Good construction doesn't have to slow you down. In fact, investing a little extra time during the early phases of construction will actually save you time and money later. That's the idea behind Precision Framing, the new book by Mike Guertin and Rick Arnold. The authors have spent 20 years developing their field-tested framing techniques, and Precision Framing is the result. This is their "manual," packed with tips, advice, and shortcuts that prove that good construction doesn't have to slow you down. In fact, investing a little extra time during the early phases of construction will actually save you time and money later.

Whether you're framing your first house or your 51st, Precision Framing will help you improve the way you work, with techniques to:

• frame straight walls
• safely work with roof trusses
• build squeak-free floors
• plan ahead for subcontractors
• create site-built tools for fast and accurate measurements

Step-by-step instructions, 200 color photographs, and more than 40 detailed drawings show how to frame efficiently and accurately, from the mudsill to the roof.

Introduction

1 TOOLS

Office Tools
Hand Tools
Power Tools
Pneumatic Tools
Staging
Other Equipment

2 MUDSILLS

Sizing Up the Foundation
Laying Out for Mudsills
Checking the Foundation for Level
Installing the Mudsill
Using Shims to Level the Mudsill
Framing Walls on Drops
Ready to Move On

3 CENTER BEAMS

Beam Basics
Planning a Built-Up Beam
Installing the Beam
Other Beam Materials
Installing Support Columns
Beam/Joist Configurations

4 FLOOR FRAMING

Joist Layout for Conventional Floor Decks
Framing Joists for Conventional Floor Decks
Installing Subfloor Sheathing for Conventional Floor Decks
Framing Floors with I-Joists
Framing Floors with Trusses

5 WALL FRAMING

Planning Exterior Bearing Walls
Laying Out Bearing Wall Plates
Assembling the Walls
Framing Other Bearing and Exterior Walls

6 ROOF FRAMING

A Stick-Built Roof
Roof Trusses

7 STRAPPING CEILINGS AND FRAMING INTERIOR PARTITION WALLS

Marking Interior Partitions
Laying Out and Installing Strapping
Laying Out the Wall
Measuring Stud Height and Prepping Wall Parts
Framing the Partitions
Finishing Up

8 SPECIAL FRAMING DETAILS

Special Details for Framing Interior Partition Walls
Special Details for Roof Framing
Special Details for Framing for Subcontractors

Index

Customer Reviews from Amazon

It is a good book for reading but not as a refrence. If you in the trade and want a book for the plane ride...ok. But will you learn anything new...Maybe. If you read JLC (Journal of Light Construction) and keep up with the trade you won't find anything new here. If you a novice with basic knowledge and want an overview of building that is well written but poorly photographed and lacking when it comes to illustrations...then buy the book. For refrence and true learning for not just professionals but every day people I would recommend JLC Field Guides or Graphic Guide to Framing...either will suit you well no matter what your level of skill.

This book was very helpful at introducing me to the framing trade. It is nicely laid out and eay to understand, but requires a small amount of construction knowledge for the reader to gain the full benefit. I'm from Washington State and although the book describes building practices from other parts of the country, with the help and advice from local builders and suppliers, I was able to successfully build a 2600 square foot two story home.

I have many books on framing and this is one of the best. I found the info on using engineered I-beams in clear language. This series (For Pros, by Pros) is worth every penny of the price.

Very easy to understand book with all the basics covered with one exception. No attempt at covering stair cutting. That is why I only gave it 4 stars.

One thing that should be pointed out is this book is more modern than any other framing book I have seen. They spend alot of time covering wood i-joists for floor framing.

If you have access to back issues of Fine Homebuilding and can find Mike and Rick's past articles you will have much of the information covered in the book. However, it is nice to have it all in one place with some added information.

Overall, I highly recommend the book.

This book provides an unexpected but invaluable dimension over most books on the general aspects of building residential structures. Super for serious beginners (like me) or do-it yourself builders moving beyond basic projects and carpentry training/books into larger scale projects. Written by authors evidently experienced in running small but highly skilled crews, this book takes you through most of the critical steps of building with great annotations of why things are done, how to expect and correct imperfections, and the understanding that precision is based on care and comprehension.
Well-selected photos demonstrate a lot of unique tools and small-crew/equipment teams working with great care. It is more of a course that an encyclopedia, and that's a great feature as a learning text.
This book added a lot of real understanding to techniques I had learned from other sources. It is written from a first person and cordial perspective that makes it enjoyable to read. You may not be able to get experience from a book, but this is pretty close.
It must be a lot of fun working with these people.

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