Which construction technique builds one floor at a time with a firestop between each floor?

The correct answer is the platform-frame construction technique. This method involves constructing a building one floor at a time, where each floor is built on top of the previous one, creating a complete platform for each floor before moving on to the next. A critical aspect of this technique is the incorporation of firestopping measures between each floor, which helps to limit the vertical spread of fire and smoke within the building.

Firestopping is essential in platform-frame construction as it creates barriers that prevent fire from traveling through wall and floor cavities, enhancing the overall fire safety of the structure. This is particularly important in residential and multi-family buildings, where compartments and firestopping can significantly improve safety for occupants.

Other construction techniques mentioned do not utilize this specific method of building one floor at a time with firestops in between. Balloon-frame construction, for instance, involves long, continuous vertical framing members that run from the foundation to the roof and does not feature individual firestops between floors. Flitch plate construction typically combines steel plates with wood beams for structural support, while ordinary construction uses solid masonry or non-combustible materials, again lacking the feature of separate floor platforms with firestopping. Therefore, platform-frame construction stands out as the method that best