Cold-Formed Metal Framing
Neutrality remake campaign: from-scratch field derivation per authoring cheatsheet; project parameters and derived dispositions
Showing changes from Rev 7
to Rev 8
in Cold-Formed Metal Framing.
−---
−title: Cold-Formed Metal Framing
−category: Structural / Steel & Metal Fabrications
−toc_depth: 3
−description: >
− When to use: Cold-formed steel framing (CFSF) for commercial, institutional, multi-family residential, and light industrial buildings. Covers both load-bearing and non-load-bearing applications, including axial-load-carrying stud walls, exterior curtain-wall (non-load-bearing) wind-bearing studs, interior non-structural partition framing, floor and ceiling joists, rafters, roof trusses fabricated from cold-formed sections, and ceiling/soffit framing. Addresses materials and coatings, SSMA member designations and gauge identification, screw and welded connections, bridging, bracing, deflection criteria, fire-resistive assemblies, structural diaphragms (where used), and field inspection. Applicable to single-story and mid-rise (typically up to six stories of CFSF gravity walls) construction.
− Not intended for: Non-structural gypsum board partition framing inside the building envelope that does not carry lateral or gravity loads beyond the board itself — that work is governed by [[sync/gypsum-board-assemblies]] and uses ASTM C645 members under ASTM C754 installation. Hot-rolled structural steel framing (see [[sync/structural-steel-framing]]). Open-web steel joists and joist girders (see [[sync/steel-joists]]). Wood framing of any kind. Pre-engineered metal building systems. Light-gauge steel decking used as a structural diaphragm or composite deck. Stainless or non-ferrous framing systems.
−---
−
−# Scope {toc}
−
−## This standard governs the materials, fabrication, and installation of cold-formed steel framing (CFSF) for buildings — both members that carry calculated structural loads and members that resist only wind or transverse loads as exterior cladding backup. {note}
−## Cold-formed steel is roll-formed at ambient temperature from galvanized sheet steel into C-shaped studs, U-shaped tracks, channels, hat sections, Z-sections, and proprietary built-up shapes. {note}
−## The same family of products spans a wide range of structural roles: bearing studs in load-bearing exterior walls of multi-family and mid-rise buildings, curtain-wall studs that span between primary structure and resist only wind, joists in floor and roof framing, and ceiling and soffit furring. {note}
−## A single project frequently uses members from all of these categories, sometimes adjacent to one another. {note}
−
−## The specifier shall be clear about which members are structural and which are non-structural, because the governing standard, the gauge minimum, the coating minimum, and the inspection regime differ between the two.
−
−## Structural cold-formed steel — load-bearing studs, curtain-wall studs designed for wind, joists, rafters, and any member whose failure would compromise the building's structural integrity — shall be governed by AISI S100, AISI S240, and where seismic demands apply, AISI S400.
−
−### Structural members shall be manufactured to ASTM A1003/A1003M, sized per the manufacturer's published section properties, and identified by Steel Stud Manufacturers Association (SSMA) designations.
−
−### Connections and field installation of structural members shall be inspected as structural work.
−
−## Non-structural cold-formed steel — partition studs and runners that support only gypsum board, suspended ceiling framing, soffit framing, and similar interior assemblies that carry no calculated load beyond the finish itself — shall be governed by AISI S220 and installed under ASTM C754.
−
−### Non-structural members may be furnished to ASTM C645, which permits thinner base metal and is the standard's expected minimum for interior partitions.
−
−## Member sizes, layouts, locations, and connection details are [[drawing: as indicated on the structural drawings (for load-bearing CFSF) and on the architectural drawings (for non-load-bearing CFSF)]].
−
−### The specification and the contract drawings shall be read together: this specification governs how the framing is procured, fabricated, connected, and erected, and the contract drawings define what is built and where.
−
−## Interface Coordination {toc}
−
−### Cold-formed steel framing interfaces with several adjacent scopes, each governed by its own standard and coordinated here at the framing interface only. {note}
−
−### Gypsum board attachment to non-structural CFSF partitions shall be governed by [[sync/gypsum-board-assemblies]].
