Wood Light Frame Construction

Question 1

What is the framing progression of wood light frame construction? (3)

Answer 1

• heavy timber construction
• balloon framing
• platform framing

Question 2

What is balloon frame construction?

Answer 2

small-dimension members span from ground floor to roof

Question 3

Where was balloon frame construction invented?

Answer 3

North America

Question 4

What are two advantages of balloon frame construction?

Answer 4

• light wood frame uses lighter wood members and simpler nailed connections
• requires less-skilled builders

Question 5

What are two characteristics of balloon frame construction?

Answer 5

• studs extend from foundation all the way to the roof/attic

- second floor joists connected to the side of studs

Question 6

What is platform frame construction?

Answer 6

relies on shorter length, single-story height studs that are easier to produce, handle and erect on site

Question 7

What pattern is used in platform frame construction?

Answer 7

platform-walls-platform-walls

Question 8

What members does platform framing consist of?

Answer 8

nominal two-inch members spaced at 16” or 24” on-center

Question 9

What are the four components of platform framing?

Answer 9

• floor and ceiling joists
• wall studs
• roof rafters
• panels applied over framing

Question 10

What are the seven steps of simple platform framing?

Answer 10

• establish location of building site
• excavation and foundation
• construct ground-floor platform
• frame ground-floor walls
• construct upper-floor platform
• frame upper-floor walls
• frame attic floor and roof

Question 11

What are the four steps of establishing a building site?

Answer 11

• stake location of building corners
• erect batter boards just beyond the foundation area
• string lines over established building corners
• place notch or nail on the batter boards to retain string location

Question 12

What are the four steps of residential basement foundation construction?

Answer 12

• cast-in-place concrete strip footing
• cast-in-place concrete foundation wall, 8” to 12” thick, 8’ to 10’ tall
• anchor bolts cast into top of wall
• steel reinforcing top and bottom of wall

Question 13

What are the four steps of ground-floor platform construction?

Answer 13

• sill plates anchored
• girders placed
• floor joists laid
• subflooring applied

Question 14

What are the seven steps of ground-floor wall construction?

Answer 14

• wall sections are assembled lying down, then lifted into place
• temporary bracing holds walls in alignment
• exterior wall sheathing may be applied before the walls are stood up or later
• bottom plates attached to floor platform
• studs continuous between top and bottom plates
• top plates are doubled to support loads from joists above
• top plates are also staggered to tie separate wall sections together

Question 15

How are studs spaced in wall framing?

Answer 15

16” or 24” on center

Question 16

In rough openings, what does the header support, and what supports the header? (2)

Answer 16

• header supports the loads above the opening

- jack studs support the header

Question 17

What is lateral force resistance?

Answer 17

prevents sliding, overturning, and wracking

Question 18

What resists overturning?

Answer 18

hold-downs

Question 19

What are six lateral bracing methods used to resist racking and shear force?

Answer 19

• wood structural panel
• let-in bracing
• structural fiberboard sheathing
• gypsum board
• portland cement plaster
• hardboard panel siding

Question 20

What can act as shear walls for lateral bracing? (5)

Answer 20

• diagonal 1”x4” let-in bracing (rigid sheathing)
• shear walls resist wracking
• any solid sheathed area may act as a shear wall
• interior walls, properly constructed, can also act as shear walls
• higher-strength prefabricated steel assemblies may also be used where solid wall area is limited

Question 21

What are the four steps of upper-floor platform construction?

Answer 21

• using open web joists provides space for building services
• upper floor framing much the same as ground floor
• rim joists and interior blocking close off joist spaces and prevent the joists from tipping
• with I-joists, the thinner webs require stiffeners, blocking, or squash blocks to support loads from above

Question 22

What is convenient about upper-floor walls construction?

Answer 22

each floor platform makes a convenient work surface for building the next set of walls

Question 23

How are the attic and roof framed?

Answer 23

ceiling joists and roof rafters are erected on top of the upper floor walls