Wood-Frame House Construction: United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Agriculture Handbook 73

Wood-Frame House
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Construction
Forest
Service
Agriculture
Handbook 73
Reference Abstract
This handbook presents sound principles for wood-

frame house construction and suggestions for selecting
suitable materials to assist the construction of a good
house. The organization reflects the general progression
of activity in building a wood-frame house, from initial
conception to completed structure. Chapter 1 describes
matters that should be considered or dealt with before
beginning construction. Chapters 2-4 describe steps in
laying the groundwork, framing and closing in, and com-
pleting the shell, which are usually taken one after
another in the order presented. Chapters 5-7 describe
later tasks that can often be done in some order other
than presented. Chapter 8 discusses special topics often
associated with wood-frame construction. Technical notes,
annotated list of suggestions for additional reading, and
glossary are provided.
Keywords: Wood-frame, house, construction, building

materials, building codes, foundations, framing, siding,
roofing, paints and stains, energy conservation, noise con-
trol, decay, termites, maintenance and repair.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402
Wood-Frame House
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Construction
Forest
Service
Agriculture
Handbook 73
Gerald E. Sherwood, PE
US. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest
Products Laboratory, Madison, WI
Robert C. Stroh, PhD

National Association of Home Builders, National
Research Center, Washington, DC
Revised September 1989
i
Acknowledgments
In preparing the handbook, the following individuals

contributed key technical assistance:
NAHB National Research Center:

Hugh D. Angleton
E. Lee Fisher
Ralph J. Johnson
Carey F. Lively
Donald F. Luebs
R. Christopher Mathis
Richard A. Morris
Ralph Lee Smith
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Forest Products Laboratory:
Rodney C. De Groot
William C. Feist
National Association of Home Builders:
Michael J. Shibley
The following organizations, which formed the steering

committee that guided the work, also gave their full sup-
port and cooperation:
Canadian Wood Council

National Association of Home Builders
National Forest Products Association
National Lumber & Building Material Dealers
Association
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
This publication reports research involving pesticides. It

does not contain recommendations for their use, nor does
it imply that the uses discussed here have been registered.
All uses of pesticides must be registered by appropriate
State and/or Federal agencies before they can be recom-
mended.
CAUTION: Pesticides can be injurious to humans,

domestic animals, desirable plants, and fish or other
wildlife-if they are not handled or applied properly. Use
all pesticides selectively and carefully. Follow
recommended practices for the disposal of surplus
pesticides and pesticide containers.
ii
Page
Preface ........................................... iv Chapter 6-Workinginside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Introduction. ....................................... v Interior wall framing ( 166 ), Plumbing,

heating, and electrical installation ( 166 ),
Chapter 1-Before construction starts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Insulation and vapor retarders ( 167 ),
Interior wall and ceiling finishing ( 175 ),
Regulation ( 2 ), Financial planning ( 3 ), Wood flooring ( 180 ), Other floor
Site selection ( 4 ), House design ( 4 ), coverings ( 187 ), Interior doors ( 187 ).
Selecting materials ( 5 ), Labor-saving
techniques ( 6 ), Materials delivery ( 6 ), Chapter 7-Finishingtouches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Efficient use of materials ( 6 ), Energy
conservation ( 6 ), Protection of Interior trim ( 192 ), Cabinets and other
materials ( 7 ), Subcontracting ( 8 ), millwork ( 196 ), Finishes for interior walls,
Schedule of activity ( 8 ). ceilings, and trim ( 197 ), Finishes for
floors ( 199 ), Finishes for exterior
Chapter 2–Laying the groundwork ..................... 11 surfaces ( 200 ), Maintenance of finishes ( 208 ).
Site preparation ( 12 ), Excavation and Chapter 8-Specialtopics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

