Weekend Cabin Retreat Project
Wall and Ceiling Construction
Sacramento City College
EDT 300
Kenneth Fitzpatrick, P.E.
EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling Construction
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Objectives
 Name
the members of a typical frame
wall.
 Explain methods of frame wall
construction.
 Interpret information shown on a
ceiling joist span data chart.
 Sketch the various types of exterior
walls used in residential construction.
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Residential Construction
 Residential
wall construction is usually
one of three types:
 Frame
 Masonry
 Combination
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frame and masonry.
EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Residential Construction
 The
wall panels may be
 Constructed
on site or
 Prefabricated at another location and
transported to the site.
 The
trend is toward more
prefabrication and less on-site
construction.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Frame Wall Construction
 Various
framing members used in
conventional construction.
 Sole
plate
 Bottom
 Top
of wall. 2 x 4 on side.
plates
 Top
of wall. 2 x 4 on side.
 Studs
 Sides
of wall. 2 x 4 on end.
 Headers
 Span
openings in walls. 4 x 10; 4 x 12. Etc.
 Bracing.
 Strengthens
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wall corners.
EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 Plates
and studs
2
x 4 inch lumber.
4
x 6; 4 x 8; 4 x 10; 4 x 12
 Headers
or linters
 Bracing
1
x 4 stock
 Metal strap
 Plywood sheathing.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 Wall
framing lumber must have
 Good
stiffness
 Nail-holding properties
 Free from warp
 Easy to work.
 Species
that meet these criteria:
 Douglas
fir
 Southern Yellow Pine
 Hemlock
 Spruce, and Larch.
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Frame Wall Construction
 The
most common lumber grade used
is #2 grade or its equivalent.
 Moisture
content should be between
15 and 19 percent.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 Frame
Wall Construction
 Usually
begins with the sole plate.
 The spacing of the studs is marked off on
the sole plate
 The
wall is built on top of the sub-floor.
 The
sub-floor provides a large, flat work
surface.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Frame Wall Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 Exterior
frame walls can be
 Flush
with the outside of the foundation
wall or
 Moved 1/2" to 3/4" inside the foundation
wall to allow for the thickness of sheathing,
weatherboard, or rigid foam insulation.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Frame Wall Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 The
sole plate
 Acts
as an anchor for the wall panels
 Is a nailer for interior and exterior wall
sheathing.
A
nailer
 Is
a structural member (like a 2 x 4) that is
used to support the drywall (gypsum
board).
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Frame Wall Construction
A
wall panel, when built on-site
 May
be very large if sufficient people and
equipment are available to raise the wall.
 Is usually built in smaller sections.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Frame Wall Construction
 Wall
studs
 Are
cut to length (usually 7'-9" when 1-1/2"
material is used)
 Are nailed to the sole and top plate.
 A second plate is added after the wall is in
place.
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Frame Wall Construction
 The
distance from the top of the
subfloor to the bottom of the ceiling
joists is usually 8'-1 1/2".
 This
distance provides a finished wall
height of 8'-O".
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 Openings
for doors and windows are
framed before the wall is moved to
the vertical position.
 The
door and window opening must be
framed with headers, to span the
opening.
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Frame Wall Construction
 Two
methods are used in constructing
headers
 Solid
blocking.
 Cripple construction.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 Solid
blocking header
 The
header size is increased.
 The header completely fills the space from
the top of the rough opening to the top
plate.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Frame Wall Construction
 Solid
blocking header construction
 Various
methods are used
 1. Two 2 x 12 pieces of lumber are nailed
together with a piece of 1/2" plywood
between them to form a 3 1/2" thick
header.
 This
method reduces construction time, but
increases shrinkage.
 2.
Solid 4 x 6, 4 x 8, 4 x 10 wood members
may also be used.
 Trend
is to use solid members.
 Faster, saves construction labor costs.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 Header
Construction - Cripple and
Trimmer
 Older
method.
 Uses cripple studs and trimmers firmly
nailed to the sole and top plates.
 Cripples
are studs that are not full length due to
a wall opening.
 Trimmers are studs that support the header
over an opening in the wall.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 Corner
codes.
 Two
bracing is required by most
methods of bracing are used.
