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Unit: Installation requirements

Supporting: LMFKB3002A Determine requirements for installation of cabinets

Section 2: Construction features

External walls


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The most common types of external wall structures used in domestic buildings are described below.

We will discuss internal walls in the next lesson, under the heading: Other structural features.

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Timber frame

Timber framing is a very efficient method of construction. The wall frames support the roof and ceiling, as well as providing a fixing point for the wall linings.

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Traditionally, wall frames were built on-site by the carpenters and stood up in position as they were made.

These days they are nearly always prefabricated in a frame and truss plant and delivered to the site together with the roof trusses.

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This photo shows a typical timber frame.

The plywood sheeting you can see on the left hand wall frame beside the window provides bracing for the wall, and helps to resist wind forces that push against the sides of the building.

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The cladding used on timber framed homes is most often some form of weatherboard, made from fibre cement, aluminium or a durable timber.

Sometimes plywood or fibre cement sheeting is used instead of weatherboard.

In all cases, the cladding is generally nailed to the timber wall frame with a waterproofing membrane in between.

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Interior linings are typically plasterboard sheets, which are painted after installation.

Some owners like to use timber lining boards or plywood with a fancy veneer on feature walls.

The lining is glued and nailed to the wall frames.

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Steel or aluminium framing is sometimes used in place of timber.

The components are made in the form of a 'C' channel and fastened together with screws.

Although metal framing is used more in some areas than others, it has a very low percentage of the overall market.

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This diagram shows the names of the main components in a wall frame.

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Brick veneer

A brick veneer wall is basically a timber frame (or steel frame) with a brick skin on the outside. That is, the ceiling and roof are still supported by the frame, with the brickwork performing the function of an external cladding.

Brick veneer construction was developed in Australia, and has become far and away the most popular construction method for residential dwellings.

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Windows and doors are generally fixed into the timber frame before the bricklayers start work.

This enables them to finish their brickwork accurately to the window reveals and door jambs.

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The brick walls are tied back to the wall frames with veneer ties.

This stops the brick walls from moving in or out, and also provides extra support to the wall frames.

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Full brick

Full brick buildings have two skins of brickwork, with a gap of 50 to 60 mm in between. The purpose of the gap is to stop moisture from absorbing through the outside wall to the inside. The two skins are tied together with cavity ties to improve the stability of the walls.

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Full brick is also called cavity brick.

It is a form of solid masonry construction, which also includes concrete blocks and stonework.

Masonry walls can be left natural, or they can be finished with a plaster or cement render and then painted.

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Learning activity

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Once an internal wall has been painted, it's sometimes hard to tell at a glance whether it is made of solid plaster over masonry, or plasterboard sheets fixed to a timber frame. But there is an easy way to find out - just tap the wall with your fingers. If it's got the drummy sound of plasterboard on a hollow frame, then that's what it is.

You can also use this technique to find out exactly where the studs are in a wall frame. Tap along the wall with your fingers until the drummy sound becomes deadened. Chances are that's where the stud will be.

But beware! Don't forget that the wall frame will have noggings, which might also deaden the sound. And also keep in mind that sometimes the plasterboard lifts away from particular studs because either the glue didn't stick properly or the stud wasn't perfectly straight - which means that it might sound hollow right across the face of the stud.

The best way to reduce this problem is to press against the wall with your other hand, so that you push the plasterboard hard against the studs while you're tapping.

Of course, the high-tech alternative to this technique is to use a stud finder. This is a hand-held electronic unit that measures the electrical capacitance in the wall and detects where the changes are. Some newer stud finders send out a radar signal.

But the old fashioned technique is still a very handy one to know. Try it out for yourself on a few plasterboard walls.


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