MSCE Woodwork cheat sheet

Fall protection is required at 6 ft or more in general construction; guardrails, personal fall-arrest systems, and controlled access zones are the standard controls.

Portable circular saw blade teeth: rip blades have 18-24 teeth with large gullets; crosscut/finish blades have 40-60+ teeth for smoother cuts.

A GFCI must protect all 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles on construction sites not part of a permanent building installation.

Kickback on a table saw is controlled by a riving knife or spreader aligned with the blade, plus anti-kickback pawls and a guard.

Extension cord gauge rule: 14 AWG up to 25 ft, 12 AWG up to 50 ft, 10 AWG up to 100 ft for 15-amp tools; voltage drop increases with length.

Ladder setup: 4:1 rule - base set out 1 ft for every 4 ft of working height; extension ladders extend 3 ft above the landing.

Scaffold guardrail height: top rail at 38-45 in, midrail at approximately half that height, and toe boards at least 3.5 in tall.

Hearing protection is required at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 dBA; a 3 dB increase halves allowable exposure time.

Nominal vs. dressed size: a 2x4 is 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 in; a 2x6 is 1-1/2 x 5-1/2 in; a 2x10 is 1-1/2 x 9-1/4 in; a 2x12 is 1-1/2 x 11-1/4 in.

Moisture content (MC) = (wet weight - oven-dry weight) / oven-dry weight x 100.

Wood shrinks and swells mostly across the grain (tangential > radial); longitudinal movement is negligible.

Fiber saturation point is about 28-30% MC; below that, shrinkage begins as bound water leaves the cell walls.

Dimension lumber for framing is typically kiln-dried to 19% MC or less; interior trim and cabinetry stock to 6-12%.

Grade stamps show species group, grade, moisture designation (S-GRN, KD, KD-HT), mill, and certification agency.

Equilibrium moisture content tracks relative humidity: roughly 6-8% MC indoors in heated space, 12-14% in covered unheated space.

Allow 1/8 in gap per 8 ft of length for solid wood flooring and siding to accommodate seasonal movement.

Common nail penny sizes: 8d = 2-1/2 in, 10d = 3 in, 16d = 3-1/2 in, 20d = 4 in; sinker and box nails differ in shank diameter.

Nail withdrawal capacity is proportional to penetration into the main member; a minimum of 10 diameters of penetration is a common rule.

Galvanized or stainless fasteners are required with preservative-treated lumber; electro-galvanized is not adequate for ACQ/CA.

Wood glue (PVA) is for interior use; Type I waterproof adhesive (polyurethane or resorcinol) is required for exterior and wet conditions.

Butt joints carry no structural load without reinforcement; lap, miter, mortise-and-tenon, dovetail, and dado joints transfer load by geometry.

Dado and rabbet joints are typically sized to one-third the thickness of the receiving member for cabinet work.

Lag screws require a clearance hole in the side member and a pilot hole about 60-75% of the shank diameter in the main member.

Construction adhesive (PL) supplements, but does not replace, mechanical fasteners in structural assemblies unless specifically engineered.

Standard framing spacing is 16 in on center; 24 in on center is permitted where span tables and sheathing ratings allow.

Studs are typically 2x4 or 2x6; exterior walls in cold climates often use 2x6 for insulation depth.

Floor joists: maximum span is determined by species, grade, size, spacing, and live/dead load; check the span table, not the joist length.

Solid blocking or bridging is required at joist ends and at intermediate supports per code; rim joists cap joist ends.

Cripple studs fill between a header and the top plate (above openings) or between a sill and bottom plate (below windows).

Headers over openings are sized by span and load; a doubled 2x10 header is common for a 4-6 ft opening in a bearing wall.

Top plates are doubled in bearing walls; the second (cap) plate laps the first by at least 4 ft at corners and intersections.

Subfloor panel edges must be supported; tongue-and-groove panels are spaced with a 1/8 in gap at end joints to allow movement.

Roof slope is rise over run, expressed as x/12; pitch is the ratio of rise to span (a 6/12 slope = 1/4 pitch).

Rafter length = run / cos(angle), where angle = arctan(rise/run); the rafter run equals half the building width for a gable.

Common rafter line length = sqrt(run^2 + rise^2); add overhang and ridge deduction for the cut length.

Hip and valley rafters use the same rise but a longer run: hip/valley run = common run x sqrt(2) for a 45-degree plan angle.

Rafter ties or collar ties resist thrust; collar ties are placed in the upper third of the rafter span, ridge straps where required.

Sheathing panels are laid with the long dimension perpendicular to supports, staggered, and gapped 1/8 in at panel edges.

