South Carolina Non-Structural Renovation

Key Concepts

Architectural Drawing Types - Site plan: Shows property boundaries, setbacks, utilities, and structure placement on the lot. - Foundation plan: Depicts footings, foundation walls, piers, and anchor bolt locations. - Floor plan: Overhead cut view showing room layout, walls, doors, windows, and dimensions. - Framing plans: Show structural members (joists, rafters, headers) with sizes and spacing. - Electrical/mechanical plans: Use standardized symbols for outlets, switches, panels, HVAC equipment, and plumbing fixtures. - Elevations: Exterior or interior vertical views showing heights, finishes, and window/door placement. - Section views: Cut through the structure to show interior construction assembly (wall build-up, floor/ceiling depth). - Detail drawings: Large-scale close-ups of specific connections or assemblies.

Topic Weight: 8 questions, 13% of exam

Key Concepts

Door Types and Construction

• Solid-core doors: Heavy, dense core (particleboard or wood block); used for exterior doors and interior sound/fire control. Better insulation and security than hollow-core.
• Hollow-core doors: Lightweight, honeycomb or grid interior; used for interior passage doors only. Not suitable for exterior applications.
• Flush doors: Smooth face on both sides; can be solid or hollow-core.
• Raised-panel doors: Stile-and-rail construction with raised or recessed panels; common for exterior and decorative interior use.

Exterior Door Installation and Framing

• Exterior door rough opening = door unit width + 2" (for framing tolerance and shimming)
• Standard exterior door: 6'8" height minimum; 36" width for main entry (ADA accessibility)
• Header sizing must meet structural load requirements; double 2× lumber with spacer or engineered lumber typical
• Exterior doors require proper flashing, sill pan, and weatherstripping to prevent water…

South Carolina Non-Structural Renovation Exam Study Brief

Key Concepts

Thermal Insulation

• Batt insulation (fiberglass/mineral wool): Pre-cut to fit between studs (2×4 = 3.5", 2×6 = 5.5"). Kraft-faced batts have an integral vapor retarder; unfaced do not. Install with facing toward warm-in-winter side.
• Loose-fill: Blown cellulose or fiberglass into attics or wall cavities. Settled depth must be calculated to achieve target R-value.
• Rigid board (XPS, EPS, polyisocyanurate): Used on exterior walls, under slabs, in crawl spaces. XPS ≈ R-5/inch; polyiso ≈ R-6.5/inch. Requires thermal barrier (½" drywall) when exposed.
• Spray polyurethane foam (SPF): Open-cell ≈ R-3.7/inch; closed-cell ≈ R-6.5/inch. Closed-cell also acts as a vapor retarder. Requires protective thermal barrier when left exposed to living space.

Key Concepts

Wall Framing Components

• Studs: Vertical members, typically 2×4 or 2×6, spaced 16" or 24" o.c.
• Top plate / Double top plate: Double top plate is required in platform framing to tie walls together and support loads above
• Bottom (sole) plate: Single horizontal member anchored to the floor
• Headers: Horizontal members spanning openings; size depends on span and load (doubled 2× lumber with spacer, or engineered lumber)
• Trimmer studs (jack studs): Shortened studs supporting the header ends on each side of an opening
• King studs: Full-height studs running alongside trimmers, nailed to them
• Cripple studs: Short studs above a header or below a rough sill; carry no structural load in non-bearing walls
• Rough sill: Horizontal member at the bottom of a window rough opening, supported by cripple studs

Study Brief (10% of exam – ~6 questions)

Key Concepts

Door Installation & Hanging - Prehung doors come with frame assembled; check plumb, level, and square before fastening. Shim at hinges and latch locations. - Door hand: Stand outside facing the door. Hinges on the left = left-hand; hinges on the right = right-hand. Reverse-swing doors add "reverse" to the designation. - Correct clearances: exterior doors typically require 1/8" at sides and top; 1/2" at the bottom (over threshold) or 3/4" over finish floor. - Bifold doors: Pivot pin top and bottom; track-mounted. Align panels so they fold flush. - Pocket doors: Require pre-built split-stud pocket frame; track must be perfectly level or door drifts. - Exterior doors must be weather-stripped and sealed; threshold must address moisture/energy intrusion.

