• Framing a house isn't rocket science and with a few basic skills, the right tools and mechanical aptitude, most anyone can frame a house. Whether building a wall a section at a time, or installing studs -- one stud at a time -- framing requires consistency in work and nailing patterns. Frame a house in the same direction, whether clockwise or counter-clockwise to ensure that dimensions remain the same. If you start in one direction and then change half-way through, you will find the framing may not come together as smoothly as you hoped and walls start to warp out of shape.
  
  

Tips on Wood Choice

• Use a wood that is strong and will support your home. Standard homes are built using No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 stamped Douglas fir, but some owners choose hemlock, spruce or pine. The numbers are part of a grading system that indicate how many knots are in the board. Locate the grade stamp on the board which indicates moisture content, wood type and where it was milled.
  
  Check boards for warp, by holding the end of the board up to the eye and sighting along all its edges. Notice if the board is straight or has a curve to it. Discard those with curves.
  
  Avoid purchasing green wood for framing as it has yet to dry out and may warp during drying. Select kiln- or air-dried wood. The best and most expensive wood is heart wood, cut from the heart of the tree, as this wood is dense and decay-resistant. Don't base wood decisions on price alone as a home built upon a good foundation using high quality products will stand the test of time.
  
  

Tips for Framing

• Basic carpentry skills are needed to succeed in building and framing. You must be able to construct, erect and install walls and frames. Always build the framing in the same direction.
  
  Use a nail gun and an air compressor to speed the process. This saves on hammering and ensures even installation of nails. Pre-sized framing tools are available to help space the studs evenly without measuring each time and help speed the framing process.
  
  Framing can be done one of two ways, by building a section of wall on the ground and then obtaining help to lift it and secure it in place or by simply completing the framing by securing one stud at a time.
  
  

Tips for Building Codes

• Your building must adhere to local building codes as a building inspector comes out to check at key milestones during the building process and will approve or disapprove of the work completed to that point.
  
  Framing codes require specific nailing patterns as well as how many nails to use in each position. As each state, county, municipality or city may have slightly different codes from the next one, contact your local building department and ask what resources are available to the owner-builder as well as to what code they adhere. The most common building code is called the Uniform Building Code, but other codes exist. Treat the building department with respect and utilize them as a resource -- they are there to help while ensuring building code compliance.
  
  

Squaring the House

• After framing is complete, ensure that each wall is straight. "Plumbing" or "squaring" a house involves setting a stringline alongside the wall corner to corner and sighting along it to ensure the wall follows a straight line.
  
  Replace warped boards and adjust the wall so it is straight. Secure support boards to the wall at a 45-degree angle and attach to the floor to hold the wall in position. Once roof trusses or roof framing is complete, then remove support boards. The added weight of the roof will keep the house plumb, if it is plumb before the roof goes on.