Ice barrier (eave protection) is required along eaves in cold climates, typically extending 24 in inside the exterior wall line.

Roof underlayment: 15-lb felt for standard slopes, 30-lb for lower slopes, and a minimum slope of 2/12 for most shingle products (4/12 for standard).

Riser height + tread depth relationship (comfort rule): 2R + T = 24 to 25 in; IRC maximum riser is 7-3/4 in and minimum tread depth is 10 in.

Total rise = finished floor to finished floor; number of risers = total rise / desired riser height, rounded to a whole number.

Unit riser height = total rise / number of risers; unit tread depth = total run / number of treads (one fewer than risers).

Stringer length = sqrt(total rise^2 + total run^2); the run is measured from the nosing of the first tread to the face of the top riser.

Nosing projection is typically 3/4 to 1-1/4 in; the nosing must project at least 3/4 in and not more than 1-1/4 in per IRC.

Headroom clearance over the stair is a minimum of 6 ft 8 in measured vertically from the nosing line.

Handrail height is 34-38 in above the nosing; a stair with four or more risers requires a handrail on at least one side.

Stair width: minimum 36 in clear width above the handrail height for a single-family dwelling.

Flashing sequence: weather-resistive barrier (WRB) laps over the window flange at the sides and bottom, and under the flange at the top (shingle-lap principle).

Head flashing or a drip cap is installed above the window head and behind the siding to shed water outward.

Sill pan flashing with end dams is required at window openings in most modern codes to drain water to the exterior.

Siding must maintain a minimum 6-8 in clearance above finished grade and 1-2 in below the top of the foundation.

Exterior door thresholds must be at least 1-1/2 in above the exterior landing or have a sill that sheds water.

Nailing pattern for lap siding: one nail per stud, centered in the exposure, leaving the board free to move; do not nail through the overlap.

Corner boards, frieze boards, and fascia should be back-primed before installation to resist moisture wicking.

Window U-factor measures heat loss; lower is better; SHGC measures solar heat gain; climate determines which to prioritize.

Drywall thickness: 1/2 in for standard walls, 5/8 in for ceilings at 24 in o.c., fire-rated assemblies, and high-traffic areas.

Fastener spacing on drywall: 12 in on ceilings, 16 in on walls for screws; keep fasteners at least 3/8 in from panel edges.

Drywall panels are hung perpendicular to framing; butt joints are staggered and kept away from door and window corners.

Taping sequence: embed tape in joint compound, then two finish coats, feathering each coat wider than the last (about 6 in, 8 in, 10 in).

Interior door rough opening = door width + 2 in and door height + 2-1/2 in for a standard jamb and shim space.

Door casing reveals: a consistent 3/16 to 1/4 in reveal between the jamb and the drywall edge produces a clean trim line.

Baseboard height typically 3-1/2 to 5-1/2 in; shoe mold covers the gap between base and floor.

Cabinet installation: locate studs, install a ledger or wall cleat, level the base cabinets, and shim before fastening.

Scale on architectural drawings is read as a ratio: 1/4 in = 1 ft means 1/4 in on paper equals 12 in actual.

Plan, elevation, section, and detail views: plan is a top view; elevation is a vertical face; section cuts through the assembly.

Architectural drawings use a 1/4 in scale for plans, 1/2 in or 3/4 in for details, and 1/8 in for large site plans.

A legend or symbol schedule defines door and window tags; a door schedule lists size, type, hardware, and fire rating.

Estimating lumber: linear feet = number of pieces x length in feet; board feet = (thickness in x width in x length ft) / 12.

Stud count rule of thumb: (wall length in ft x 12 / spacing in in) + 1, plus corners, openings, and plates.

Waste factor: 10% for framing lumber, 5-10% for sheet goods, 15% for siding and trim.

Construction documents include drawings, specifications, addenda, and the contract; the specification governs quality, drawings govern quantity.

The IRC (International Residential Code) governs one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses up to three stories.

Building permits are required before construction; inspections typically include footing, foundation, framing, rough-in, insulation, and final.

Framing inspection verifies stud size and spacing, header size, joist span and bearing, blocking, and fastening schedule.

Egress window: minimum 5.7 sq ft clear opening, 24 in minimum height, 20 in minimum width, and a sill no more than 44 in above the floor.

Smoke alarms are required in each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on each story; CO alarms where fuel-burning appliances exist.

Stair, guard, and handrail dimensions are code-mandated: guard height 36 in minimum, baluster spacing that rejects a 4 in sphere.

Energy code (IECC) sets insulation R-values, air sealing, and window U-factors by climate zone.

Inspection failures must be corrected and re-inspected; a certificate of occupancy is issued only after final inspection passes.

