The last wall I constructed is the one that holds the bay window. Since this wall has a large span with no structural supports, it has to be super reinforced so it can hold the weight of the roof (plus any snow there might be). The two main sources of reinforcement are extra large beams made out of a synthetic wood called Parallam, and a steel rod which keeps the posts from spreading apart. There are also extra-large screws, double boards for the window sill, and metal straps at the top.
I left this wall for last because the Parallam boards are special-order and I didn’t want to make any mistakes. I nearly did, though. I didn’t do a great job of drilling the holes for the rod, and there was a good 15 minutes where the 5/8″ drill bit was trapped in the post. I eventually used a socket wrench to get it moving again, so it turned out all right. Sometimes I like working with other people so we can get more done, but sometimes I like to work alone so no one sees how close I come to disaster.
