Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference
Arkansas Residential Remodeler Exam
Arkansas · 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
30
Passing score
70%
Exam time
75 min
Administered by
PSI Services Contractor
Format
Reference materials allowed
Arkansas State Portion 30 questions
Concrete
2 Q · 7%
Masonry
2 Q · 7%
Painting and Wall Covering
2 Q · 7%
Paint composition: pigments, binders, and carriersFilm-forming vs. penetrating finishesOil-base vs. latex paint characteristics and usesExterior painting preparation, application sequence, and techniquesInterior painting sequence: ceilings, walls, trim, windows, and doorsPaint problems: causes and remedies (cracking, peeling, flaking, mildew, blistering, staining)Estimating paint quantities and labor for interior and exterior surfacesWall paneling types, storage, conditioning, and installation methods
Drywall
3 Q · 10%
Rough Carpentry and Framing
4 Q · 13%
Siding
2 Q · 7%
Finish Carpentry
4 Q · 13%
Roofing
4 Q · 13%
Insulation
2 Q · 7%
Windows and Doors
2 Q · 7%
OSHA Safety
3 Q · 10%
Key Distinctions
Thickened slab beneath an interior bearing wallvsStandard footing
The thickened slab area acts like a footing but is formed by a trench dug into the subgrade (and strengthened with rebar) rather than by formwork.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 11.1, Page 295Collar ties used only for structural purposesvsCollar ties that support a ceiling
Structural-only collar ties go at every fourth rafter pair at 16" OC spacing (every third pair at 24" OC), while collar ties at every rafter pair are required only when they will support a ceiling.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.3, Page 542Code limits for residential stairsvsIdeal (safety research) dimensions
Code allows a maximum riser height of 7¾" and a minimum tread depth of 10", while safety research indicates the ideal riser is 7" high and the ideal tread 11" deep.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 731PrimervsStandard house paint
Primer has a higher proportion of binder so it grips unpainted wood, but because it has relatively little pigment it does not block UV and must be covered with two coats of standard finish paint.
Carpentry & Building Construction, Chapter 33 — Film-Forming Finishes, Primer sectionFilm-forming finish (e.g., latex semi-transparent stain)vsPenetrating finish (oil-base semi-transparent stain, clear water repellent, tung oil)
Latex semi-transparent stain does not soak in and forms a film, whereas penetrating finishes soak in and fill the wood's surface pores.
Carpentry & Building Construction, Chapter 33 — Penetrating Finishes sectionClass B fire extinguishervsClass A, C, and D extinguishers
Class B is for grease, oil, and chemical fires; Class A is for wood, paper, cloth, and plastic; Class C is for electrical equipment; Class D is for combustible metals.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Construction Safety & Health, Page 81First number on a performance-rated panel stamp (e.g., the 32 in 32/16)vsSecond number (the 16)
The number before the slash is the maximum support spacing in inches for roof sheathing use; the number after the slash is the maximum spacing for subflooring use.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.5, Pages 562-563Roof-opening headers kept in the same plane as the roof framingvsPlumb headers
Same-plane headers are easier to install and are sometimes used for skylights, while plumb headers accommodate vertical objects passing through the framing, such as chimneys.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.3, Page 547-548Roof sheathing clearance at a chimney openingvsFraming member clearance at a chimney
Sheathing needs a minimum ¾" clearance from finished masonry on all sides (covered by flashing), while framing members require a larger 2" clearance for fire protection.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.5, Page 567Five-bag concrete mixvsSix-bag mix
Five bags of cement per cubic yard is the minimum generally acceptable for most work; six-bag mix is commonly specified where high strength is needed or where steel reinforcement is used.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 8.2, Page 226Shear wallvsHold-down anchor
A shear wall is a wall designed to resist lateral (sideways) forces, often created by a specific sheathing nail spacing, while hold-down anchors are steel brackets at each corner that keep walls from tipping over during seismic events.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 14.1, Page 14-11 (Book Page 378)Extruded Expanded Polystyrene (XPS/XEPS)vsExpanded Polystyrene (EPS)
XPS is similar to EPS but has greater compressive strength, making it suitable for foundation insulation below grade; it is rated R-5 per inch.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 31.1 — Rigid Insulation Materials and R-ValueEmergency action plan for employers with 10 or fewer employeesvsEmergency action plan for larger employers
With 10 or fewer employees the plan may be communicated orally and no written plan need be maintained (OSHA §1926.35(e)(3)).
OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.35(e)(3)Key Terms
Span table Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 13.2, Page 355
A list of distances that a particular structural product can span between structural supports such as walls or columns.
Schedules (window and door) Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 16.2, Page 440
Charts included in building plans that provide rough-opening sizes for windows and doors.
Shear wall Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 14.1, Page 14-11 (Book Page 378)
A wall designed to resist lateral (sideways) forces, commonly used to strengthen houses in seismic zones.
Hold-down anchor Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 14.1, Page 14-12 (Book Page 379)
A steel bracket installed at each corner of the house (or as local codes require) that prevents walls from tipping over in a seismic event, bolted to the foundation and fastened to framing with lag screws or machine bolts.
