Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference
Louisiana Carpentry
Louisiana · 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
Louisiana State Portion 60 questions
Safety
6 Q · 10%
Fall protection requirements and trigger heights (6-foot rule) for residential and general constructionPersonal fall arrest systems: components, specifications, and proper useGuardrail systems: height, strength, and construction requirementsScaffold safety: capacity, platform construction, access, and fall protectionLadder safety: types, duty ratings, setup angles, and safe use proceduresStairway requirements: riser/tread dimensions, handrails, and stairrail systemsFire prevention and protection: extinguisher types, flammable liquid storage, and fire prevention programsPersonal protective equipment (PPE): hard hats, eye protection, foot protection, and employer responsibilities
Insulation
1 Q · 2%
R-value and thermal resistance ratings by insulation type and thicknessTypes of insulation materials and forms (batts, blankets, loose-fill, rigid board, spray-foam)Building envelope and where to insulate (walls, floors, ceilings, attics, foundation/slabs)Vapor retarders: purpose, materials, perm values, and installation methodsAttic and crawl-space ventilation requirements including net free area calculationsRadiant-heat barriers: emissivity, reflectivity, and installation methodsAcoustical insulation: STC and INR/IIC ratings and wall/floor assembly constructionClimate zones and minimum insulation requirements by building component
Windows and Doors
3 Q · 5%
Window types and operating styles (double-hung, casement, awning, hopper, sliding, stationary)Door types and core construction (solid-core, hollow-core, raised-panel, flush)Rough opening sizing and framing requirements for windows and doorsDoor hardware installation (hinges, locksets, strike plates)Weatherstripping and energy efficiency for windows and doorsEgress window requirements (minimum dimensions, sill height, clear opening area)Safety glazing requirements and hazardous locations (IBC Chapter 24)Door and window trim installation (casing styles, stool and apron, extension jambs)
Rough Carpentry and Formwork
27 Q · 45%
Platform-frame and balloon-frame construction methodsFloor framing components: sill plates, girders, posts, joists, and subfloorWall framing members: studs, plates, headers, rough sills, cripple studs, and trimmer studsWall sheathing materials, installation, and bracing requirementsRoof framing types: common, hip, valley, and jack raftersRoof truss handling, installation, temporary restraint, and diagonal bracingConcrete formwork for footings and foundation wallsEngineered wood products: LVL, glulam, I-joists, and structural panels in framing applications
Finish Carpentry
14 Q · 23%
Door installation and hardware (prehung, hinges, locksets, hand of door)Door and window trim (casing styles, reveals, extension jambs, stool and apron)Molding installation (crown/cornice, base, chair rail, picture rail, coped and mitered joints)Wall treatments (tongue-and-groove wainscot, frame-and-panel wainscot, sheet paneling)Stair trim-out (skirt boards, treads and risers, balustrade, newel posts, balusters)Finish flooring (wood strip, plank, parquet, subfloor preparation, moisture content, fastening methods)Cabinet and closet installation (layout, leveling, reference lines, countertops, closet shelving and poles)Rough frame preparation and tool selection (blocking, furring, power and hand tools, scaffolding)
Drywall
7 Q · 12%
Gypsum panel types, sizes, and thickness selectionDrywall fasteners, fastener spacing, and attachment methodsLevels of drywall finish (Level 0 through Level 5)Joint treatment and taping proceduresCorner bead and trim accessories installationFire-rated drywall assemblies and Type X/Type C panelsMoisture-resistant, mold-resistant, and abuse-resistant panel applicationsCommon drywall defects, causes, and remedies
Siding
2 Q · 3%
Types of siding materials (wood, vinyl, plywood, fiber cement, stucco, brick veneer)Moisture protection methods (building paper, housewrap, flashing, drainage plane, caulking)Wood bevel siding installation (layout, story pole, coursing, exposure, nailing)Wood shingle siding installation (grades, coursing styles, nailing)Vinyl siding installation and fastening techniquesFiber cement and plywood panel siding installationEstimating siding materials and quantitiesIBC exterior wall covering requirements (minimum thickness, water-resistive barriers, fire separation, code compliance)
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 (such as furniture and people) and is determined by the building's use.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 14.1 Framing Systems & Structural Design, Page 383Laminated-veneer lumber (LVL)vsPlywood
LVL uses parallel lamination with the grain of every layer running in the same direction for more uniform structural performance, while plywood is cross laminated with each layer's grain perpendicular to adjoining layers.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 13.2, Page 354Balloon framingvsPlatform framing
In balloon framing the studs run continuously from the sill plate to the top plate of the second floor with second-floor joists bearing on 1×4 ribbons let into the inside edges of the studs, whereas in platform framing each level is built separately with studs only one story high.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 14 – Structural Systems, Section 14.1BalustervsNewel post
Balusters are the vertical members that support the handrail on open stairs but are not its primary support; the newel posts at each end of the handrail provide the primary support and must be firmly anchored.
