Stud-wall adjustments

I usually put the plywood sheathing on my exterior stud walls before I raise them into position. However, once the wall has been raised it often takes four hands to move it around, and it can be quite awkward to maneuver the bottom plate toward the layout line. Here's a clever way to handle this problem that I learned from some production carpenters.

While the wall is lying on the subfloor and before the plywood is applied, toenail the bottom plate to its layout line with 16d nails, as shown in the drawing. As the wall is raised, these nails will bend and lift out of the floor. These are your handles. Using your hammer as a lever, you can pull the wall inward to align it. Nail it home, then nip off the bent nails with your side cutters.

Tom Strong, Westcliffe, CO