footings ( 13 ), Foundation ( 18 ), Basement
floor and crawl space ( 22 ), Other Protection against decay and termites ( 210 ),
features ( 25 ), Concrete floor slabs Energy conservation ( 215 ), Noise
on ground ( 29 ), Retaining walls ( 32 ). control ( 221 ), Wind, snow, and seismic
loads ( 223 ), All-weather construction ( 227 ),
Chapter 3-Framing and closing in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Maintenance and repair ( 228 ).
Recommended nailing practices ( 38 ), Technical notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Floor framing ( 38 ), Stairways ( 50 ),
Floor sheathing ( 61 ), Exterior wall Concrete ( 234 ), Heat flow and
framing ( 62 ), Exterior wall sheathing ( 65 ), insulation ( 235 ), Lumber grades ( 237 ),
Ceiling and roof framing ( 72 ), Roof Design values for visually graded structural
sheathing ( 83 ), Roof coverings ( 87 ), lumber ( 238 ), Plywood markings ( 238 ),
Skylights ( 94 ). Finishing pressure-treated wood ( 241 ), Nailing
schedules ( 241 ), Square corners ( 241 ).
Chapter 4-Completingthe shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Selected bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Flashing and other sheet-metal work ( 100 ),
Attic ventilation ( 105 ), Windows and Glossary of housing terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
exterior doors ( 109 ), Exterior covering
materials ( 115 ), Exterior covering Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
installation ( 119 ), Exterior trim ( 127 ).
Chapter 5-Specialtyfeatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Fireplaces, wood stoves, and chimneys ( 144 ),

Garages and carports ( 151 ), Porches and
decks ( 152 ), Driveways and walkways ( 160 ).
iii
The Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), Forest Service, By the early 1980’s the need was recognized for a full
U.S. Department of Agriculture, has conducted research revision. The existing text increasingly failed to reflect
related to wood-frame construction since 1910. Initially advances in home building brought about by the avail-
this work was reported in technical papers covering ability of new materials, the use of more manufactured
specific subjects. Popularized versions of some of the components, and changes in construction techniques.
papers were developed to provide guidance to the home- Accordingly, this new edition, incorporating the up-to-
owner as well as the builder. Eventually, the need to date knowledge and expertise of all participants in the
gather this information into a single coherent publication project, has been prepared as a cooperative effort between
became evident. The first complete construction hand- the NAHB National Research Center (a wholly owned
book, written entirely by FPL scientists O.C. Heyer and subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders)
L.O. Anderson, was published in 1955 as U.S. Depart- and the Forest Products Laboratory (U.S. Department of
ment of Agriculture Handbook No. 73. The handbook Agriculture, Forest Service), with active assistance and
quickly became popular with building professionals and cooperation from organizations forming the steering com-
with the public. Educational institutions adopted it as a mittee acknowledged above.
text and have continued to be major users.
As with previous editions, the handbook emphasizes
As new technology became available and construction the platform construction technique popular in North
practices changed, the handbook became dated. It was America. Information on other techniques and systems,
revised by FPL scientist L.O. Anderson and published such as the truss-framed system developed at the Forest
again in 1970. Slight revisions were made in 1975. Products Laboratory, is available from both the NAHB
National Research Center and the Forest Products
Laboratory.
iv
This book presents sound principles for wood-frame The next three chapters-on laying the groundwork,
house construction and suggestions for selecting suitable framing and closing in, and completing the shell-describe
materials to assist the construction of a good house. It can steps that are usually taken one after the other in the
be used as a working guide to modem construction prac- order that they are set forth.
tice and techniques, as a textbook, or as a standard to
judge the quality of house construction. Dimensions of Chapters 5 through 7 – on specialty items, working
wood are always stated as nominal, as explained in the inside, and finishing touches-describe tasks that increas-
technical note on lumber grades. ingly branch out from the ordered requirements of basic
construction and can often be done in some order other
The book’s organization reflects the general progression than that presented here, or in parallel with each other.
of activity in building a wood-frame house, from initial
conception to completed structure. Certain steps inevitably Chapter 8 discusses some special topics, questions, and
cut across categories or fail to fit neatly into any scheme, considerations that are often associated with wood-frame
but the order of presentation reflects the broad sequence construction.
of the building procedure.
An annotated list of suggestions for additional reading
The first chapter describes matters that should be con- and a glossary are provided at the end of the book. Many
sidered or dealt with before beginning construction. of the terms in the glossary appear in the text.

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Wood-Frame House

This handbook presents sound principles for wood-

Keywords: Wood-frame, house, construction, building

Robert C. Stroh, PhD

Revised September 1989

In preparing the handbook, the following individuals

NAHB National Research Center:

The following organizations, which formed the steering

Canadian Wood Council

This publication reports research involving pesticides. It

CAUTION: Pesticides can be injurious to humans,

Preface ........................................... iv Chapter 6-Workinginside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Introduction. ....................................... v Interior wall framing ( 166 ), Plumbing,

Site preparation ( 12 ), Excavation and Chapter 8-Specialtopics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

Recommended nailing practices ( 38 ), Technical notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Chapter 5-Specialtyfeatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Fireplaces, wood stoves, and chimneys ( 144 ),

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