Have A Unique Framing Technique?

KentWhitten

I wanna hear some unique techniques from others. Not just a tip or trick, something out of the ordinary that you use exclusively and would cause others to say "WTF do you do that fer?" Please, no more backing angle LOL. After you say what you do, explain WHY you do it and try to convince me.

This is one, I will try to be as short as possible, but will be long winded. I will leave out minute details if I can.

I did this on my very first house I subbed for someone many, many years ago and I still do this. This 2 story house had T-111 for siding, BUT the builder had not ordered his windows yet. I am one that HATES getting a ladder out and climbing up with ply. It's BS. So I called the window manufacturer, got the UNIT size and figured out a way to sheathe my 2nd floor walls, cut the windows out and stand the wall.

For this instance, I left out the trimmers and had a dbl sill with one left out. When I got my windows, I hung them from the inside and finished off the window frame.

Now this is not the technique I use. What happened was I wanted ACCURATE dimensions of the window and made sure when I cut the ply out, the T-111 was tight to within a 1/16" to the window. I took my time and made a nice cut and it worked fantastic.

So my technique is this. Any wall, especially long ones or multiple windows side by side, I snap a chalklines out for the unit size of the windows plus 1/16" play around all sides. You will have plywood encroaching your rough opening, including the sill. For just about any wall, I will measure parallels from the bottom plate for the sill and header (I leave more room here just because it's not necessary to be so tight) and run parallels for the sides of the window. When I measure, I am measuring all the way from the ends of the walls, full length. This creates the least error for out of level/square/parallel. Vertical, bottom plate to top plate chalkline.

Then a very accurate cut on the chalkline NEEDS to happen or this method is just no good to anyone. You need to have skill in cutting, not just a noob doing this. Oh and if you know your framing, you realize the plywood needs to be nailed decent before doing this because of the internal stresses of the plywood will move the actual edge you are cutting. Doesn't need to be nailed completely, just good on the seams. I tend not to nail it completely because of the plastic pieces from the nailgun get under the base plate of the saw and it's difficult to control.

So....why on earth do I do this? A few reasons. If you are like me and are anal about your house being level first before you start framing walls, your walls will be absolutely plumb IF you know how to PROPERLY build walls, thus making these chalklines that you snapped perfectly plumb and level.......perfectly. Not a doubt in my mind after 15 years doing this method. But the best reason is when you go to install your windows, they pop in like you have never seen before. Bring around a roofing nailer, pop the window in the hole, nail the flange, done. Plumb, level, square, no question in my mind. There's no way for it NOT to be this if you built your structure correctly from the beginning.

This method works especially well for windows side by side, multiple units. This creates a sill line that is perfectly aligned and level along with the same distance between the windows. This creates a beautiful window for the finish carpenter to work on.

I have proven this method to one of the most anal builders around. He always had his finish carpenters set the windows because he wanted everything perfectly aligned to a certain level off the floor to match all his trim. This was an exclusive high end home builder with intense millwork inside that NEEDED windows to be just right. I guaranteed him it would be that way and I would put them in without a level and it came out just like I said it would.

I know, what a waste of time LOL.

specwood

Looks like one of those things that will separate "Framers" from "Rough Carpenters".

I'm thinking of all of the things that could "f" this method up:
-A hump or dip in the foundation
-debris under the wall
-different thicknesses of joist lumber (i've seen 2x10's from 9-1/8" to almost 9-1/2")
-dumdums (they need jobs too...)

KentWhitten

I shim my foundation with a builders level. The top of my floor is flat within an 1/8". Edit: I should clarify more what I do at this step. Foundations are almost always screwed up. It's not that I am saying foundation guys are bad, I know from experience that it's tough to do foundation work and get it perfect. So, sill goes directly on top of foundation, no matter what it looks like (to some degree of course) On top of that I frame the floor joists so that the tops of the floor joists all are flush with the top of the rim (I don't care what the underside looks like). Then I go around with a builders level and level to the top of the floor framing system, shim as required. Plywood goes on top, flat floor. If theres a joist with too much a crown, I don't put it in, plain and simple.

An air chuck before you raise the wall cleans anything under there. It should be clean before you build it, so all there should be is sawdust.

Joists I run flush to the top of the rim, thus flat floor

Dumdums last 5 minutes with me, thats why I work alone. I have problems with idiots, I can't stand them working with me in the least bit. I can usually tell if someones any good just talking to them before they even get out their hammer. Basic question I ask "do you have a construction master?" If they don't, I have some training to do right off the bat.