Fall protection is required at 6 ft or more in general construction; guardrails, personal fall-arrest systems, and controlled access zones are the standard controls.

Portable circular saw blade teeth: rip blades have 18-24 teeth with large gullets; crosscut/finish blades have 40-60+ teeth for smoother cuts.

A GFCI must protect all 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles on construction sites not part of a permanent building installation.

Kickback on a table saw is controlled by a riving knife or spreader aligned with the blade, plus anti-kickback pawls and a guard.

Extension cord gauge rule: 14 AWG up to 25 ft, 12 AWG up to 50 ft, 10 AWG up to 100 ft for 15-amp tools; voltage drop increases with length.

Ladder setup: 4:1 rule - base set out 1 ft for every 4 ft of working height; extension ladders extend 3 ft above the landing.

Scaffold guardrail height: top rail at 38-45 in, midrail at approximately half that height, and toe boards at least 3.5 in tall.

Hearing protection is required at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 dBA; a 3 dB increase halves allowable exposure time.

Nominal vs. dressed size: a 2x4 is 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 in; a 2x6 is 1-1/2 x 5-1/2 in; a 2x10 is 1-1/2 x 9-1/4 in; a 2x12 is 1-1/2 x 11-1/4 in.

Moisture content (MC) = (wet weight - oven-dry weight) / oven-dry weight x 100.

Wood shrinks and swells mostly across the grain (tangential > radial); longitudinal movement is negligible.

Fiber saturation point is about 28-30% MC; below that, shrinkage begins as bound water leaves the cell walls.

Dimension lumber for framing is typically kiln-dried to 19% MC or less; interior trim and cabinetry stock to 6-12%.

Grade stamps show species group, grade, moisture designation (S-GRN, KD, KD-HT), mill, and certification agency.

Equilibrium moisture content tracks relative humidity: roughly 6-8% MC indoors in heated space, 12-14% in covered unheated space.

Allow 1/8 in gap per 8 ft of length for solid wood flooring and siding to accommodate seasonal movement.

Common nail penny sizes: 8d = 2-1/2 in, 10d = 3 in, 16d = 3-1/2 in, 20d = 4 in; sinker and box nails differ in shank diameter.

Nail withdrawal capacity is proportional to penetration into the main member; a minimum of 10 diameters of penetration is a common rule.

Galvanized or stainless fasteners are required with preservative-treated lumber; electro-galvanized is not adequate for ACQ/CA.

Wood glue (PVA) is for interior use; Type I waterproof adhesive (polyurethane or resorcinol) is required for exterior and wet conditions.

Butt joints carry no structural load without reinforcement; lap, miter, mortise-and-tenon, dovetail, and dado joints transfer load by geometry.

Dado and rabbet joints are typically sized to one-third the thickness of the receiving member for cabinet work.

Lag screws require a clearance hole in the side member and a pilot hole about 60-75% of the shank diameter in the main member.

Construction adhesive (PL) supplements, but does not replace, mechanical fasteners in structural assemblies unless specifically engineered.

Standard framing spacing is 16 in on center; 24 in on center is permitted where span tables and sheathing ratings allow.

Studs are typically 2x4 or 2x6; exterior walls in cold climates often use 2x6 for insulation depth.

Floor joists: maximum span is determined by species, grade, size, spacing, and live/dead load; check the span table, not the joist length.

Solid blocking or bridging is required at joist ends and at intermediate supports per code; rim joists cap joist ends.

Cripple studs fill between a header and the top plate (above openings) or between a sill and bottom plate (below windows).

Headers over openings are sized by span and load; a doubled 2x10 header is common for a 4-6 ft opening in a bearing wall.

Top plates are doubled in bearing walls; the second (cap) plate laps the first by at least 4 ft at corners and intersections.

Subfloor panel edges must be supported; tongue-and-groove panels are spaced with a 1/8 in gap at end joints to allow movement.

Roof slope is rise over run, expressed as x/12; pitch is the ratio of rise to span (a 6/12 slope = 1/4 pitch).

Rafter length = run / cos(angle), where angle = arctan(rise/run); the rafter run equals half the building width for a gable.

Common rafter line length = sqrt(run^2 + rise^2); add overhang and ridge deduction for the cut length.

Hip and valley rafters use the same rise but a longer run: hip/valley run = common run x sqrt(2) for a 45-degree plan angle.

Rafter ties or collar ties resist thrust; collar ties are placed in the upper third of the rafter span, ridge straps where required.

Sheathing panels are laid with the long dimension perpendicular to supports, staggered, and gapped 1/8 in at panel edges.

