Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Marking the wall location
Mark straight lines on the floor to show the location of walls
.
This is best done using a
chalk line, which can be purchased from any good hardware store. A chalk line is made
up of a case, either plastic or metal, marking chalk and a string. The string is wound up
inside the casing containing the marking chalk. As the string, or chalk line is pulled out of
its carriage it is loaded with the chalk inside the unit. Extend sufficient string from the
unit to reach from one mark to the other. If you are working alone, hammer a nail into
one of the markings and loop the loose end of the string over the nail. Pull the string very
tight between and over the markings. While holding the string taut, reach out along the
chalk line towards the other with your other hand and take hold of the string. Lift the
string off the surface of the floor in a vertical motion. When the string is let go it will
spring back against the floor thereby dislodging the chalk onto the floor. It is important
that the string be lifted vertically, as when it is lifted to one side it will mark the floor as
an arc rather than a straight line. Mark the floor for the positions of ALL of the walls to
be built in the house.
Mark the internal edge of the side rail of the bottom boxing on the floor, as the
internal line of the outside wall. This will determine the length of the walls to be built
within the house. The internal line for the bottom boxing will be 450 mm from the top
outer edge of the floor, as the bottom boxing is 450 mm wide.
2. Cut the wall plates to match the markings on the floor
In this process the top and bottom wall plates will be cut to length and positioned on the
floor one on top of the other. This will be done for all the walls of the house.
It is imperative that the walls are not bowed away from the lines marked on the floor
once the walls are standing in position. Timber will often have a bow in it and so these
bows and twists must be overcome. If the timber used as the bottom plate is bowed it is
not too difficult to hold it straight once it has been forced into position, as it will have a
number of nails through it into the floor. This is not the case for the top plate as it is in
mid-air. The only means of holding it straight is to fit temporary braces from the top
plate down to the floor holding it in the correct position. Consequently, it is wise to use
the straightest timber available for top plates rather than bottom plates.
Refer to the material list
When the material list was prepared for material purchase, details of the position of
various lengths of timber should have been recorded on a copy of the floor plan. Refer to
this detail to determine what length timbers are to be positioned in what areas of the
house for wall plates. Position the timber roughly into position on the floor emulating
the details from the floor plate layout plan. It may be necessary to cut one end of the
timber to ensure that it is square and free of cracks before positioning it on the floor.
Start laying the wall plates from one side of the building. It is best to start on the side of
the building with the greater number of walls. This will most likely be the area that
includes the bathroom, toilet and laundry. All of the material for the top plates will be
laid prior to cutting in the bottom plate timber.
Once all the walls are built and standing in position, you will have to ensure that the
top of the wall is straight. If this is not done, you may well end up with a bow in the top
