Wall Framing
This horizontal member forms the bottom of a wall and is fastened directly to the floor before the wall is raised.
What is the bottom plate (sole plate)?
This framing member runs around the perimeter of the floor system and provides support for the ends of the floor joists.
What is a rim joist?
This type of fraction has a numerator that is larger than or equal to its denominator.
What is an improper fraction?
This term describes a surface or line that is perfectly horizontal and parallel to the horizon.
What is level?
This type of measurement is found by multiplying length by width and is expressed in square units such as square feet or square inches.
What is area?
This horizontal member is installed at the top of a wall and is doubled to tie intersecting walls together and distribute roof or floor loads.
What is the double top plate?
These framing members are spaced evenly across the floor system and support the subfloor and the loads placed on the floor.
What are common floor joists?
This type of number contains a whole number and a fraction, such as 4-3/8.
What is a mixed number (mixed fraction)?
This term describes a member that is perfectly vertical and at a 90-degree angle to a level surface.
What is plumb?
This type of measurement is found by multiplying length, width, and height and is expressed in cubic units.
What is volume?
These vertical framing members are installed at regular spacing, typically 16 inches on center, and support the wall covering and roof or floor loads.
What are studs?
This framing member spans between two trimmer joists to support the cut ends of floor joists around a stairway or chimney opening.
What is a header?
This mathematical operation changes a fraction like 12/16 into its lowest terms, such as 3/4.
What is simplifying (or reducing) a fraction?
This term describes two surfaces that meet at a perfect 90-degree angle, such as the corner of a framed wall.
What is square?
This is the numerical value used to convert one unit of measurement into another, such as 12 inches per foot or 144 square inches per square foot.
What is a conversion factor?
This framing member sits directly over a window or door opening and transfers the weight above the opening to the sides of the wall.
What is a header?
These doubled floor joists run alongside an opening and support the headers that frame around stairways, chimneys, or other floor openings.
What are trimmer joists?
This measurement is found by multiplying the length of a shape by its width and is expressed in square units.
What is area?
This term describes a wall or floor member that is exactly centered between two reference points or equally spaced from each side.
What is centered (or centerline)?
This process changes a measurement from one unit to another without changing the actual size or quantity being measured.
What is unit conversion (or converting units)?
These shorter studs are installed directly beneath each end of a header to transfer its load down to the bottom plate.
What are jack studs (trimmer studs)?
This framing member supports one end of the floor joists and carries the floor load to posts or foundation walls. It may be built-up dimensional lumber, an LVL, or a steel beam.
What is a girder (or beam)?
This theorem states that the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides of a right triangle and is commonly used to calculate stair stringers and diagonals.
What is the Pythagorean Theorem?
This construction term describes measurements taken from a single reference point to locate framing members, walls, or openings before construction begins.
What is laying out (or layout)?
This layout method places the center of each framing member exactly 16 inches from the center of the next framing member and is the most common spacing used for residential wall framing.
What is 16 inches on center (16" O.C.)?