 Diagonal
corner braces
 Plywood sheathing
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Frame Wall Construction
 Diagonal
corner braces
 Use
1 x 4 inch wood material or
 Metal straps
 Installed from the top corner of the wall
down to the sole plate.
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Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 Plywood
Sheathing Bracing
 A sheet
of 1/2" plywood
 Nailed to the studs at each corner
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Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 Typical
methods of framing used to
form exterior wall corners
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Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Frame Wall Construction
 The
corner must provide
 A nailing
 Drywall
edge for the interior wall material
(gypsum board).
 Adequate
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support for the structure.
EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Frame Wall Construction
 Interior
frame walls are constructed
the same way as exterior walls.
 Sole
plates.
 Bottom
of wall
 One 2 x 4 member on side.
 Studs
2
x 4 wall members
 Double
top plates.
 Top
of wall
 Two 2 x 4 members on side.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Frame Wall Construction
 Interior
walls
 Must
be securely fastened to the exterior
walls that they intersect.
 A nailing edge must be provided for the
plaster base, drywall, or paneling.
 Use
a 2 x 6 secured to cross blocking.
 Double
the exterior wall studs at the
intersection of the partition.
 The
same arrangement is used at the
intersection of all interior walls.
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Construction
Exterior
Walls
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Interior
Walls
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Frame Wall Construction
 Rough
openings for windows and doors
 Are
dimensioned to the center of the
opening when located in a frame wall.
 Specific dimensions of doors and windows
are usually provided by the window and
door schedule.
 The width is listed first and
 The height is listed second.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Frame Wall Construction
 The
rough opening height of most
doors is 6'-10".
 Tops
of all windows are usually the
same distance above the floor as
doors.
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Construction
Frame Wall Construction
 Each
wall opening requires a header
above the opening.
 The header supports the weight
above.
 The length of the header will be equal
to
 The
width of the rough opening +
 The thickness of two trimmers.
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Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Ceiling Construction
 The
exterior and interior walls are
 Erected
 Plumbed
(straightened for level)
 Braced
 Top
plates are added.
 Ceiling
joists are then put in place.
 Ceiling joists are usually positioned
across the width of the house and in
the same direction as the rafters.
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Construction
Ceiling Construction
 The
size of ceiling joists required will
depend on:
 The
load to be supported.
 Span distance.
 Wood specie.
 Spacing of joists.
 Grade of lumber used.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Ceiling Construction
 Ceiling
construction is similar to floor
construction.
 The
main differences
 A header
is not required around the
perimeter
 Smaller lumber is used. (smaller loads).
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Ceiling Construction
 Long
ceiling joist spans may require a
bearing wall partition or beam.
 If
a beam is used, it may be located
below the joists or placed flush with
them using ledger strips.
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Construction
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Ceiling Construction
 The
upper corner of the ceiling joists
often interferes with the roof slope.
 To
prevent this interference, the
corner is usually cut to match the
slope.
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Ceiling Construction
 Roof
trusses are being used in
residential construction to a much
greater extent.
 This
approach eliminates the
traditional ceiling joist and rafter.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Framing Considerations
 An
access hole must be provided in
the ceiling (usually in closet) to
afford entry to the attic.
 The
size of this opening may be as small
as 2 feet square.
 Framing around the opening is the same
as for openings in the floor.
 Double headers are used for large holes
(for example, when installing a
disappearing stairway) but are usually not
required for minimum size openings.
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Framing Considerations
 Several
areas in the house that
require special framing.
 Openings
for heating ducts.
 Wall backing for various fixtures.
 Extra support for the bathtub.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Framing Considerations
 Framing
for a bay window presents
special problems.
 For
a bay window, the floor joists extend
beyond the wall to provide support for the
unit.
 If
the bay window is to be set at
right angles to the joists, then
cantilevered joists should be used.
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Masonry Wall Construction
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Masonry Wall Construction
A
masonry wall is constructed
entirely of brick, concrete block,
stone, clay tile, terra cotta, or a
combination of these materials.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Masonry Wall Construction
 Walls
that require more than one
thickness of masonry must be bonded
together.
 They may be bonded by using:
a
header course every 16" vertically
 corrugated metal wall ties in the mortar
joints.
 Metal
wall ties should be placed no
more than 16" apart vertically and
32" horizontally.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Masonry Wall Construction
 Solid
masonry walls for residential
construction are usually 8" thick.
