Some items can be attended to while you are performing the layout. One is to cut a kerf in the bottom of the bottom plate at door thresholds when they are sitting on concrete. This kerf (about half the thickness of the plate) allows you to cut out your bottom plate after the walls are standing without ruining your saw blades on the concrete. (See “Kerf cut [threshold cut]" photo.)
You can take care of another item while drilling the bottom plate to install over anchor bolts. When the bottom plate is taken off the bolts to do the layout, it can be turned over and accidentally built into the wall upside-down. This problem can be prevented by using a carpenter crayon to mark “UP" on the top
Kerf cut (threshold cut)
of the plate before it is removed from the bolts. Angle walls have the same potential for getting built with the plates backward. You can also mark them as they are being laid out.
There are some tools that can help with layout, particularly with multi-unit or mass production — type framing. One of these is the channel marker, a template made to assist in laying out corners and backers. Another is a layout stick. The layout stick is 491/21′ long and is placed on the plates to act as a jig for marking studs. (See “Channel marker and layout stick" photo.)
Joist layout is relatively easy compared with wall layout. It uses the same basic language as walls.
Special layout for joists includes the area under the toilet and shower drain. It is easier to move a joist a couple of inches or even to add a joist than to come back and "header-out" a joist because the plumber had to cut it up to install pipes. On larger buildings, there may be shop drawings for the floor joists that can be used for your layout. The shop drawings should show the locations of openings and how they should be framed. (See “Joist Layout Language" illustration.)
Channel marker & layout stick
Joist layout is the process of taking the information given on the plans and writing enough instructions on the top of the rim joist or double plate so the joist framer can spread and nail the joists without asking any questions.
Where possible, we want joists, studs, and rafters to set directly over each other.
Before layout is started, establish reference points in the building for measuring both directions of layout and use those points for joist, stud, and rafter/truss layout throughout the building. Check the building plans for special joist plan or rafter/truss plans
indicating layout. Select a reference point which allows you to lay out in as long and straight a line as possible, and which ensures that a maximum number of rafters/trusses are directly supported by studs.
Check plans for openings in the floor required for stairs, chimneys, etc.
Check plans for bearing partitions on the floor. Double joists under bearing partitions running parallel.
Check locations of toilets to see if joists must be headed-out for toilet drain pipes.
Joist
Tail joist Double joist
Beam
1. Layout for double joist, trimmer joist, and tail joist.
2. Layout for other joists.
