Plumbers And Electricians Will Love It If You Do This One Thing - Wall Framing Top Plate Nailing
Let's talk about strategic planning of nail placement on top plates during house framing to avoid future complications with plumbing and electrical installations.
Thinking ahead about future plumbing and electrical work can save time and frustration in the long run. Here are the key takeaways:
Minimize the number of framing breaks: Building codes typically in some areas like earthquake county might require 12 nails on each side of a framing break. By strategically placing these breaks in areas where plumbing and electrical lines are unlikely to be running, you can avoid having a bunch of nails in the way later on.
Use long framing plates: The fewer framing breaks you have, the better. Long framing plates will reduce the number of breaks needed to frame a wall.
Plan for future plumbing and electrical needs: If you know where plumbing and electrical lines will be running, you can strategically place the framing breaks elsewhere. You can also leave some nail holes out completely in these areas.
Stagger nails around studs: Staggering nails around studs will leave more room for plumbing and electrical wires to run through the top plates without hitting any nails.
Nails can be placed from the bottom up: Building codes don’t typically specify that nails need to be driven from the top down. In some cases, driving nails up from the bottom can be more advantageous.
By following these tips, you can make your life (and the life of your plumber and electrician) a whole lot easier. Electrical wires and plumbing pipes that need to be drilled through the top plate will have more space to go without hitting any nails. This will save time and frustration in the long run.
