Erecting wall frames

• The pre-nailed frames were delivered; each frame was numbered to a corresponding number on the pre-nail plan sheet so that we knew were to position the frames. The pre-nail plan sheet also gave us the dimensions of the whole house and all the individual walls and windows. From here sheet we were able to make a plan as to how we were going to erect the walls.
  
• Firstly we started by erecting the two rear corner walls 1 & 2, then holding them flush to each other with clamps we could temporarily fastening them to each other with 2/100× 3.75mm nails and temporarily bracing them with 3.4m long angle braces at a approximate 45º angle down to the floor to hold them up, we than fastened them temporarily with 2/100 3.75mm galvanised nails at both ends of the walls making sure that the ends of the walls were flush with the BL and that they were square to each other by using Pythagoras.
  
• From there we than straightened the bottom plates of the walls fastening them temporarily with 2/100 × 3.75mm galvanised nails at 600mm centres.
  
• We then made sure that the walls were plumb at both ends of the walls, fixing them in place with 3.4m long angle braces at an approximate 45º angle to the floor. To keep the walls plumb and square we fixed the angle braces temporarily, for the walls without angle braces on them we used temporarily angle braces made from 25 × 140 timber making sure that the brace wouldn't get in the way of joining walls.
  
• Once we had the bottom plate straight and the ends of the walls plumb we could than straighten the top plate holding them in position with 3.4m long angle braces at an approximate 45º angle to the floor.
  
  
  • To get wall 3 in position and all the other external walls we used the same method as we used to get walls 1 & 2 into position checking for squarnis and plumpness as we went.
    
  • To get internal walls in position we had to go to the pre-nail plans and check the dimensions, wall 4 was 3300mm from the inside of wall 1 to the inside of wall 4 so we than made sure that the measurement along wall 6 and wall 3
    was 3300mm, making wall 4 parallel to wall 1, and making sure that wall 4 was square to wall 3. We could then straighten and plumb wall 4 and fasten it in place.
    
    
    
  • We continued this process making sure that all the walls were square, plumb and straight and only temporarily fixing as we went and that all the external walls were flush with the BL and all the rooms were to the dimensions as per the plan.
    
  
  
• Once we had all the walls up and standing, square, plumb, straight and flush with the building line we were than able to start fixing permanently
  
• We started on the external walls re-checking to see if they were flush with the BL, and square then fixing the bottom plate to the floor @ 400 mm centres (were the joist are) along the length of the building and @ 600mm centres along the width of the building (along the laminated boundary joist) and also at door openings with 2/100×3.75mm galvanised nails.
  
• We then fastened the external walls to each other making sure they were plumb and flush to each other by clamping them together and then fastening them @ 600mm centres with 2/100×3.75mm galvanised nails and a 6kN gang-plates on the top from top plate to top plate.
  
• Once we had all the external walls flush to each other and the BL, square, plumb and straight we could then start permanently fixing the internal walls, starting from the bottom plate making sure they were straight and square in the room and then fixing the walls to each other making sure they were plumb. The fixing requirements for the internal walls were the same as for the external walls except for were internal walls joined internal walls we used 3kN gang-plates for top plate to top plate.
  
  
   
• Once we had all the walls square, plumb, straight and flush to each other we could then start on putting up the double top plates, which consisted of 140 × 35mm H2.1 timber.
  
• On the external walls we made the double top plate flush with the top plate to the outside, these were continuous members that were nailed @ 600mm centres with 2/100 3.75mm galvanised nails.
  
• On the internal walls we made sure that the double top plate overhang 25mm on both sides of the top plate, the double top plates for the internal walls running vertically were continuous members and the double top plates for the internal walls running horizontal were cut to 400mm (450min) lengths and spaced 75mm apart to allow for the ceiling battens. The continuous members were nailed @ 600mm centres with 2/100 3.75mm bright nails and the 400mm were nailed with 2/100 3.75mm bright nails at each end
  
• Once we had all the walls square, plumb, straight and flush to each other and all the top plates up we could start putting in all the vertical and horizontal bracing
  
  
  
  
   What was the process involved in straightening the exterior corner, top and bottom plates
  
  To straighten and plumb all the walls you firstly need to straighten the bottom plate, you than get the corners / ends of walls all plum and then you can straighten the top plate.
  
  • Straightening the bottom plate
    

1. To straighten the bottom plate you need to firstly securely fasten the bottom plate at both ends of the wall with 2/100mm galvanized nails.
   
2. You than need to run a string line along the full length of the bottom plate, with a doggie block at each end between the bottom plate and string.
   
3. You than go along with a doggie block and find where the bottom plate is furtherest out or closest to the string line and move the bottom plate to where it is the same distance from the string line as the doggie block and fasten temporarily.
   
4. You than go along checking at 600 centers getting the bottom plat a doggie blocks distance in from the string line, than fasten the bottom plate to the floor with 2/100mm galvanized nails leaving the head of the nail out in case you have to change it later.
   

• Making exterior corners plumb
  
  
   
• To straighten (plumb) exterior walls you need to get a straight edge that runs from the top plate to the bottom plate, making sure that the straight edge is on edge and flush on both top and bottom plate.
  
• You then get your level onto the straight edge and check if it is plumb and if it is plumb you can than brace it.
  
• If it is not plumb you than need to adjust the top plate until it is plumb than brace it by securely fasten a brace at a 45° angle from the top plate to the floor.
  
• It is always a good idea to check if the wall is still plum after fastening the brace
  
  
  
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• Straightening the top plate
  

1. To straighten the top plate you need to firstly securely fasten the top plate at both ends with braces running from the top plate to the floor at a 45° angle
   
2. You than need to run a string line along the full length of the top plate with a doggie block at each end between the top plate and string.
   
3. You than go along to where the top plate is furtherist out from the string line, than move the top plate so that the string line is the same distance out from the top plate as the doggie blocks at the ends, than securely fasten the top plate with a brace running from the top plate to the floor at a 45° angle, and recheck.
   
4. You than repeat step 3 until the string line is parallel to the top plate the distance of a doggie block.
   
   How do you make sure the rooms are square within the house?
   

• By using the 3-4-5 or a² + b² = c² method on two walls you can get them square to each other.
  
• From there you can get the other two walls square by making sure they are parallel to the first two walls.
  
• To do this you need to measure out from where the two squared walls meet to the parallel wall, and then making sure that the measurement at the other end of those two parallel walls are the same.