Consolidation Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 8.2, Page 227
The process that removes air pockets and forces concrete into all parts of the forms, done with a vibrator, tamping, spearing with a spade, or tapping the forms.
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Carpentry and Building Construction, Construction Safety & Health, Book Page 92
A manufacturer-supplied document listing product hazards, physical data, toxicity levels, first-aid recommendations, storage and disposal, and protective equipment; every worker must have access to it on the job site.
Baluster / balustrade Carpentry & Building Construction, Chapter 25 (Stairways)
A baluster is the vertical member that supports the handrail on open stairs; the whole system of balusters, handrails, and support pieces is the balustrade.
Reveal Carpentry & Building Construction, Chapter 26 (Molding & Trim)
A small offset between a piece of trim and the surface it is applied to; door casing is nailed allowing about a ³⁄₁₆" reveal on the face of the jamb.
Gain Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 21 — Hinge Gains
A mortise (notch) cut for a hinge leaf whose depth equals the thickness of a single hinge leaf, laid out identically on the door edge and the hinge jamb.
Skirtboard Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 723
A finish trim board along the wall on the closed side of a stairway that covers the joint where tread and riser ends meet the wall, serving a decorative and protective function.
Housed stringer Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 726
A stringer with recesses cut in its sides into which treads and risers fit and are held with wood wedges; often used in prefabricated stair systems.
Corner bead Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 32, Trim Accessories section
A shaped length of vinyl or metal that reinforces and protects an outside drywall corner and provides an even, smooth edge for finishing.
Jointer (jointing tool) Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 24, Page 688
A simple metal bar with a shaped end run over mortar joints to pack the mortar in and give the joints a particular shape.
Ridge board Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.1, Page 530
Nominal 2" lumber slightly wider than the rafter stock (e.g., a 2×10 for 2×8 rafters) so the angled rafter end cuts bear fully on it.
Closed cornice Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.4, Page 552
A cornice on a house with no rafter overhang; seldom used on newer houses because of the difficulty of providing attic ventilation.
Lookout rafters / 'ladder' Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.4, Page 559-560
A series of rafters cantilevered over the end walls to make a wide rake extension rigid; the assembly of lookouts, blocks, and fly rafter is sometimes called a ladder.
Roof opening headers and trimmers Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.3, Page 547
Single or double headers set at right angles to the rafters, with trimmers, frame a roof opening for a chimney or skylight, the rafters setting into the headers like joists at a floor opening.
Purlin braces Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.3, Page 544
Braces supporting a purlin system: spaced not more than 4' OC, at least 2×4 stock, connected to bearing walls at no less than a 45° angle, no longer than 8', and never connected to non-bearing walls.
Formulas to Know
Board feet in a piece of lumber (one board foot = 1" × 12" × 12")
(nominal thickness × nominal width × length in feet) ÷ 12; example: 2×10×22' = (2 × 10 × 22) ÷ 12 = 36.67 bf per piece, × 24 pieces ≈ 880 board feetRoof framing lumber from the board-feet table (rafters, ridge board, collar ties)
(roof surface area ÷ 100) × table board-feet factor; example: 2×6 rafters at 16" OC = 102 bf per 100 sq ft, so (2,100 ÷ 100) × 102 = 2,142 board feetRoof sheathing panel count
Roof area ÷ 32 sq ft per panel, then add 5% for trim and waste; example: 72.19 × 0.05 = 3.6; 72.19 + 3.6 = 75.79 → 76 sheetsRough material estimate — first step for floor joist lumber
Area of floor = length × width for each level (example: 20' × 40' = 800 sq ft), then apply the board-feet-per-100-sq-ft factor from the table and the cost per board footCrawl-space ventilation net area
1 sq ft of net venting per 150 sq ft of crawl-space area; example: 1,200 ÷ 150 = 8 sq ftMetal gutter slope / total drop
At least 1 inch of slope every 16 feet toward the downspout (1/16 inch per foot); example: 32 ft × 1/16 = 2 inches of total dropExterior paint quantities (general coverage rule)
Primer gallons = total sq ft ÷ 450; each finish coat = total sq ft ÷ 500; example: 1,800 ÷ 450 = 4.0 gal primer, 1,800 ÷ 500 = 3.6 gal finish — always verify product label coverageSquaring a wall layout (3-4-5 rule)
Measure 3 ft along one layout line and 4 ft along the other; the diagonal must read exactly 5 ft for a 90° corner — if not (e.g., 5'1"), adjust one layout line until it measures 5 ft before proceedingCripple wall bracing length (IRC 2015 R602.10.11)
Required bracing length (same method/tabulated length as the wall above) × 1.15; any adjustment for omitting gypsum wall board on the inside face is taken in addition to this 1.15 increaseFirst floor joist layout from sill plate
Set the first joist's edge 15¼" from the outside edge of the sill plate so a joist is centered every 4', putting sheathing panel edges on joist centerlines