WALL FRAMING WITH ADVANCED FRAMING TECHNIQUES
Building experts have performed considerable research on ways to reduce the amount of lumber in wall framing our homes while maintaining structural integrity. The U.S. Forestry Products Association and other organizations have devised an “ optimum value engineering” (OVE) wall framing system that reduces unnecessary lumber use and improves the whole-wall R-value by reducing thermal bridging and maximizing the wall area that is insulated. Selected OVE practices include:
- Design the house to use materials efficiently by employing simpler shapes and volumes, compact designs, and designs based on a 2-foot module.
- Wall framing at 24-inch rather than 16-inch centers.
- Design headers for loading conditions and use insulated headers.
- Locate window and door openings in-line with established wall framing and size windows to fit within existing stud spacing.
- Eliminate unnecessary wall framing at intersections using two-stud rather than three-stud corners and ladder blocking where interior partitions intersect exterior walls.
- Use let-in bracing to allow the use of insulated sheathing in corners.
- Eliminate curtailed studs (cripples) in wall framing under windows.
- Align roof, wall, and floor framing members (studs and joists) vertically throughout the structure so that a single top plate can be used.