Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference

Alabama Remodeling, Alteration, and Maintenance Contractor

Alabama  ·  PSI Services Contractor

Verified, not estimated. Every figure below is drawn from the official exam structure we maintain — question counts, passing standard and topic weighting. Practice questions are grounded in the source law with statute citations. We omit any figure we can't verify rather than guess at it.
Total questions
60
Passing score
70%
Exam time
120 min
Administered by
PSI Services Contractor
Format
Reference materials allowed

Alabama State Portion 60 questions

Safety 6 Q · 10%
Windows and Doors 3 Q · 5%
Rough Carpentry 16 Q · 27%
Finish Carpentry 16 Q · 27%
Siding 3 Q · 5%
Drywall 2 Q · 3%
Concrete 7 Q · 12%
Masonry 7 Q · 12%

Key Distinctions

Balloon-Frame ConstructionvsPlatform-Frame Construction

In balloon framing, studs run continuously from sill plate to second-floor top plate with second-floor joists bearing on ribbons; in platform framing, each story is built separately with studs only one story tall.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 14 – Structural Systems, Section 14.1
Coped Joint (inside corners)vsInside Miter Joint (inside corners)

Coped joints are recommended for inside corners of profiled moldings like crown because they fit tightly even when walls are not perfectly square, whereas inside miters open up when walls are out of square.

Finish Carpenter's Manual, Page 84
Shellac Floor FinishvsPolyurethane Floor Finish

Shellac is highly color-stable, does not darken with age, and repairs easily because new coats melt into old; polyurethane is hard to repair because new coats do not self-feather into the old finish.

Finish Carpenter's Manual, Chapter 17 (Flooring)
Shellac Floor FinishvsPenetrating Oil Floor Finish

Shellac is color-stable and resists stains, while penetrating oil darkens noticeably in areas that receive less light and has poor stain resistance.

Finish Carpenter's Manual, Chapter 17 (Flooring)
Parquet Flooring InstallationvsStrip Flooring Installation

Parquet flooring is attached to the subfloor with mastic (a thick adhesive), whereas strip flooring is installed by blind nailing.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 982
Glue-Nail Subfloor Method (panel edges)vsGlue-Nail Subfloor Method (intermediate supports)

For glue-nailed subfloor panels with a span rating of 24 or greater, nails at supported panel edges are spaced 6 inches on center, while nails at intermediate supports are spaced 12 inches on center.

Table 15-5, page 422
Load-Bearing Interior WallvsNon-Load-Bearing Interior Wall (with roof trusses)

When roof trusses span the entire width of a house, exterior walls carry roof and ceiling loads, so interior walls serve mainly as room dividers rather than structural load-bearing members.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 16 – Wall Framing & Sheathing, Section 16.1
Shear Wall Nail Spacing (standard)vsShear Wall Nail Spacing (seismic/high-wind zone)

To create a shear wall in earthquake or high-wind areas, sheathing must be nailed to all studs, blocking, and sills at 3 inches on center, a tighter spacing than standard sheathing attachment.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 16.1 (Book Page 437)
Plate Biscuit JoinervsDowel Joinery

The plate biscuit joiner has largely replaced dowel joinery in modern finish carpentry for aligning and strengthening butt joints because biscuits are faster to cut and install and hold better than dowels.

Finish Carpenter's Manual, Chapter 3 - The Power Tools
Running MoldingvsStanding Molding

Running molding conveniently refers to any molding item that can be ordered by the linear foot in random lengths, while standing molding is ordered in specific lengths for a specific application.

Modern Finish Carpentry, Chapter 5 — Estimating Running and Standing Moldings section
Hold-Down AnchorsvsShear Walls

Hold-down anchors are steel brackets at corners that prevent walls from tipping over during seismic events, while shear walls (sheathing nailed at close spacing) resist lateral sliding forces across the wall plane.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 14.1, Page 14-12 (Book Page 379)
Cripple Studs (above header)vsCripple Studs (below rough sill)

Both types provide nailing surfaces for sheathing and wall covering and must maintain the same 16-inch or 24-inch on-center spacing as full-length studs, but upper cripples fill the space between the header and top plate while lower cripples fill the space below the rough sill.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 16.1 (Book Page 434)

Key Terms

Competent Person (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.32(f), Page 31
Per OSHA 29 CFR §1926.32(f), a person capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in surroundings or working conditions who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
Employer PPE Responsibility (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.28, Page 31
Per OSHA 29 CFR §1926.28(a), the employer is responsible for requiring the wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment in all operations where there is exposure to hazardous conditions.
Emergency Action Plan – Small Employer Exemption (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.35(e)(3), Page 33
Per OSHA 29 CFR §1926.35(e)(3), employers with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the emergency action plan orally and are not required to maintain a written plan.
Common Drinking Cup Prohibition (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.51(a)(4), Page 34
Per OSHA 29 CFR §1926.51(a)(4), the common drinking cup is prohibited on all construction job sites.
Hazardous Waste Container Covers (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.25(c), Pages 30-31
Per OSHA 29 CFR §1926.25(c), containers used for garbage and other oily, flammable, or hazardous wastes on a construction site shall be equipped with covers.
First Aid Kit Inspection Frequency (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.50(d)(2), Page 33
Per OSHA 29 CFR §1926.50(d)(2), first aid kit contents shall be checked before being sent out on each job and at least weekly on each job to ensure expended items are replaced.
Toilet Facility Minimum – 20 or Fewer Employees (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.51(c)(1), Page 35
Per OSHA 29 CFR §1926.51(c)(1) Table D-1, construction jobsites with 20 or fewer employees require a minimum of one toilet facility.
Cripple Wall Bracing Factor (IRC) IRC Section R602.10.10
Per IRC Section R602.10.10, the required length of cripple wall bracing must be multiplied by a factor of 1.15 compared to the bracing length used for the wall above.
Top Plate Notching Repair Requirement (IRC) IRC Section R602.6.1
Per IRC Section R602.6.1, when a top plate is notched more than 50% of its width, a galvanized metal tie not less than 0.054 inch thick and 1-1/2 inches wide, fastened with eight 10d nails on each side, must be installed.
Shear Wall Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 14.1, Page 14-11 (Book Page 378)
A wall designed to resist lateral (sideways) forces, commonly created by nailing sheathing panels to studs, blocking, and sills at close on-center spacing.
Housed Stringer Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 726
A stair stringer with routed recesses into which treads and risers are inserted and held in place with wood wedges, often used in prefabricated stair systems.
Hinge Sag Finish Carpenter's Manual, Chapter 19 (Troubleshooting)
A condition where the upper hinge of a door spreads, causing the door to move away from the upper jamb on the hinge side, creating a tapered margin and causing the latch to catch on the striker plate.
Mastic Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 982
A thick adhesive applied to the subfloor used to attach parquet flooring, as opposed to blind nailing used for strip flooring.
Hold-Down Anchor Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 14.1, Page 14-12 (Book Page 379)
A steel bracket attached to the foundation with anchor bolts and to the framing with lag screws or machine bolts, installed at each corner of a house to prevent walls from tipping over during seismic events.
Gypsum Board Face Paper (IBC) 2021 International Building Code, Section 2508.3.1
Per IBC Section 2508.3.1, fasteners in single-ply gypsum board application must be driven so as not to fracture the face paper with the fastener head.
Wood Girder Masonry Pocket Clearance Chapter 15, Built-Up Girder discussion, page 399–401
A minimum ½-inch clearance must be maintained at the tops, sides, and ends of a wood girder framed into a masonry or concrete wall pocket to prevent moisture absorption.
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