 Concrete block walls (cavity walls) are
popular in many sections of the
country.
 Block walls are
 relatively
inexpensive to construct
 and a variety of textures and designs are
possible.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
Construction
Masonry Wall Construction
 One
disadvantage of a solid masonry
wall is that furring strips (usually 2" x
2" or 1 " x 3") are required on the
inside of the wall if dry wall, plaster,
or paneling is used.
 Insulation may be added.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Masonry Wall Construction
 Solid
brick and stone walls have been
used extensively in years past, but
because of the cost of construction
they are diminishing in importance for
residential purposes.
 The same exterior effect may e
obtained with a brick or stone veneer
on frame construction and the wall
will be better insulated, less
expensive to construct and present
fewer construction problems.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Masonry Wall Construction
 Floor
joists are placed directly into
openings in solid brick and stone walls.
 Each joist is cut at an angle on the
end to prevent toppling the wall if the
house should catch fire.
 The cut is known as a firecut.
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Masonry Wall Construction
 Stonework
involves artistry on the
part of the mason due to the various
size and texture of the material
ordinarily used.
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Masonry Wall Construction
 Stonework
is commonly referred to
as ashlar or rubble.
 Ashlar stonework uses dressed, cut,
or squared stones.
 Each stone is a specific size and fits
in an exact place in the pattern
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Masonry Wall Construction
 Rubble
stonework is made up of
irregular shaped stones.
 If the stones are basically flat, the
result may look like courses of stone,
then the term coursed rubble is
applied.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Masonry Wall Construction
 Another
type of rubble stonework is
called uncoursed cobweb or polygonal
rubble.
 These stones are dressed with
relatively straight edges and are
selected to fit a particular place.
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Masonry Wall Construction
 Masonry
veneer is usually placed one
inch away from the frame wall to:
 provide
a dead air space for insulation
 provide a means of escape for moisture
which condenses on the inside of the
masonry.
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EDT 300 - Wall and Ceiling
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Masonry Wall Construction
 The
term veneer is commonly used to
indicate that a less expensive or
desirable material has been covered
up with some type of facing material.
 The facing is usually 4" thick (but
may range from approximately 1 " to
6").
 The veneer does not help support the
weight of the building.
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Masonry Wall Construction
 Flashing
and termite shields should
be used at the base of solid masonry
or brick veneer walls.
 Flashing prevents moisture from
entering the structure.
 Termites are a threat in a large part
of the country and cause millions of
dollars in damage to homes each year.
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Masonry Wall Construction
 If
a solid masonry wall is used, the
top plate must be anchored securely
to the wall.
 Anchor bolts are placed between the
bricks and bolt the plate in place.
 A lintel block is used in concrete
block construction and anchor bolts
are cast in place.
 The plate is then secured by the use
of bolts.
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Brick Names and Sizes
 Brick
is a fired clay product.
 The color is ordinarily determined by
the natural color of the clay, but
sometimes earth colors are added to
produce a wider variety.
 Brick may be purchased in single
colors or in a mixture to produce a
blend.
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Brick Names and Sizes
 There
are two basic types of brick
used for wall construction; common
brick and face brick.
 Face brick is usually uniform in size
and has sharp corners and lines.
 Common brick is not as uniform in size
and color and may have a lip on one or
more edges.
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Brick Names and Sizes
 In
recent years, common brick has
been used more widely as a facing
material.
 They
produce a rustic character which is
quite different from the face brick.
 The texture is much more distinct.
 They
look especially good with a deep
rake joint which accents the
individual character of each brick.
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Brick Names and Sizes
 The
names of brick shapes are well
established, but sizes are not
standardized.
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Brick Names and Sizes
 Specific
terms apply to the position
or way the brick is laid.
 Note that the term "stretcher”
"header," etc. applies to the position
of the brick in the wall and not the
type or size of the brick.
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Brick Names and Sizes
 Numerous
types of mortar joints are
used in brickwork.
 Masons have tools designed
specifically for making the joints.
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Brick Names and Sizes
 Some
brick bonds are recognized
standards.
 The running bond is used extensively
in brick veneer construction.
 The common bond is popular for solid
masonry walls.
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