I begin framing by building the door and window assemblies. All window headers and most door headers need top cripples (sometimes called jacks) and all rough sills need bottom cripples (see the illustration on the facing page). A chopsaw worker has probably already cut these to size and grouped and labeled them. Grab an armload and carry them to their proper locations. Check to see that the cripples match the lengths written on each header. Every header takes a cripple on each end and one on each layout mark. Pay close attention! Place bottom cripples perpendicular to the wall plates, exactly where they will be nailed in place. I also place a trimmer and a king stud next to each window opening before I do any nailing.
To make toenailing cripples to headers easier, back up the cripple with your foot before starting the first two 8d toenails (see the top photo at right). Make sure each 2x cripple is on its layout mark and flush with the sides of
the header, then drive the nails home. After nailing off one side, toenail two more 8d nails into the other side. Repeat the process until all the top cripples for each wall have been nailed to their headers.
Attaching the bottom cripples to rough windowsills is easier. Move the rough sill to the upper ends of the cripples placed against the plates. There should be one cripple at each end of the sill and one at each layout mark. Drive two
Habitat
for Humanity’
16d nails about 3/4 in. from each edge of the rough sill into each cripple. When nailing near the end of 2x stock, set the nail back from the end and drive it at an angle or blunt the nail point to reduce your chances of splitting the board.
Finish the window-frame assemblies by nailing on the trimmers and king studs. This is easy to do now because you are working flat on the floor. Don’t move these units around. Keep them in place where they will be nailed to the plates. Nail the window trimmers flush with the ends of the bottom cripples. Secure the trimmers to the rough sill with just two 16d nails each. Then nail the king studs alongside them so they are flush with the top of the top cripples and with the bottom of the trimmers. Secure the king studs on each side by driving two 16d nails into a 2x header or four or five 16d nails into a larger header. Finally, drive a nail near the top of the trimmer into the king stud. The trimmers will be permanently nailed later, before you install the exterior sheathing or set the windows. As for door trimmers, wait to install them until after the walls have been raised.
With all the walls plated and the window and door frames nailed together, you’re ready to frame the walls. At this stage, it’s smart to check your work. Make sure that the framing members are flush with each other and nailed tightly together. Keep the door and window frames square. This makes for quality construction and you’ll have an easier time nailing the top and bottom plates to wall studs and door and window frames.
Distribute studs, corners, and channels
Ask your crew to distribute studs along one of the exterior through walls, with one stud per layout mark. Place the studs against the two tacked-down plates. Where corners and channels are required, decide which corner style you want to use. The sidebar on the facing page
