Wooden House Construction Course

Lesson 1 • Wood Species and Material Properties

Covers softwood vs. hardwood species, grain structure, and moisture content effects. Establishes material literacy needed for every subsequent construction decision.

Lesson 2 • Reading Construction Drawings

Teaches plan views, elevations, sections, and detail drawings used in wood-frame projects. Accurate drawing interpretation is prerequisite to all field layout and framing work.

Lesson 3 • Lumber Grading and Selection

Explains visual and machine grading systems, grade stamps, and defect identification. Students gain the ability to select code-compliant lumber for structural and finish applications.

Lesson 4 • Safety and Personal Protective Equipment

Introduces jobsite hazard recognition, PPE requirements, and fall-protection basics. Safe work habits established here apply throughout every hands-on chapter.

Lesson 1 • Crawl Space and Basement Foundations

Compares crawl space and full-basement systems, covering wall construction, ventilation, and waterproofing. Foundation choice affects moisture management and structural performance.

Lesson 2 • Building Layout and Batter Boards

Teaches precise layout using batter boards, string lines, and the 3-4-5 squaring method. Accurate layout prevents costly framing errors in later stages.

Lesson 3 • Concrete Footings and Stem Walls

Explains footing sizing, form construction, rebar placement, and concrete pouring for continuous and spread footings. Proper footings transfer structural loads safely to soil.

Lesson 4 • Slab-on-Grade Foundation Construction

Details sub-base preparation, vapor barrier installation, reinforcement, and monolithic slab pouring. Slab foundations require different framing connections than raised systems.

Lesson 1 • Engineered Floor Joist Systems

Introduces I-joists, laminated veneer lumber, and open-web trusses as alternatives to solid sawn joists. Engineered systems offer longer spans and reduced shrinkage.

Lesson 2 • Bridging, Blocking, and Openings

Explains solid blocking, cross-bridging, and framed openings for stairs and mechanical penetrations. These elements stabilize joists and distribute concentrated loads.

Lesson 3 • Sill Plates and Beam Installation

Covers pressure-treated sill plate selection, anchor bolt connection, and built-up or engineered beam sizing. The sill and beam assembly transfers floor loads to the foundation.

Lesson 4 • Subfloor Sheathing Installation

Covers panel selection, glue-nail application, staggered layout, and expansion gap requirements. A properly installed subfloor provides the rigid diaphragm needed for wall framing.

Lesson 1 • Structural Sheathing and Shear Walls

Explains oriented strand board and plywood sheathing as lateral-force-resisting elements. Shear wall design and nailing schedules are critical for wind and seismic resistance.

Lesson 2 • Door and Window Rough Openings

Covers header sizing for various spans, rough opening dimensions, and sill framing. Correct opening framing ensures proper door and window installation later.

Lesson 3 • Raising, Plumbing, and Bracing Walls

Details safe wall-raising procedures, plumbing with a level or plumb bob, and temporary bracing. Walls must be plumb and braced before roof framing begins.

Lesson 4 • Laying Out and Assembling Wall Sections

Teaches snap-line layout, plate marking, and flat assembly before raising. Systematic assembly reduces errors and speeds the framing process.

Lesson 1 • Hip, Valley, and Jack Rafters

Teaches the geometry and cutting angles for hip, valley, and jack rafters used in complex roof plans. These skills enable framing of L-shaped and multi-gable roof configurations.

Lesson 2 • Roof Geometry and Rafter Calculations

Introduces pitch, rise, run, and span relationships and the use of a framing square for rafter layout. Accurate calculations are the foundation of all roof framing work.

Lesson 3 • Roof Truss Systems

Explains truss types, handling requirements, installation sequence, and permanent bracing. Trusses are the dominant roof system in modern wood-frame construction.

Lesson 4 • Roof Sheathing and Ventilation Framing

Covers structural panel installation, H-clips, nailing schedules, and framing for ridge and soffit ventilation. Proper sheathing and ventilation protect the roof structure long-term.

Lesson 1 • Window and Exterior Door Installation

Covers flashing tape, shimming, leveling, and fastening windows and doors in rough openings. Proper installation prevents air and water infiltration at these critical transitions.

Lesson 2 • Roofing Underlayment and Flashing

Covers felt and synthetic underlayment installation, drip edge, and step and counter flashing at penetrations. Correct flashing prevents water infiltration at all roof transitions.

Lesson 3 • House Wrap and Water-Resistive Barriers

Explains house wrap selection, lapping sequence, and tape sealing around openings. The water-resistive barrier is the last line of defense behind exterior cladding.

Lesson 4 • Exterior Siding Systems

Compares wood lap, engineered wood, fiber cement, and board-and-batten siding installation methods. Siding selection and installation directly affect durability and maintenance requirements.

Lesson 1 • Insulation Framing and Thermal Detailing

Introduces advanced framing techniques, insulation baffles, and thermal bridging reduction strategies. Framing decisions made here directly affect the building's energy performance.

Lesson 2 • Rough-In Coordination with Mechanical Trades

Covers notching and boring rules for joists and studs, fire blocking, and coordination with plumbing, electrical, and HVAC rough-in. Improper notching weakens structural members.

Lesson 3 • Interior Partition Wall Framing

Covers non-load-bearing partition layout, framing for plumbing walls, and sound-isolation blocking. Interior partitions define room layout and support finish materials.

Lesson 4 • Ceiling Framing and Dropped Soffits

Teaches flat ceiling joist layout, attic access framing, and dropped soffit construction for mechanical chases. Ceiling framing must accommodate HVAC, electrical, and plumbing routes.

Lesson 1 • Baseboard, Crown, and Built-In Millwork

Covers baseboard installation, crown molding layout, and basic built-in shelf and cabinet framing. These elements complete the interior and require high precision.

Lesson 2 • Drywall Installation and Finishing

Covers board selection, hanging sequence, taping, mudding coats, and sanding for a paint-ready surface. Drywall quality directly affects the appearance of all finish work.

Lesson 3 • Interior Door and Window Trim

Teaches casing layout, miter and cope joints, and reveal setting for consistent trim installation. Precise trim work defines the quality level of the finished interior.

Lesson 4 • Hardwood and Engineered Flooring

Explains subfloor preparation, acclimation, nail-down and glue-down methods, and finishing. Flooring installation is among the last tasks before final inspection.