Carpentry & Building Construction, Chapter 25 (Stairways)MuntinvsMullion strip
A muntin is a vertical or horizontal piece within a sash that holds an individual pane of glass, while a mullion strip is the vertical piece separating combined window units.
Windows & Skylights chapter, Double-Hung Windows sectionHeel cutvsSeat cut
In a bird's mouth, the heel cut is the plumb cut that bears against the side of the plate, while the seat cut is the level cut that bears on top of the plate.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 17.2, Page 481Collar ties supporting a ceilingvsCollar ties used only structurally
Collar ties are required at every rafter pair only when they support a ceiling; when used only for structural stiffening they go at every fourth rafter pair at 16" OC spacing and every third rafter pair at 24" OC.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.3, Page 542Thickened 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 295Solid-core doorvsHollow-core door
Solid-core construction (wood strips, particleboard, or rigid foam under a thin veneer) reduces warping and is more fire-resistant, so it is generally preferred for exterior doors, unlike hollow-core doors.
Residential Doors chapter, Flat-Panel Doors sectionActive lateral soil pressurevsAt-rest lateral soil pressure
Per the 2021 IBC Section 1610.1 exception, foundation walls extending not more than 8 feet below grade and laterally supported at the top by flexible diaphragms are permitted to be designed for active pressure, while walls whose horizontal movement is restricted at the top require at-rest pressure.
IBC 2021 Section 1610.1Roof sheathing span-rating number before the slashvsNumber after the slash
On a performance-rated panel stamp such as 32/16, the first number is the maximum support spacing in inches for use as roof sheathing and the second is the maximum support spacing for use as subflooring.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.5 Roof Sheathing, Page 562-563Mortar Type MvsMortar Types N, S, and O
Type M has high compressive strength and durability for heavily loaded or below-grade foundation walls, while Type N is for general masonry above grade, Type S for earthquake/high-wind zones, and Type O is a low-strength mortar for interior walls.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 10.3, Page 279Nominal lumber dimensionvsActual lumber dimension
After surfacing and seasoning at the mill, actual dimensions are less than nominal (a 2×4 measures about 1½" × 3½"), and building codes use actual dimensions when addressing maximum allowable drilling and notching.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 12.1, Page 325Key Terms
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Carpentry and Building Construction, Construction Safety & Health, Book Page 92
A manufacturer-supplied document shipped with products that lists physical data, toxicity levels, first-aid recommendations, storage and disposal, protective equipment, and spill/leak response, and to which every worker must have job-site access.
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, accomplished with a vibrator, tamping, spearing with a spade, or tapping the forms.
Keyway Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 10.1, Page 258
A groove formed in the top of a footing (usually 3½" wide and 1½" deep because a 2×4 forms it) that locks the foundation wall to the footing and prevents moisture seepage between them.
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.
Bird's mouth Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 17.2, Page 481
A notch cut in a rafter with an overhang so that the rafter fits against the plate, consisting of a plumb heel cut and a level seat cut.
Nosing Carpentry & Building Construction, Chapter 25 (Stairways)
The part of a stair tread that projects beyond the face of the riser (distinct from a bullnose, which is a rounded starting step).
Skirtboard Carpentry & Building Construction, Chapter 25, Section 25.2, 'Skirtboard'
A finished board nailed to the wall before the stringers are installed, to which risers and treads are butted, protecting the wall and giving a finished edge.
Reveal Carpentry & Building Construction, Chapter 26 (Molding & Trim)
A small offset between a piece of trim and the surface it is applied to; door casings are nailed to the jamb leaving about a ³⁄₁₆" reveal on the jamb face.