−
−### Hot-rolled structural connections (anchor plates, clip angles, embeds) that interface with cold-formed members shall be governed by [[sync/structural-steel-framing]].
−
−### Open-web steel joists and joist girders shall be governed by [[sync/steel-joists]].
−
−### Firestopping of penetrations through fire-resistance-rated assemblies framed with CFSF shall be governed by [[sync/firestopping]].
−
−### Door frames anchored to cold-formed steel jamb studs shall be coordinated with [[sync/doors-frames-and-hardware]].
−
−### Jamb stud sizing for door openings is one of the most common field-condition errors. {note}
−
−### Thermal insulation within CFSF stud cavities shall be covered by [[sync/building-thermal-insulation]].
−
−# Referenced Standards {toc}
−
−## Materials, fabrication, and installation shall comply with the latest edition of each standard listed below as adopted by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
−
−## Where conflicts exist between referenced standards, the more stringent requirement governs unless the Structural Engineer of Record (SER) or Architect of Record (AOR) directs otherwise in writing.
−
−## For structural cold-formed steel, the SER's design basis and general structural notes govern over default assumptions in this specification.
−
−## Standards List {toc}
−
−| Standard | Title |
−|----------|-------|
−| AISI S100-16 (R2020) | North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members |
−| AISI S220-20 | North American Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing — Nonstructural Members |
−| AISI S240-20 | North American Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Structural Framing |
−| AISI S400-20 | North American Standard for Seismic Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Systems |
−| AISI S202-20 | Code of Standard Practice for Cold-Formed Steel Structural Framing |
−| ASTM A1003/A1003M | Steel Sheet, Carbon, Metallic- and Nonmetallic-Coated for Cold-Formed Framing Members |
−| ASTM A653/A653M | Steel Sheet, Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) by the Hot-Dip Process |
−| ASTM A1058/A1058M | Mechanical Testing of Steel Products — Metric |
−| ASTM C645 | Nonstructural Steel Framing Members |
−| ASTM C754 | Installation of Steel Framing Members to Receive Screw-Attached Gypsum Panel Products |
−| ASTM C955 | Load-Bearing (Transverse and Axial) Steel Studs, Runners (Tracks), and Bracing or Bridging for Screw Application of Gypsum Panel Products and Metal Plaster Bases |
−| ASTM C1007 | Installation of Load Bearing (Transverse and Axial) Steel Studs and Related Accessories |
−| ASTM C1513 | Steel Tapping Screws for Cold-Formed Steel Framing Connections |
−| AWS D1.3/D1.3M | Structural Welding Code — Sheet Steel |
−| SSMA Product Technical Information | Steel Stud Manufacturers Association — Member Designations, Section Properties, and Allowable Loads |
−| IBC | International Building Code, Chapter 22 (Steel) — current edition adopted by jurisdiction |
−| ASCE 7 | Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures |
−| UL Fire Resistance Directory | UL Fire-Resistance Rated Systems |
−| GA-600 | Fire Resistance and Sound Control Design Manual (Gypsum Association) |
−
−### AISI S240 and AISI S220 are the umbrella standards for structural and non-structural cold-formed steel framing respectively; both reference AISI S100 for member-level design provisions. {note}
−### AISI S400 is invoked in addition to S240 when the project is in Seismic Design Category D, E, or F, or when the CFSF participates in a designated seismic force-resisting system. {note}
−### The IBC adopts these AISI standards by reference in Chapter 22. {note}
−
−# Submittals {toc}
−
−## Action Submittals {toc}
−
−### The Contractor shall submit the following for review by the SER (for load-bearing CFSF) and the AOR (for non-load-bearing CFSF) prior to procurement and installation.
