Best tutorial from YouTube ever! This guy explains things very clearly so that even I can understand.
Here are my notes from the video and the two diagrams that are shown:-
- Lowest bit of wall is a bottom plate/ mud sill. This is anchored to the concrete or the base. Always pressure treated.
- Bottom plate fastened to the stud with 3 1/4 nails
- 2 top plates
- Ties walls together
- Nail through top plate into studs
- Then put second plate up there
- Second plate increases the strength to carry the roof
- Studs
- 16 – 24 inch spaces between studs is standard
- Carry weight from above and push it down to the bottom plate
- King stud
- Both sides of window or door and support what’s in between.
- Lay out king studs first then other studs.
- Header
- Basically a 6×6 lintel. Goes above doors and windows to help take the weight of the roof.
- Top Cripples
- Are like studs, but run between the roof and the Header. Spaced 16 inches apart
- Bottom Cripples
- Just like top cripples, however, used underneath windows.
- Trimmer
- It’s only job is to takes the weight on the header right down to the window sill
- Window sill
- Should be doubled up.
- Blocking
- Horizontal blocks of wood between studs.
- Not strictly necessary
- Creates a nice solid wall
- Keeps the studs straight as they dry out
- 3’6 and down, and 4’6 and up
- Dry wall backing
- Get a stud on every corner so that the dry wall can be screwed in.
- A channel is how to build a corner
- 3 bits of 2×6.

