Arkansas Wood Framing - Commercial Exam: A Practical Study Guide
The Arkansas Wood Framing - Commercial exam tests the rules and the reference books behind the work. This guide lays out the job: the key facts from the official bulletin, what the exam covers, the books you need, sample questions with answers, and how to get ready. PSI gives the exam.
The Arkansas Wood Framing - Commercial Exam at a Glance
Here's the rundown from the official bulletin:
| Questions | 30 questions |
| Time limit | 75 minutes |
| Passing score | 21 correct answers out of 30 scored questions |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
On exam day
- Candidates must bring their own bound references, which may be marked only before the exam, and writing in them during the exam is reported to the Board.
- Highlighting, underlining and annotation are allowed if done before the exam, and only permanent tabs may be used.
- An online calculator is provided and candidates may not bring their own calculator.
- Candidates may use the on-screen calculator but may not bring additional loose or attached papers with their references.
References you may bring
- Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA), with latest available amendments
- Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 Selections by PSI, with latest available amendments
- International Building Code (2015)
- Carpentry and Building Construction (2010)
Source: Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board - Wood Framing - Commercial, 3/5/2020. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
What the Arkansas Wood Framing - Commercial Exam Covers
The official content outline breaks the exam into 6 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Estimating and Plan Reading | 5 | 17% |
| Layout | 5 | 17% |
| Walls | 5 | 17% |
| Floors and Stairs | 5 | 17% |
| Roofs | 5 | 17% |
| Safety | 5 | 17% |
How to Get Ready for the Arkansas Wood Framing - Commercial Exam
Treat your reference books like your tools. On an open-book exam you don't need every rule memorized. You need to know which book holds it and where to find it.
Buy the books the bulletin lists, in the editions it names. An older or newer edition can put the answer on a different page, or change it.
Learn your way around each book before you study anything else. The table of contents and the index are your layout.
Highlight what you look up most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Put in the reps with timed practice exams. The clock trains you to find answers at the pace the real exam needs: about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question.
Measure twice. When you miss a practice question, find the section in your book, read it and mark it. Keep at it until you pass practice exams consistently.
The Books for the Arkansas Wood Framing - Commercial Exam
The references allowed in the examination center are 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA) or PSI's 29 CFR Part 1926 Selections, the 2015 International Building Code, and Carpentry and Building Construction, 2010.
Where to get them:
Working the Exam on Test Day
Work the exam in two passes. On the first pass, answer everything you know and bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions. On the second pass, go back to your bookmarks and take them one at a time.
Don't get hung up on one question. You have 75 minutes for 30 questions, which is about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question. Before you finish, make sure nothing is left blank.
Study Tips
On an open-book exam, the winners aren't the smartest people in the room — they're the fastest at finding answers. Buy the required book, practice with it open, and tab and highlight each section the first time a question sends you there. Learn the index and table of contents until you can land on any topic in seconds. That speed is what separates a pass from a fail.
Know your way around each book's index and table of contents. Open-book exams reward speed: you need to find specific items quickly.
On an open-book exam, work through every question once: answer the ones you know and skip the ones you don't. Then go back to the ones you flagged. You can bookmark questions for later review, just like on our exams — and don't sink too much time into any single question. The clock is still running.
Give yourself at least three to six weeks. Use your exam's candidate bulletin as your roadmap for what's tested, and spend your time on finding-it-fast skills over rote memorization. In practice, aim for three clean passes at 80% or higher — setting your practice bar above the real cut score gives you a comfortable margin on test day.
Practicing against a ticking clock is the best way to beat exam-clock anxiety. Use these timed tests to build your pacing, so you learn to move steadily and never burn too long on a single question. By test day, the format feels routine.
Sample Arkansas Wood Framing - Commercial Questions
These come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and the reference behind it.
Sample 1 — Floors and Stairs
Question: What is the maximum riser height and minimum tread depth permitted by the building code for residential stairways?
- A. Maximum riser height of 7¾ inches; minimum tread depth of 10 inches
- B. Maximum riser height of 7½ inches; minimum tread depth of 10½ inches
- C. Maximum riser height of 7 inches; minimum tread depth of 11 inches
- D. Maximum riser height of 8 inches; minimum tread depth of 9 inches
Correct Answer: A
The building code allows a maximum riser height of 7¾ inches and a minimum tread depth of 10 inches. Safety research indicates the ideal riser is 7 inches high and the ideal tread is 11 inches deep.
Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 731
Sample 2 — Roofs
Question: You are a framing contractor estimating roof sheathing for a rectangular home that measures 50 feet long and 27 feet wide (including overhang) with a 4-inch rise per foot. After calculating the plan area and applying the roof slope factor, you determine the total roof area. What percentage should you add to that calculated quantity for trim and waste allowance when ordering sheathing panels?
- A. 8 percent
- B. 5 percent
- C. 10 percent
- D. 3 percent
Correct Answer: B
According to the Estimating Roof Sheathing section, after dividing the roof area by 32 square feet per panel to determine the number of panels needed, you add 5 percent for a trim and waste allowance. The example shows: 72.19 × 0.05 = 3.6, then 72.19 + 3.6 = 75.79, rounded up to 76 sheets.
Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 19.5, Page 566
Sample 3 — Safety
Question: On a construction site, which class of fire extinguisher is appropriate for a fire involving grease, oil, or chemicals?
- A. Class C only
- B. Class B
- C. Class D
- D. Class A only
Correct Answer: B
According to the fire extinguisher classification system, Class B fires involve grease, oil, and chemicals. Class A fires involve wood, paper, cloth, and plastic. Class C fires involve electrical equipment. Class D fires involve combustible metals. Extinguishers rated for Class B (or combination ratings such as A:B or A:B:C) are appropriate for grease, oil, and chemical fires.
Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Construction Safety & Health, Page 81
Sample 4 — Estimating and Plan Reading
Question: You obtain a building permit for a commercial tenant build-out, but the owner's financing is delayed and no work begins on the site. The permit becomes invalid unless work authorized by the permit is commenced within how many days after its issuance?
- A. 180 days
- B. 60 days
- C. 360 days
- D. 90 days
Correct Answer: A
Per IBC 105.5, every permit becomes invalid unless the work on the site is commenced within 180 days after issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after commencement. The building official may grant written extensions of not more than 180 days each for justifiable cause.
Reference: IBC 2015 Chapter 1 — Section 105.5 Expiration
Why Practice Online Instead of With a PDF
A PDF is like reading about a job instead of doing it. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers with the clock running. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results break your score down by topic so you know where to put in more work.
Get Started
Take the free Arkansas Wood Framing - Commercial practice exam to see where you stand, then put your time into the topics that need it. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.