Arkansas Wood Framing - Residential Exam Prep Checklist
Everything for the Arkansas Wood Framing - Residential exam in one place: the bulletin's key facts, the topics and how many questions each carries, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a prep checklist. PSI gives the exam.
Arkansas Wood Framing - Residential Exam Facts
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 supply their own bound references, which may be marked up only before the exam and may not contain extra papers.
- Highlighting, underlining and annotation done before the exam are permitted, and only permanent tabs may be used.
- Candidates will have access to an online calculator and may not bring their own calculator.
- No additional loose or attached papers may be brought in with the approved 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 Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (2015)
- Carpentry and Building Construction (2010)
Source: Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board - Wood Framing - Residential, 3/5/2020. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
Arkansas Wood Framing - Residential Exam Topics
The official content outline has 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% |
Arkansas Wood Framing - Residential Exam Prep Checklist
- Get the reference books the bulletin lists, in the editions it names.
- Learn each book's table of contents and index first.
- Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
- Take our timed practice exams until you pass several in a row.
- After each attempt, look up every question you missed in your book.
- Practice at the real exam's pace: about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question.
Arkansas Wood Framing - Residential Exam Reference Books
The bulletin lists the OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 regulations (or PSI's selections), the 2015 International Residential Code, and Carpentry and Building Construction (2010) as references allowed in the examination center.
Where to get them:
Test Day Checklist
- First pass: answer every question you know. Bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you return to bookmarked questions.
- Second pass: work through your bookmarks.
- Pace: 75 minutes for 30 questions, which is about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question.
- Last step: answer anything still blank. A blank can't earn a point.
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.
Arkansas Wood Framing - Residential Sample Questions
From our practice question bank, with answers and references:
Sample 1 — Floors and Stairs
Question: A second-floor bedroom window serves as the required emergency escape and rescue opening. What is the minimum net clear opening area for that window?
- A. 5.7 square feet
- B. 5.0 square feet
- C. 6.5 square feet
- D. 7.0 square feet
Correct Answer: A
Per IRC Section R310.2.1, emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a net clear opening of not less than 5.7 square feet. The 5-square-foot figure is the exception permitted only for grade-floor or below-grade openings.
Reference: IRC 2015 Section R310.2.1
Sample 2 — Roofs
Question: What is the function of a collar tie in conventional roof framing?
- A. It supports the ridge board from below at the center of the span
- B. It connects opposite pairs of rafters horizontally to help stiffen the roof
- C. It transfers ceiling loads from the joists to the exterior walls
- D. It provides a nailing surface for the roof sheathing at the ridge
Correct Answer: B
A collar tie is a horizontal tie that connects opposite pairs of rafters to help stiffen the roof, as described in the Basic Roof Framing chapter of Carpentry and Building Construction.
Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 17.1, Page 468
Sample 3 — Safety
Question: You are a remodeling contractor selecting personal protective equipment for your crew. Which organization's approval should you verify when choosing safety glasses, hardhats, and hearing protectors for construction use?
- A. EPA
- B. NFPA
- C. ANSI
- D. UL
Correct Answer: C
The protective equipment chosen for construction use should be approved for its given use by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). ANSI sets standards for personal protective equipment including safety glasses, hardhats, and hearing protectors used on job sites.
Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 3 — Personal Protective Equipment section (Book Page 94)
Sample 4 — Estimating and Plan Reading
Question: Which of the following information must be contained in a certificate of occupancy issued by the building official?
- A. The contractor's license number
- B. The names of the inspectors who signed off
- C. The code edition the permit was issued under
- D. The assessed value of the property
Correct Answer: C
Per 2015 IRC Section R110.3, the certificate of occupancy must contain, among other items, the permit number, address, owner's name and address, description of the portion covered, a compliance statement, the name of the building official, and the edition of the code under which the permit was issued.
Reference: IRC 2015 Section R110.3
Online Practice vs. a PDF
- Timed: you practice finding answers under time pressure, not just reading them.
- Bookmarks: flag questions and come back, the way you will on test day.
- New sets: each attempt draws new questions from our bank.
- Scored by topic: your results show which outline topics need more study.
Next Step
- Take the free Arkansas Wood Framing - Residential practice exam.
- Study the topics where you scored lowest.
- Read the exam bulletin for the official rules, and see the licensing board's website.