Vocab 1
Horizontal member supporting ceilings and tying exterior walls together.
Ceiling Joist
Standard joist supporting the floor system.
Common Floor Joist
Stud supporting the header.
Jack Stud (Trimmer Stud)
Horizontal member at the top of the wall.
Top Plate
Full-height vertical framing member.
Stud (Common Stud)
Second top plate tying intersecting walls together and distributing loads.
Double Top Plate
Horizontal member attached to the floor supporting wall studs.
Bottom Plate (Sole Plate)
Large beam supporting multiple floor joists.
Girder
Rim Joist (Band Joist)
Perimeter joist tying floor joists together and supporting exterior walls.
Structural panel attached to floor framing.
Subfloor
Pressure-treated member anchored to the foundation that supports the floor framing.
Mud Sill (Green Plate / Sill Plate)
Full-height stud on each side of a door or window opening.
King Stud
Wood member providing fastening for finish materials.
Nailer
Beam made by fastening multiple pieces of dimensional lumber together.
Built-up Beam
Notch allowing a rafter to sit on the wall plate.
Birdsmouth
Beam spanning over an opening.
Header
Short framing members between joists for stability.
Blocking
Reinforced joist supporting headers around floor openings.
Trimmer Joist
Three-stud corner providing drywall backing with less lumber.
California Corner
Vertical support carrying loads from beams.
Post (Column)
Horizontal member spanning across cut joists around stairwells or other openings. (often doubled)
Floor Header
Horizontal member slowing fire spread inside wall cavities.
Fire Block
Standard sloping roof framing member.
Common Rafter
Short stud above a header or below a rough sill.
Cripple Stud
Solid blocking transferring concentrated loads through I-joists.
Squash Block