Top Plate

Sheathing Walls Solo
Make sheathing walls a breeze — even by yourself.
Conform to Ceiling Curves
To accommodate a curved ceiling when installing a new non-load-bearing wall, make a series of kerf cuts in the top plate.
Locate Top and Bottom Plates for Wiring
Use this trick to find into which stud bay you need to drill a hole to run a wire for a new switch or outlet.
How to Get Sturdy Walls Without OSB
Fernando Pagés Ruiz discusses how he omitted the OSB on this spec home to save money, while still making sure his build had reliable structural quality.
The Evolution of Top-Plate Building Codes
Could a single top plate do the job, allowing for reduced thermal bridging and an increased R-value? Learn about top-plate building codes.
Why Is There an Angled Header Over My Door?
Diagonal braces above openings in bearing walls are old-fashioned but still functional solutions.
Thermally Broken Studs
Tstuds are a new energy-efficient framing product that look like vertical trusses made from two thin boards joined by a series of angled dowels.
Episode 46 — The FHB House Build as a Case Study
How to build a low-energy home that's not too big or too expensive
How to Build a Temporary Brace Wall
Before tearing down a load-bearing wall during a remodeling project, you need to adequately support the structure. Here's how.
How to Lay Out and Frame a Rough Opening for a Door
In this video, Scott Grice shares his method for laying out and framing rough door openings efficiently.

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