Vent: Seeing a lot of new folks skip the layout step on basic framing

In my experience, that extra 20 minutes with a chalk line saves hours fixing a wall that's out of square. How do you guys make sure your first plate is dead straight?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthewf4010d ago

My old crew boss in Texas would check the first plate with a 50 foot tape from both corners. That middle can bow out on you if you only snap lines. You end up chasing that curve through the whole wall.

jamie7129d ago

Chasing that curve" is the worst feeling.

gibson.seth9d ago

That "chasing the curve" thing is so real... I always wondered if part of the problem is the ground itself. You can have a perfectly straight line snapped, but if the dirt under the plate isn't packed right or has a low spot, the whole thing can settle into a bend after you walk on it. So even checking from the corners might not catch a dip waiting to happen. Makes you want to check the level of the grade before the plate even goes down.

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