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.
Segmented corner bead Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 32, Trim Accessories section
A corner bead whose segmented design lets it flex to finish the drywall edges of arches and similar curved surfaces.
Drainage plane Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 23 — Stucco section (drainage plane definition)
A gap or series of gaps behind siding (such as stucco) that allows water to drain freely; without it stucco would stick to the sheathing paper and block drainage.
Strongback Finish Carpenter's Manual (1993), Chapter 6 – Preparing the Rough Frame, Page 32
A 2×8 on edge joined to a flat 2×4 that is screwed to ceiling joists to pull them into alignment and level a ceiling; usable only in unfinished attic space.
Gain Residential Doors chapter, Hinges section
A mortise (notch) cut for a hinge whose depth equals the thickness of a single hinge leaf, with one gain in the door edge and one in the jamb so the closed door sits flush.
Casement window Windows & Skylights chapter, Types of Windows section
A window with a side-hinged sash swinging inward or outward whose entire window area can be opened for ventilation, unlike a double-hung window.
U-value Windows & Skylights chapter, Energy Efficiency - Ratings section
A window energy rating that works like an R-value but reversed: a lower U-value means less heat loss or gain and greater insulating performance.
Fireblocking Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 16.4 Special Framing Details, Page 461
Short lengths of 2× framing lumber installed crosswise between studs to slow the passage of flames through wall cavities and strengthen walls; codes may require it in walls over 10 feet high, while in standard-height walls the top and bottom plates are considered sufficient.
Extruded expanded polystyrene (XPS/XEPS) Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 31.1 — Rigid Insulation Materials and R-Value
A rigid insulation rated R-5 per inch with the greatest compressive strength, making it suitable for foundation insulation below grade.
ICC 400 IBC 2015 Section 2302.1
The standard the IBC (Section 2302.1) specifically permits for the design and construction of log structures.
Formulas to Know
Crawl-space ventilation net area
1 sq. ft. of net venting per 150 sq. ft. of crawl-space area; e.g., 1,200 ÷ 150 = 8 sq. ft.Excavation volume in cubic yards
(length + clearance both sides) × (width + clearance both sides) × depth ÷ 27; e.g., 44 × 30 × 7 = 9,240 cu. ft. ÷ 27 ≈ 342 cu. yd.Unit run of a hip rafter
√(12² + 12²) = √288 = 16.97 in. (often rounded up to 17 in., which is the figure set on the framing-square blade for hip/valley plumb and level cuts, with common-rafter unit rise on the tongue)Actual length of a hip rafter
Theoretical length − ridge board shortening allowance + rafter tail lengthHip/valley rafter stock size
Same thickness as common rafters but 2 in. wider nominal (2×6 commons → 2×8 hips) to give full bearing for jack rafter endsStair unit rise
Total rise in inches ÷ 7" (ideal riser) = number of risers, rounded; then total rise ÷ number of risers = unit rise; e.g., 107" ÷ 7 = 15.28 → 15 risers; 107 ÷ 15 ≈ 7.13" (7⅛"), within the 7¾" code maximumMaximum stairway riser/tread variation
Tallest riser − shortest riser ≤ ⅜"; deepest tread − shallowest tread ≤ ⅜" (2006 IRC Chapter 25)Header length for a rough opening (one trimmer stud each end)
Rough opening width + 3 in.; e.g., 34½" + 3" = 37½"Wood window rough-opening size (rule of thumb)
RO width = glass width + 6 in.; RO height = upper glass height + lower glass height + 10 in. (use manufacturer's sizes when known)Drywall sheet count, 'figured solid' (no deductions for openings)
[(wall perimeter × ceiling height) + ceiling area] ÷ 32 sq. ft. per 4'×8' sheet; e.g., (60 × 8 = 480) + (14 × 16 = 224) = 704 ÷ 32 = 22 sheetsJoint tape quantity
370 lineal ft of tape per 1,000 sq. ft. of drywall; e.g., 2,000 ÷ 1,000 = 2.0, then 370 × 2.0 = 740 lineal ftLVL header thickness to match a 2×4 wall
Two 1¾" LVL pieces = 3½", equal to the actual width of a 2×4 wall