Framing units called stud walls form the skeleton of conventional residential structures.
Framing carpenters construct a home's skeleton, revealing a first glimpse of the structure's final form. Although mastering complex framing tasks requires years of study and practice, basic house framing is within the reach of most do-it-yourself builders. Modern stick frame homes consist of a logical system of upright and horizontal framing members constructed from readily available, standard-size lumber, called dimensional lumber. With a grasp of basic framing carpentry, you can participate in the construction of your home or confidently manage hired contractors. Does this Spark an idea?
Foundation and Floor Framing
Carpenters begin house framing by building the home's first floor surface or connecting wall framing to an existing foundation. Whereas elevated foundation systems, such as stem walls and spot footings, require horizontal floor frame and decking, slab foundation systems directly support both perimeter and interior walls. Lumber or manufactured beams span the open space of an elevated floor, bear the load of interior wall framing and create a flat, supportive surface for floor decking and finished coverings. On the other hand, carpenters use specialized fasteners or bolts to directly fasten wall framing units, called stud walls, to a slab.
The Stud Wall
The stud wall is the primary building unit of a conventional, stick frame structure. Stud walls essentially consist of a series of vertical boards, called studs, sandwiched between horizontal boards, called plates. For most purposes, both studs and plates are 1 1/2-by-3 1/2-inch lumber, or 2-by-4-inch lumber. To ensure strength, stability and easy installation of finish materials, such as drywall, carpenters space studs at regular intervals, typically 16 or 24 inches on center. Carpenters install beams across large openings, such as window and door openings, to effectively distribute structural loads.
Load-Bearing vs. Partition Wall
The terms load-bearing wall and partition wall quickly surface during any construction carpentry or remodeling project. Load-bearing walls literally bear the structural load of all construction members and forces above them. Partition walls bear no load, but simply create a partition between separate spaces. Headers, the beams that span across window and door openings, are an essential part of load bearing walls. The thick beams accept and distribute the load of the structure's roof and other stresses to prevent structural collapse. Thus, load-bearing walls also require special attention to anchoring at their bottom plates, which securely connect the walls to a floor or foundation.
Roof Structures
Roof structures consist of several framing units, most notably a ridge board, which forms the peak of a roof and rafters, the sloping members that attach to the ridge at one end and the structure's walls at the other end. Occasionally, a horizontal framing member, called a joist, stretches between corresponding rafters. Because constructing a roof from ridge board, rafters and joists is time consuming and requires substantial skill, most framing carpenters and homeowners use manufactured roofing units, called trusses, to construct a roof frame. Produced in a consistent, factory environment, trusses consist of rafters and joists joined by metal brackets. Designed for performance and ease of installation, trusses typically save money for both professional builders and do-it-yourself carpenters.
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