K2

OOPs.

K2

Yeah I know I shouldn't have said that. It'll self destruct after ten minutes.

MikeTheFramer

Theres a lot of aspects to framing that don't require the use of a calculator.I know guys that are good at calculating but can't make a straight cut so i don't worry if some one cant use a calculator because they may excel in other areas such as cutting etc...

Mr. D

lots of people know how to do math without a calculator. i hope im not the only one.

MikeTheFramer

MikeTheFramer

TempestV

do you put your headers right above the door or window, and then run your cripples off the header up to the top plate, or run your headers right under the top plate, and fill frame down to the top of the door or window? I've done it both ways, but I prefer to fill frame- as a remodeler, I've seen to many times where we are trying to put in a taller window or door, but the header is right in the way, making it a lot bigger job than if the header was all the way at the top of the wall.

Joe Fusco

Tempest,

I like to frame the headers under the top plate and frame down from there. This comes in handy if there are changes midway thur the framing and either windows or doors get bigger.

I don't ask anyone if they have a CM or SC( you don't need one to frame a house or roof for that matter), I just hand them the framing square and ask them to layout a set of temp stairs. If they start looking at the square like it's a boomerang, I know their going to need some help.

reveivl

I like to put the headers high too.

I was asked to build a set of sawhorses (for timber framing) and lay out stairs on the first day of a job years ago, got a two dollar/hr raise on the spot!

__________________
From where does knowledge come? If you need to know what is in a box, you could ask someone (not reliable), you could pray, (not useful), you can consult with the scripture (not helpful) or you could open the box (science)

Mr. D

i like to use an ink line on the tyvek to mark the studs. then i stand the wall and know where the sruds are when ready for siding.

Mr. D

another unique thing we do is frame our houses square and plumb according to the measurements on the blueprint.

Joe Carola

Why is that unique?

__________________
Joe Carola

MikeTheFramer

He's not being serious

KentWhitten

I'm not really looking to separate anyone from anyone. It wasn't my intention if anyone was offended thinking I was saying that I was better than them, look at me. I'm not like that. I'm more "you have a different way than me, not wrong, just different"

I place my headers high because of one very costly mistake made by my friendly Hispanic workers I hired that read "81-1/8" TR" on the plates and thought that meant rough opening. I was changing doors for awhile to say the least. They were doing well, so I didn't bother checking their work. That's what I get from hiring cheap workers!

Now with the CM. I didn't say someone wasn't good enough if they didn't have one, or that you could use a pencil, or know math/trig, or think they were a retard. I use my CM for many, many things and while I am very good at math, I am not so proud that I will pull out my pencil and do trig just because I know how. It's all about production for me. If you can show me you can use a scientific calculator, then I don't mind.

I had a guy respond to my question "am I a construction master?" He pumped out his chest and said "everything is right there on the side of the framing square. People have been using those numbers for decades" Fair enough, next day after watching him swiveling the framing square around for 30 minutes or so, I went down and first showed him how to use the framing square with the measurements, then showed him how much more productive he could be simply pulling the CM out of his pocket and punching numbers.

I'm getting a little off subject, but framing (any business really) is about making money. And to make money you have to produce. To make more money, you have to produce MORE. Use tools that are available to you to produce. You can obviously use the framing square and a pencil, but it is not more productive than a CM (or a scientific calculator if you know how to manipulate the keys)

Back on subject, I have gone through almost 25 years and done an immense amount of trial and error. "Will this work? Let's try!" If it does, great, more money. If it doesn't, then don't do it again. I am constantly thinking of ways to do better, it's the way we will keep ahead of the others in this country illegally who do it for dirt.

I'm especially interested in seeing if Joe Carola will post something. If I know him, he won't and I partially know the reason why. It's his edge knowing something others don't. His edge to produce more than the guy next door, simply from the knowledge he has gained from the many years in framing. I'm leeching a little because I am drifting towards different things now, not so much framing anymore.

MikeTheFramer

KentWhitten

I never said it was better.

house bldr

Years ago when we used to use 5/8 subfloor then 5/8 underlayment throughout the house we would rip strips the same thickness as the underlayment by 3-1/2" and put them down under the outside walls, that would allow all underlayment to be put down before setting inside walls saving a LOT of cutting and notching.Then all walls can be set using pre-cuts and be the right height. This is assuming you are using trusses that require no bearing walls. We don't do it that way much anymore with the 3/4" t&g sub-floor but it might work for somebody in the right situation