Key Concepts

Weather-Resistive Barriers (WRB) & Moisture Protection SC Building Code (based on IRC/IBC Chapter 14) requires a weather-resistive barrier behind all exterior wall cladding. Acceptable materials include building paper (minimum Grade D) or housewrap. The WRB creates a drainage plane — a gap or layer that allows water that penetrates the siding to drain downward and out rather than into the wall assembly. Flashing is required at all openings (windows, doors), penetrations, and transitions. Without a proper drainage plane, moisture accumulates and causes rot and mold.

Types of Siding Materials - Wood bevel (lap) siding: Most common. Plain bevel uses 10d siding nails; bungalow (colonial) uses 6d siding nails. Minimum 1" overlap required. - Dolly Varden: Thicker than bevel with a rabbeted edge; same installation principles. - Plywood panel siding: Typically 4'×8' or 4'×9'; can be installed vertically or horizontally. - Vinyl siding: Must be fastened loosely (not nailed tight) to allow thermal…

Key Concepts

Gypsum Panel Types

• Standard drywall: Gypsum core covered with paper; common sizes 4'×8' (also 9', 10', 12', 14' lengths); widths 4'–4.5'
• Type X: Enhanced fire resistance via special core additives; required in rated assemblies; minimum ⅝" thick for 1-hour rated walls
• Type C: Superior fire resistance compared to Type X; contains more glass fiber and vermiculite; self-compensating core shrinks less when heated
• Moisture-resistant (MR/"green board"): Permitted on ceilings in wet areas per 2006+ IRC; not permitted in shower stalls or tub/shower surrounds — use cement board, fiber-cement board, or glass-mat (paperless) gypsum board instead
• Abuse-resistant: Higher-density core for impact resistance; used in high-traffic areas
• Flexible: Thin panels (¼") that can bend to curved surfaces

Key Concepts

Cold-Formed Steel (CFS): Sheet steel bent and formed without heat. Also called light-gauge steel framing. Galvanized for corrosion resistance; contains at least 25% recycled content. Stronger than the base sheet steel due to the cold-forming process.

STUFL Member Types (memorize this acronym): - S – Stud: Wall studs, joists, and rafters (all same C-shape) - T – Track: Top and bottom plates; rim of floors and rafters - U – U-channel: Bridging, blocking, cabinet backing - F – Furring channel: Purlins, bridging, backing, sound separation subassemblies - L – L-header: Doubled and used as headers over openings

Universal Designator System: Members are specified by web dimension × shape × flange dimension – thickness (mils). Web and flange sizes expressed in 1/100ths of an inch; thickness in 1/1000ths of an inch (mils). Example: 350S162-43 = 3½" web, Stud shape, 1⅝" flange, 43 mil thick (equivalent to a 2×4).

Key Concepts

Fall Protection (Subpart M)

• Guardrails required at 6 feet or more above a lower level on construction sites (OSHA 1926.502).
• Top rail height: 42 inches (±3 inches); mid-rail at 21 inches; toeboard at least 3.5 inches high.
• Top rail must withstand 200 lbs of outward/downward force.
• Personal fall arrest systems must limit free fall to 6 feet and arrest force to 1,800 lbs.

Personal Protective Equipment (Subpart E)

• Employers must pay for most PPE, including hard hats, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility vests, fall protection harnesses, and respirators.
• Exceptions where employer does not pay: non-specialty safety-toe boots, non-specialty prescription safety glasses, logging boots, and everyday clothing.
• PPE must be selected based on the specific hazard present — not generic or one-size-fits-all.