12 framing mistakes to avoid at all costs

You can debate what the most essential part of building a home is, but there’s no question that framing a house is definitely one of the most important steps in the process. Framing gives a building its shape and provides support. Whether you’re framing the walls of an extension or building a house from the ground up, framing it incorrectly can cause serious problems.

Even minor framing mistakes can lead to wavy walls and squeaky floors, while more serious mistakes can leave a house vulnerable to high winds, cyclones or storms. Those mistakes will also mean expensive and time-consuming fixes down the road that you’ll want to avoid.

Below, you’ll find some great framing tips from pros for how to build a rock-solid house, build it code compliant and build it right the first time.

Learn more about how to build your dream house.

It’s best to have one continuous top and tie plate, but that’s not possible on longer walls. When multiple plates are necessary, keep top plate end joints a minimum of 600mm away from tie plate end joints. And keep end joints at least 600mm from the end of the wall as well. If the two end joints are not kept apart, they create a hinge point, which weakens the wall. But 600mm is a bare minimum; most conscientious framers prefer at least twice that distance.

When you’re securing the bottom plates of walls to the floor, nail into the floor joists/trusses below. Nailing through the plywood keeps the wall from moving side to side, but expansion and contraction of the roof system could cause the wall to lift if it’s not also nailed to the floor joists/trusses. Plus, the nails will be out of the way when contractors need to cut holes in the plates for pipes, ducts and wires. For the same reason, nail top plates to overlying floor joists or roof trusses near studs whenever possible.

Check out these basic finish nailer tips.

Structural connectors are designed to hold framing members to the foundation and to one another. They help a building withstand heavy loads, strong winds and earthquakes. Building codes that require structural connectors have been changing as connector technology improves, so make sure to review your local codes. The foundation straps shown here prevent high winds from blowing these small garage walls off the foundation.

The highest riser (step) height cannot be more than 9.5mm higher than the shortest riser height throughout the entire flight of stairs. Those measurements include finished floor heights. So mock up and plan for the final finished floor heights, top and bottom, before you begin doing the math and laying out the stair stringers.

Installing 20mm-thick hardwood floors on a 6mm subfloor will raise a floor height 26mm. Some carpet, vinyl and laminate flooring options are less than 9.5mm thick. If you don’t account for those height differences, you could fail your inspection, and ripping out stairs is an expensive callback.

Check out this DIY staircase makeover.

Jack studs, or “trimmers,” are the framing members that support headers. The number of jack studs needed depends on the length (and sometimes the width) of the header. If the blueprints don’t specify, a good rule of thumb is to install two on each side if the opening is wider than 180cm.

Some carpenters don’t take the time to check the crown (bow) in every stud before assembling a wall. No one will notice if two studs with a 6mm crown are aligned the same way. But if those same studs are installed on opposite sides of the wall, that 12mm difference will be noticeable on both sides of the wall. Also, the studs may continue to warp as they dry, making the wave even more prominent. When you’re assembling walls on the ground, keep the crown side up. If the crowns face down, the studs behave like a rocking chair and make it harder to assemble the wall. Some builders use engineered timber on walls where cabinets will be located because it’s super straight and stable.

Learn more about why wood moves and why you need to know.

When a heavy load-bearing beam sits atop a wall, extra studs are needed to help carry that “point load” down to the bottom of the wall. But the story doesn’t end there; that load has to be carried all the way down to the foundation. Squash blocks are often required to bridge the gap between a beam-supporting wall and the wall beneath it.

Most framing assemblies require extra backers to secure the plasterboard. Even if you’re conscious of installing plasterboard backers as you build, it’s easy to forget a section now and again. Don’t treat missing backers lightly; they can be a lot more difficult to install if there are wires, pipes or ducts in the way. Also, a grumpy plasterboard guy may have to rip off moisture barrier, pull out fibreglass insulation or chip out spray foam in order to hang the plasterboard. To make sure all the backing is there, one simple trick is to walk from room to room and scan every single wall and ceiling intersection with the thought of hanging plasterboard. And don’t forget the wardrobes.

Find out how to hang plasterboard: pro tips for cutting and installing.

All blueprints should indicate the size and spacing of floor joists/trusses, but many don’t spell out their exact locations. Avoid installing floor joists/trusses directly in the path of large drainpipes and mechanical chases. Toilet locations usually cannot be moved, which means the plumber will have to cut into a joist/truss, which can mean hiring an engineer to design a repair, which takes time and costs money.

Here’s how to plan a bathroom renovation.