Two Story Open Floor Plan - Lower Wall Framing Tour
This video is part of a series that explores the lower wall framing of a two-story open floor plan home. The video provides a walkthrough tour of the framing process, highlighting key elements and offering insights for viewers interested in understanding how houses are built.
Framing the Lower Walls
Greg begins by showcasing the garage area, specifically focusing on the headers and foundation. It emphasizes the importance of referring to a previous video on the foundation, where viewers can learn about the garage floor's slope towards the front and the stem wall heights. These stem walls are crucial for creating a framing plate line with a consistent size throughout the house.
Then mentions that the lumber sizes used in the video series won't work for every project and should be determined by an engineer.
Room by Room Breakdown
The video then offers a room-by-room breakdown of the lower wall framing. Here's a closer look at the key areas covered:
Kitchen, Closet, Bathroom, Stairwell, Living Area, Dining Room: The video pans across these rooms, providing a general view of the framing for the walls.
Stairwell and Under-Stair Wall: The framing around the stairwell and the wall beneath the stairs are highlighted. This wall will later be covered with drywall.
2x6 Wall for Plumbing: A specific focus is given to a 2x6 wall built for plumbing purposes. The advantage of using a 2x6 wall is that it allows for installing larger pipes. Additionally, cutting notches for these pipes in a 2x6 wall is easier compared to a standard 2x4 wall, where you might need to cut through most of the wall.
Window Blocking: Greg shows the framing around windows, including blocking between them. Then identifies a missing block and encourages viewers to point out any mistakes they find in the comments section.
Fasteners and Breaks
Metal Pins: These can be used to fasten the bottom framing plates to the foundation.
Anchor Bolts: Anchor bolts are used to fasten the exterior walls to the foundation. The video showcases an example of a break in the framing plate where an anchor bolt is installed on each side. While anchor bolts can be used throughout the house, it's more common for them to be used on exterior walls or for shear walls inside the house.
Framing Tips and Common Mistakes
Mind the Block Placement for Electrical Outlets: Keep the blocking near doors lower to accommodate electrical outlet boxes. This avoids electricians needing to knock out misplaced blocks.
Minimum Distance Between Breaks: The video highlights that there should be a minimum distance of four feet between breaks in the upper top framing plate, but you will need to verify this with your local building department. In California where Greg worked, 4 foot was the minimum.
