Gypsum wallboard is composed of gypsum between two layers of heavy paper. Some types have unfinished surfaces, while others have finishes that represent wood grain or tile. The most common thickness is 1/2 in. Its width is usually 4 ft, and its length varies from 4 to 14 ft. Another type of gypsum wallboard has depressed or tapered edges. The joints are filled with special cement and are then taped so that the joints do not show. They can then be painted. This procedure is commonly known as DRY WALL. Dry walls are particularly useful in areas and spaces where sound-deadening and fire-resistant materials are desired.

When not properly treated and installed, wood can be destroyed by decay, fungi, boring insects, weathering, or fire. Although designed for the specific use of the wood, treatment varies from project to project and from one geographical area to another. The kind and amount of treatment is usually given by the project specifications. Where no written specifications exist, the drawings should indicate the kind and amount of wood treatment.

Manufacturers commercial standards contain information on wood pretreated by the manufacturer. NAVFAC publications and specifications provide technical information and design requirements for the treatment of wood used in buildings and structures.

In a wood frame building or structure, the framework consists mostly of wood load-bearing members that are joined together to form an internal supporting structure, much like the skeleton of a human body.

When a complete set of drawings is made for a certain building, large-scale details are usually shown for typical sections, joints, and other unusual construction features. Understanding the different functions of the structural members of a frame building will enable you to make these drawings correctly and promptly.

Generally, a building has two main parts: the FOUNDATION and that part above the foundation, called the SUPERSTRUCTURE. The framework of a wooden superstructure is called the FRAMING of the building. It is subdivided into floor framing, wall framing, and roof framing. FLOOR FRAMING consists, for the most part, of horizontal structural members called joists, and the WALL FRAMING, for the most part, of vertical members called studs. ROOF FRAMING consists of both horizontal and vertical structural members. 

The most common framing and construction methods are the PLATFORM (also called WESTERN and STORY-BY-STORY framing) (fig. 6-9) and the BALLOON FRAMING (fig. 6-10). The striking difference between these two methods is

that in balloon framing, the studs extend from the sill of the first floor to the top of the soleplate or end rafter of the second floor; whereas the platform framing has separate studs for each floor anchored on the soleplate.