battens on the wall. The screws can then be started in the holes and wound in until just below the surface of the cladding. Successive use of this jig throughout the cladding installation only makes the process quicker and more streamlined. By using this jig consistently throughout the installation, all of the fixings will be placed in the same positions on each board and batten, within around a 3mm tolerance - which will never be noticed. This concept can be adapted to any scenario, such as marking out fascias for fixings, or even a template for marking out the hole to be drilled through a door for the handle and square through rod.  

Cladding and fencing lap T blocks

When installing feather edge boards to create fencing, or when installing shiplap cladding, maintaining the correct spacings between each row is imperative to the success of the final product. In order to space these components consistently, we can make a small jig that will aid us in maintaining the spacings. Create a T shape with two pieces of batten, fixing the pieces together with glue or screws. The leg of the T can be cut off to the correct distance of the spacing from the inside face of the T to the end of the leg. This jig can be easily hooked on the underside of the last cladding row, or side of the last featheredge row. The leg of the jig will space the next row correctly with no measuring. It goes without saying that every 3 or so rows should still be checked with a spirit level to maintain the correct layout installation.   

Lining spacers

When installing standard door linings, it's important for the width between the jambs at the top of the lining to be maintained all the way down the length of the lining. It's also imperative for the two faces of the lining to remain parallel to each other down the entire length of the lining. In order to achieve this, standard lining spacers can be cut from 18mm plywood to help ease the installation process. The 18mm ply is very stable and resistant to shrinkage and expansion, and therefore these templates can be kept in the van and used repeatedly. The plywood should be cut to perfect rectangles with parallel ends to help align the faces of the lining. The width of the template should be around 120-150mm, as this is the typical width for most linings. I recommend cutting a few of these templates for the most common lining width sizes, namely 24⅜”, 27⅜”, 30⅜”, and 33⅜”. These templates can be used to space apart the bottom of the lining when fitting the temporary braces prior to installation. During installation, these templates can be placed on the floor between the jambs to help maintain the correct spacing. By aligning one edge of the template with one side of the jambs, we can keep the faces of the lining parallel to each other and prevent a twist in the lining. Overall, this is a very cost effective template that can be used repeatedly to great effect.  

Door rod

When hanging doors without a router jig, a traditional door rod can be used to great effect to make the process of marking out both the door and the lining easier and faster. At this stage sequentially in the construction process, lengths of doorstop should be present on site, and so a rod can be cut from this material from the finished floor to the underside of the lining, less around 5mm. This rod will be cut again after its use to be used as the leg of a door stop set. Mark a 3mm inset from the square top of the rod. After the first door has its hinges marked out, the rod can be placed on the side of the door, with the 3mm inset mark aligned with the top of the door. The location of the hinges can then be marked on the rod. This rod can be used to mark out all the other doors quickly, as long as the 3mm inset is accurately maintained. To mark out the linings, simply butt the rod hard into the underside of the lining on the hinge side and transfer the marks onto the lining. Provided the marks are accurate and the rod is always kept in the correct orientation, the doors and linings will always have the hinges chopped out perfectly in relation to one another, with a 3mm gap at the top of the door to maintain the margin. This is a perfect method for hanging doors by hand, especially if it's a single door to be hung. This ensures accuracy without having to set up all the power tools. It also removes some of the heavy lifting associated with using the door to mark out the hinges on the lining. 

Block jig

When constructing ladder frames or pegs for wedging soffits, many small blocks of the exact same size are required. In order to maintain accuracy throughout this procedure as well as increase efficiency, a temporary stop can be fitted to a chop saw. By clamping a stop onto the flat surface of the chop saw, we have a positive area of registration in order to make repeated accurate cuts without having to measure anything. Just be careful in this situation as very small blocks can tend to pinch the blade.

Repeated cut jig

When making repeated irregular cuts, it can be difficult to maintain accuracy between each component. As such, a custom jig can be made to achieve consistency during the task. The example that comes to mind here is the installation of vertical tongue and groove cladding as fascia down a barge ladder. The overall effect looks very smart, but can be difficult to get started, and especially maintaining consistency along the length. When deconstructed, each piece of cladding is a parallelogram in shape. When considering the tongue and groove nature of the cladding, measuring and marking these pieces is difficult. With the first piece cut correctly and fitting well, stops can be glued or screwed to the side and bottom of the piece to create an accurate layout jig. The underside angle is cut on a length of cladding, at which point the jig can be placed on top in the perfect alignment. The top angle can then be marked with precision and cut to ensure that every piece is identical in shape and length.