Terminology

• Stud / king stud / jack (trimmer) stud: vertical members; king studs run full height beside openings, jacks carry the header
• Plates: bottom (sole) plate and single or double top plate; double top plates splice and tie walls
• Header: beam over an opening; sized to span and load, or eliminated in nonbearing walls
• Cripple: short stud above a header or below a sill
• WSP: wood structural panel (plywood or OSB) sheathing
• Advanced framing / OVE: optimum value engineering; 24 in. o.c. studs, aligned framing, right-sized headers, two-stud corners
• Platform framing: walls built one story at a time on the floor deck below
• Balloon framing: studs continuous past floors; used for tall walls and some gable ends
• Ladder blocking: flat blocking between studs at wall intersections in place of an extra stud
• Continuous insulation (ci): rigid or mineral wool board outboard of the studs that interrupts thermal bridging
• WRB: water-resistive barrier behind the cladding
• Grade stamp: mark from a lumber grading agency showing species, grade, and moisture content (for example S-DRY, KD-19)

Standards

Sizes

• Stud spacing: 16 in. o.c. standard; 24 in. o.c. in advanced framing; 12 in. o.c. for heavy loads or tall walls
• Wall height: 8'-0" to 10'-0" common with precut studs; taller walls need engineered design, LVL, or LSL studs
• Sheathing: 7/16 in. OSB or 15/32 in. plywood common for exterior walls

Grades

• Stud grade and No. 2 common for walls; No. 1 or engineered lumber for tall or heavily loaded walls
• Species groups: Douglas fir-larch, hem-fir, spruce-pine-fir (SPF), southern pine
• Kiln-dried lumber at 19 percent moisture content or less limits shrinkage and nail pops

Test standards

• AWC NDS: design values for sawn lumber
• AWC SDPWS: wind and seismic design of shear walls and diaphragms
• DOC PS 1 (plywood) and DOC PS 2 (OSB): wood structural panels
• ASTM E119 / UL 263: fire-resistance testing of rated wall assemblies
• ASTM E90: sound transmission of partitions

Materials

• Sawn lumber studs: standard choice up to about 10 ft
• LVL, LSL, and finger-jointed studs: straight, tall, or heavily loaded walls
• OSB sheathing: lowest-cost structural sheathing
• Plywood sheathing: better moisture tolerance and nail holding
• Integrated sheathing (OSB with bonded WRB, taped seams): combines sheathing, WRB, and air barrier
• Fire-retardant-treated (FRT) lumber: where noncombustible or rated construction allows FRT wood
• Preservative-treated lumber: sill plates on concrete and members in contact with masonry or soil
• Cavity insulation: fiberglass or mineral wool batts, blown cellulose, or spray foam

Detailing

• Align studs, joists, and rafters (in-line framing) to transfer loads without doubled top plates where allowed
• Size headers for bearing walls only; nonbearing walls can use single flat members or none
• Two-stud corners and ladder blocking at intersections leave room for insulation
• Continuous air barrier at sheathing or drywall; seal top and bottom plates, rim joists, and penetrations
• WRB lapped shingle-fashion with sill pans, head flashing, and integrated window flashing
• Treated sill plate with sill gasket on foundations; anchor bolts and hold-downs per the structural design
• Allow for cumulative vertical shrinkage in multistory wood buildings at plumbing risers, elevators, stairs, and brick veneer

Uses

Specific uses

• Single-family and townhouse structure and enclosure
• Multifamily podium buildings above a concrete or steel podium
• Interior bearing and nonbearing partitions in housing
• Light commercial buildings, offices, and retail
• Infill and exterior walls with rated assemblies in Type III and Type V buildings

Pros and cons

Pros

• Lowest cost and widest labor availability of any wall structure
• Easy to modify, cut, and attach to
• Good thermal performance with 2x6 studs and continuous insulation
• Shear walls built from the same framing and sheathing

Cons

• Combustible; construction type, rated assemblies, and height limits govern use
• Shrinkage and moisture movement need detailing in multistory work
• Rot and mold risk if wetted during construction or by poor flashing
• Thermal bridging through studs lowers whole-wall R-value well below the cavity rating without continuous insulation
• Poor sound isolation without staggered studs, resilient channel, or double walls

Manufacturing and cost

Construction

• Stick-built on site or panelized in a factory with sheathing applied
• Walls framed flat on the deck, sheathed, then tilted up and braced
• Openings framed with headers, jacks, and kings; blocking added for fixtures and grab bars
• Sheathing nailed to stud spacing; shear wall nailing per the structural schedule

Main manufacturers and suppliers

• Weyerhaeuser
• LP Building Solutions
• Boise Cascade
• Huber Engineered Woods
• Simpson Strong-Tie (connectors)

Trade associations: American Wood Council and APA, The Engineered Wood Association.

Typical costs

• Framing materials (lumber, sheathing, connectors): $2 to $5 per sq ft of wall
• Framing labor: $2 to $6 per sq ft of wall
• Installed 2x6 exterior wall framing with sheathing: $6 to $10 per sq ft of wall
• Insulation, WRB, drywall, and cladding priced separately

Sources

• AWC: National Design Specification and SDPWS publications, https://awc.org/
• APA: engineered wood technical library, https://www.apawood.org/
• DOE Energy Saver: advanced house framing, https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/advanced-house-framing
• DOE Building America: advanced framing systems and packages, https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/articles/advanced-framing-systems-and-packages-building-america-top-innovation
• Camas, WA: Section 06 11 00 wood framing specification, https://www.cityofcamas.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/public_works/page/31101/altternate_1_tech_specs.pdf
• Contractor+: exterior wall framing cost data, https://contractorplus.app/resources/construction-costs/frame-exterior-walls/raleigh-nc
• Wikimedia Commons: WallPanelDiagram.svg, by Ahp378 (CC BY-SA 3.0), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WallPanelDiagram.svg