Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference

Arkansas Wood Framing - Residential 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

Estimating and Plan Reading 5 Q · 17%
Layout 5 Q · 17%
Walls 5 Q · 17%
Floors and Stairs 5 Q · 17%
Roofs 5 Q · 17%
Safety 5 Q · 17%

Key Distinctions

Dead loadvsLive load

A dead load is the total weight of the building including the structural frame and anything permanently attached such as wall coverings, while a live load is weight that is not permanently attached (furniture, people) and is determined based on the use of the building.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 14.1 Framing Systems & Structural Design, Page 383
Hip and valley raftersvsCommon rafters

Hip and valley rafters should be 2 inches wider in nominal dimension than the common rafters in the same roof (e.g., 2×8 hips with 2×6 commons) to give full bearing for the ends of intersecting jack rafters.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 18, Page 504
Unit run of a hip raftervsUnit run of a common rafter

A common rafter's unit run is 12 inches, while a hip rafter's unit run is the hypotenuse of a right triangle with two 12-inch sides, 16.97 inches (often rounded up to 17 inches).

Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 18.1, Page 506
Ridge boardvsRafter stock

The ridge board is nominal 2" lumber made slightly wider than the rafter stock it supports (e.g., 2×10 ridge with 2×8 rafters) so the angled rafter end cuts bear fully on it.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.1, Page 530
Rafters framed to a ridge board with an offsetvsRafters framed directly opposite each other

Per IRC 2015 R802.3, rafters framed to a ridge board may be offset not more than 1-1/2 inches from the opposing rafter; alternatively they are framed directly opposite each other with a gusset plate used as a tie.

IRC 2015 Section R802.3
First number on a performance-rated panel stamp (e.g., 32 in 32/16)vsSecond number after the slash (e.g., 16)

The number in front of the slash is the maximum spacing of supports in inches for roof sheathing use; the number after the slash is the maximum support spacing for subflooring use.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.5, Pages 562-563
Natural light glazing requirementvsNatural ventilation openable area requirement

Per 2015 IRC R303.1, habitable rooms need an aggregate glazing area of not less than 8 percent of floor area, while the openable area for natural ventilation must be not less than 4 percent of floor area.

IRC 2015 Section R303.1
Shear wallvsHold-down anchor

A shear wall is a wall designed to resist lateral (sideways) forces, created in part by a specific sheathing nail spacing, while a hold-down anchor is a steel bracket at each corner of the house (or as local codes require) that keeps walls from tipping over during seismic events.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 14.1, Page 14-11 (Book Page 378)
Holes in the web of a steel stud, joist, or trackvsHoles in the flange

Holes/punchouts in the web are permitted for utility routing, but a hole must never be punched in the flange of a stud, joist, or track because it reduces structural strength.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 29.3, Builder's Tip - Punchouts
Unit-cost measurement for wallsvsUnit-cost measurement for floors and roofs

In a unit-cost estimate, interior partition walls are typically measured in lineal feet (LF), while floors and roofs are measured in square feet (SF).

Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 2.4, Pages 61-62
Window and door schedulevsRoom-finish schedule

Window and door schedules are charts in the plans giving rough-opening sizes used for wall layout, while a room-finish schedule identifies the materials and finishes for floors, walls, and ceilings in each room including hallways.

Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 16.2, Page 440
Employer with more than 10 employees (emergency action plan)vsEmployer with 10 or fewer employees

Per OSHA §1926.35(e)(3), employers with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the emergency action plan orally and need not maintain a written plan; otherwise a written plan is maintained.

OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.35(e)(3)

