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Framing

Is there anything more important to building a house that lasts than framing it correctly? Ask any framer and they will tell you that, no, nothing sets the tone for a new house or an addition more emphatically than the quality of the frame. The guys that do the foundation might have grounds to disagree, but the reality is that no well-built house ever springs from a poorly executed frame. Just building a backyard garden shed? Same rules still apply.

Frames in residential construction are almost always made from wood. Whether the house is panelized, modular, or site-built, the frame is likely to be fabricated from softwood. And most houses are built on site, assembled one stud, joist and rafter at a time. The list of skills a framer needs to accomplish this isn’t short, and by the time the framers get to the roof and begin cutting compound angles in pieces of dimensional stock the ante has gone up considerably. House plans and floor plans will be drawn up by others, but the quality of the finished house is a function of the hundreds of individual connections and thousands of fasteners under the purview of the framing crew.

New materials, and more sophisticated tools, are creeping in. Engineered lumber is becoming an increasingly important component in many new homes, not only in the I-joists that many builders already use for floor joists, but also in engineered studs, headers and beams. Framers are finding more uses for light-gauge steel. Green builders are mastering techniques that make houses more energy efficient — better ways of framing corners and headers, for example, or building houses with double stud walls.

So if the craft of framing houses in many ways looks just like it did a century ago, it’s not. Want to keep up? Hang out with the pro framers who write for Fine Homebuilding.

  • Make Mudsills Square and Level

    Careful measuring, precise layout adjustments, and repeated double-checks pay off with a faster, frustration-free build.

  • Podcast 596: Broken Trusses, Frost-Protected Foundations, and Air Control Methods

      Follow the Fine Homebuilding Podcast on your favorite app. Subscribe now and don't miss an episode:   Help us make better episodes and enter for a chance to win…

  • Podcast 589: Members-only Aftershow—Advanced Framing

    The crew talks about the pros and cons of advanced framing.

  • Framing a Second Story on an Existing House

    Jon explains the critical points that determined the layout and his use of LVLs and a custom bracket.

  • Podcast 586: PRO TALK With Timber Framer Will Gusakov

    In this Pro-Talk podcast, Ian talks to Will Gusakov of Goosewing Timberworks in Lincoln, Vt.

  • Leveled Up Plate Level

    This level adjusts to wall heights up to 12 ft. 5-1/4 in. and has the Stabila Tech module already installed.

  • Advanced Framing with LSL Studs

    High-performance builder Ben Bogie talks about the benefits of and techniques for framing walls for an energy efficient home with engineered lumber.

  • Hiding Porch Beams in the Roof Structure

    Make sure your porch beams are doing their job, without disrupting the desired look and feel of your design.

  • Podcast 545: Mystery Fasteners, Basement-Ceiling Insulation, and Mixed-Use Malls

    The crew hears from listeners about Bonfiglioli walls and ready-mix concrete before taking listener questions about weird screws, insulating a basement ceiling, and suburban mall redevelopment.

  • Podcast 527: Sloping Decks, Brick-Filled Framing, and Skylights

    Significantly sloped decks, masonry-filled stud bays, and installing skylights in a cathedral ceiling.

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Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 318 - October 2023
    • Make Mudsills Square and Level
    • Turn Up the Heat With Induction Cooktops
    • The Fine Homebuilding Interview: Lloyd Alter
  • Issue 317 - Aug/Sept 2023
    • Finishing Drywall With Seamless Results
    • A Flat Roof in a Cold Climate
    • Compact Cordless Shop Vacs
  • Issue 316 - July 2023
    • Timber-Framed Solar Canopies
    • Build a Transom Above a Stock Door
    • Understanding Toilet Design and Efficiency
  • Issue 315 - June 2023
    • How to Craft a Copper Roof
    • 5 Lessons from Building in a Cold Climate
    • The Advantages of Cellular PVC Siding
  • Issue 314 - April/May 2023
    • 7 Options for Countertops
    • Tool Test: Wood-Boring Bits
    • Critical Details for Ductless Heat Pumps

Fine Homebuilding

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