Ice barrier (eave protection) is required along eaves in cold climates, typically extending 24 in inside the exterior wall line.

Roof underlayment: 15-lb felt for standard slopes, 30-lb for lower slopes, and a minimum slope of 2/12 for most shingle products (4/12 for standard).

Riser height + tread depth relationship (comfort rule): 2R + T = 24 to 25 in; IRC maximum riser is 7-3/4 in and minimum tread depth is 10 in.

Total rise = finished floor to finished floor; number of risers = total rise / desired riser height, rounded to a whole number.

Unit riser height = total rise / number of risers; unit tread depth = total run / number of treads (one fewer than risers).

Stringer length = sqrt(total rise^2 + total run^2); the run is measured from the nosing of the first tread to the face of the top riser.

Nosing projection is typically 3/4 to 1-1/4 in; the nosing must project at least 3/4 in and not more than 1-1/4 in per IRC.

Headroom clearance over the stair is a minimum of 6 ft 8 in measured vertically from the nosing line.

Handrail height is 34-38 in above the nosing; a stair with four or more risers requires a handrail on at least one side.

Stair width: minimum 36 in clear width above the handrail height for a single-family dwelling.

Flashing sequence: weather-resistive barrier (WRB) laps over the window flange at the sides and bottom, and under the flange at the top (shingle-lap principle).

Head flashing or a drip cap is installed above the window head and behind the siding to shed water outward.

Sill pan flashing with end dams is required at window openings in most modern codes to drain water to the exterior.

Siding must maintain a minimum 6-8 in clearance above finished grade and 1-2 in below the top of the foundation.

Exterior door thresholds must be at least 1-1/2 in above the exterior landing or have a sill that sheds water.

Nailing pattern for lap siding: one nail per stud, centered in the exposure, leaving the board free to move; do not nail through the overlap.

Corner boards, frieze boards, and fascia should be back-primed before installation to resist moisture wicking.

Window U-factor measures heat loss; lower is better; SHGC measures solar heat gain; climate determines which to prioritize.

Drywall thickness: 1/2 in for standard walls, 5/8 in for ceilings at 24 in o.c., fire-rated assemblies, and high-traffic areas.

Fastener spacing on drywall: 12 in on ceilings, 16 in on walls for screws; keep fasteners at least 3/8 in from panel edges.

Drywall panels are hung perpendicular to framing; butt joints are staggered and kept away from door and window corners.

Taping sequence: embed tape in joint compound, then two finish coats, feathering each coat wider than the last (about 6 in, 8 in, 10 in).

Interior door rough opening = door width + 2 in and door height + 2-1/2 in for a standard jamb and shim space.

Door casing reveals: a consistent 3/16 to 1/4 in reveal between the jamb and the drywall edge produces a clean trim line.

Baseboard height typically 3-1/2 to 5-1/2 in; shoe mold covers the gap between base and floor.

Cabinet installation: locate studs, install a ledger or wall cleat, level the base cabinets, and shim before fastening.

Scale on architectural drawings is read as a ratio: 1/4 in = 1 ft means 1/4 in on paper equals 12 in actual.

Plan, elevation, section, and detail views: plan is a top view; elevation is a vertical face; section cuts through the assembly.

Architectural drawings use a 1/4 in scale for plans, 1/2 in or 3/4 in for details, and 1/8 in for large site plans.

A legend or symbol schedule defines door and window tags; a door schedule lists size, type, hardware, and fire rating.

Estimating lumber: linear feet = number of pieces x length in feet; board feet = (thickness in x width in x length ft) / 12.

Stud count rule of thumb: (wall length in ft x 12 / spacing in in) + 1, plus corners, openings, and plates.

Waste factor: 10% for framing lumber, 5-10% for sheet goods, 15% for siding and trim.

Construction documents include drawings, specifications, addenda, and the contract; the specification governs quality, drawings govern quantity.

The IRC (International Residential Code) governs one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses up to three stories.

Building permits are required before construction; inspections typically include footing, foundation, framing, rough-in, insulation, and final.

Framing inspection verifies stud size and spacing, header size, joist span and bearing, blocking, and fastening schedule.

Egress window: minimum 5.7 sq ft clear opening, 24 in minimum height, 20 in minimum width, and a sill no more than 44 in above the floor.

Smoke alarms are required in each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on each story; CO alarms where fuel-burning appliances exist.

Stair, guard, and handrail dimensions are code-mandated: guard height 36 in minimum, baluster spacing that rejects a 4 in sphere.

Energy code (IECC) sets insulation R-values, air sealing, and window U-factors by climate zone.

Inspection failures must be corrected and re-inspected; a certificate of occupancy is issued only after final inspection passes.