Key Terms

Competent person (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.32(f), Page 31
Per 29 CFR §1926.32(f), one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
Accident prevention program inspections OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.20(b)(2), Page 29
Per 29 CFR §1926.20(b)(2), programs must provide for frequent and regular inspections of job sites, materials, and equipment made by competent persons designated by the employer, and per §1926.20(b)(1) it is the employer's responsibility to initiate and maintain such programs.
Emergency action plan minimum elements OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.35(b), Page 33
Per 29 CFR §1926.35(b), the plan must include emergency escape procedures, procedures for employees remaining for critical operations, procedures to account for all employees after evacuation, rescue and medical duties, preferred means of reporting emergencies, and names/titles of contact persons (a tool and equipment inventory is not required).
Waste container covers OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.25(c)
Per 29 CFR §1926.25(c), containers used for garbage and other oily, flammable, or hazardous wastes such as caustics, acids, and harmful dusts shall be equipped with covers.
Personal protective equipment responsibility OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.28, Page 31
Per 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 or where Part 1926 indicates the need for such equipment.
Hazardous materials instruction OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.21(b)(3)
Per 29 CFR §1926.21(b)(3) and (b)(5), employees required to handle or use poisons, caustics, other harmful substances, flammable liquids, gases, or toxic materials must be instructed in safe handling and use and made aware of potential hazards, personal hygiene, and required personal protective measures.
Draftstop (floor-ceiling assembly) IRC 2015 Section R302.12
Per 2015 IRC R302.12, draftstops required in combustible construction where there is usable space both above and below the concealed space of a floor-ceiling assembly, installed so the concealed space area does not exceed 1,000 square feet and is divided into approximately equal areas.
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, provided by each manufacturer along with recommended installation details for products such as I-joists.
Cripple studs Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 16.1 (Book Page 434)
Studs installed above headers and below rough sills where a full-length precut stud would otherwise fall, providing a nailing surface for sheathing outside and wall covering inside, and maintaining the same 16-inch or 24-inch on-center spacing as the full-length studs.
Collar tie Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 17.1, Page 468
A horizontal tie that connects opposite pairs of rafters to help stiffen the roof.
Ribbon (riband) Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 14.1 Framing Systems & Structural Design, Page 370-371
In balloon-frame construction, a 1×4 cut into the inside edges of the continuous studs to support the second-floor joists.
Batter boards Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — Setting Up Batter Boards
Corner layout boards set on three 2×4 stakes driven at each building corner at least 4 feet beyond the foundation lines to allow clearance for excavation.
Reference line Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — Basic Techniques / Measuring From a Reference Line
An existing line such as a street or marked property line that a building is planned parallel to, allowing the site to be staked out by measuring from it without a surveying instrument.
Theodolite Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — Types of Instruments
A transit that reads horizontal and vertical angles electronically, needs no vernier scale, and displays measurements on an LCD screen; used when extremely accurate measurements are required.
Differential leveling Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — Measuring a Difference in Elevation
The process of determining differences in elevation between points remote from each other, requiring one or more additional intermediate setups of the instrument.
Porosity Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — The Excavation
The measurement of the ability of water to flow through soil; poor drainage may require excavating additional material and replacing it with better soil.
Skirtboard Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 723
A finish trim piece running along the wall on the closed side of a stairway that decoratively and protectively covers the joint where tread and riser ends meet the wall.

Formulas to Know

Board feet of lumberBoard feet per piece = (nominal thickness × nominal width × length in feet) ÷ 12; multiply by number of pieces. Example: (2 × 10 × 22) ÷ 12 = 36.67 bf per piece × 24 pieces ≈ 880 board feet.
Excavation volume in cubic yardsAdd the required clearance to each side of the house dimensions, multiply length × width × depth for cubic feet, then divide by 27 (27 cu ft = 1 cu yd). Example: (40+2+2) × (26+2+2) × 7 = 9,240 cu ft ÷ 27 ≈ 342 cubic yards.
Excavation volume using the depth factorExcavated area (sq ft) × 0.259 cu yd per sq ft (standard factor for a 7-foot depth). Example: 44 ft × 30 ft = 1,320 sq ft × 0.259 = 341.88 ≈ 342 cubic yards.
Minimum glazing and ventilation for habitable rooms (2015 IRC R303.1, natural light option)Glazing area = not less than 8% of floor area; openable ventilation area = not less than 4% of floor area. Example: 300 sq ft × 0.08 = 24 sq ft glazing; × 0.04 = 12 sq ft openable.
Roof sheathing panel count with wasteDivide total roof area by 32 sq ft per panel, then add 5 percent for trim and waste. Example: 72.19 × 0.05 = 3.6; 72.19 + 3.6 = 75.79, rounded up to 76 sheets.
Board feet for gable roof framing (rafters, ridge board, collar ties) from the board-feet table(Roof surface area ÷ 100) × table factor for the member size and spacing. Example: 2×6 rafters at 16" OC = 102 bf per 100 sq ft; 2,100 ÷ 100 = 21; 21 × 102 = 2,142 board feet (includes common rafters, hip and valley rafters, ridge boards, and collar ties).
First step of a rough material-cost estimate for floor joists (unit-cost method)Step 1: Floor area = length × width for each level (example: 20' × 40' = 800 sq ft); then apply the board-feet-per-100-sq-ft factor from Table 15-4 and multiply by the cost per board foot.
Squaring a corner (3-4-5 rule)Measure 3 feet along one layout line and 4 feet along the other; the diagonal must read exactly 5 feet for a 90-degree corner. If it reads otherwise (e.g., 5 ft 1 in.), adjust a layout line until the diagonal is exactly 5 feet.
Unit run of a hip rafter√(12² + 12²) = √(144 + 144) = 16.97 inches (often rounded up to 17 inches), where 12 inches is the common rafter unit run.
Cripple wall bracing length (IRC 2015 R602.10.11)When cripple walls use the same method and tabulated length as the wall above, multiply the required bracing length by 1.15; any adjustment for omitting gypsum wall board on the inside face is taken in addition to this 1.15 increase.
Start free practice Full study guide