−
−```datasheet
−label: Action Submittals Required
−type: checkbox
−options:
− - "Product data — structural studs and tracks (load-bearing and curtain-wall)"
− - "Product data — non-structural studs and tracks (partition framing)"
− - "Product data — joists, rafters, and built-up sections (where used)"
− - "Product data — bridging, bracing, and clip connectors"
− - "Product data — screws and powder-actuated fasteners"
− - "Shop drawings for load-bearing and curtain-wall CFSF, sealed by licensed engineer"
− - "Delegated design calculations (where design is delegated)"
− - "Welding procedure specifications (AWS D1.3)"
− - "Welder qualification records (AWS D1.3)"
− - "Certified mill test reports (structural CFSF)"
− - "Fire-resistance design number schedule (rated assemblies)"
−default: "Product data — structural studs and tracks (load-bearing and curtain-wall)"
−```
−
−### Installation shall not begin on structural cold-formed steel until the corresponding structural submittals have been reviewed and returned.
−
−### Non-structural partition framing may proceed under the AOR's standard submittal workflow.
−
−### Product data shall be submitted for each cold-formed steel framing member, accessory, fastener, and connector to be used on the project, including the manufacturer's published catalog or technical information sheet showing the SSMA designation (where applicable), base metal thickness in mils (and design thickness for structural members), web depth, flange width, return-lip dimension, minimum yield strength, coating designation, section properties (area, moment of inertia, section modulus), and where applicable, the manufacturer's allowable axial and transverse load tables.
−
−### Shop drawings shall be submitted for all load-bearing CFSF assemblies and for all CFSF used as wind-bearing curtain-wall framing.
−
−### Shop drawings shall be prepared by the cold-formed steel framing supplier's engineer (where panel design is delegated) or by the fabricator (where field-erected).
−
−### Shop drawings shall show every member designation and size, member spacing, top and bottom track conditions, bridging and bracing locations and types, opening framing (jambs, headers, sills, and cripples), connection details at the top and bottom tracks, connections to primary structure (clips, embeds, deflection tracks), screw types and patterns, and any field-welded connections including weld symbols, sizes, and applicable AWS D1.3 procedures.
−
−### Shop drawings shall be sealed by a licensed structural engineer in the state of the project where panel design or connection design is delegated to the supplier.
−
−### Delegated design calculations shall be submitted where any portion of the CFSF design is delegated to the supplier or fabricator's engineer, and shall demonstrate compliance with AISI S100, S240, and (where applicable) S400 for the gravity, wind, and seismic loads identified by the SER on the contract drawings.
−
−### The SER's review confirms that the delegated design meets the contract force and deflection requirements; the supplier's engineer retains responsibility for the detailed design. {note}
−
−### Welding procedure specifications (WPS) shall be submitted for any welded CFSF connections, in accordance with AWS D1.3/D1.3M.
−
−### AWS D1.3 specifically addresses welding of sheet steel 0.18 in. (4.6 mm) thick and less and has distinct procedures from AWS D1.1 (used for hot-rolled steel). {note}
−
−### Welder qualification records shall be submitted demonstrating qualification under AWS D1.3 for the processes, positions, and base metal thicknesses to be welded.
−
−### Mill test reports (CMTRs) shall be submitted for all structural CFSF members on request, confirming compliance with ASTM A1003/A1003M (or ASTM A653/A653M for the galvanized substrate where applicable), the specified minimum yield strength, and the specified metallic coating designation (G60 or G90).
−
−### For non-structural members furnished to ASTM C645, certification by the manufacturer that members meet the standard's minimum requirements is acceptable in place of full CMTRs.
−
−## Delegated Design {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Delegated Design Scope
−type: select
−options:
− - "All CFSF members and connections fully detailed on contract drawings — no delegation"
− - "Curtain-wall (exterior non-load-bearing) stud size and bridging delegated to specialty engineer"
− - "Load-bearing wall panel design delegated to specialty engineer (forces shown on drawings)"
− - "All CFSF design delegated to specialty engineer (loads and deflection criteria shown on drawings)"
−default: "Curtain-wall (exterior non-load-bearing) stud size and bridging delegated to specialty engineer"
−```
−
−### Delegation of cold-formed steel design to a specialty engineer retained by the supplier is the prevailing practice in U.S. commercial construction for exterior curtain-wall studs, prefabricated load-bearing panel walls, and CFSF roof and floor trusses. {note}
−
−### The contract drawings shall provide the controlling loads (gravity reactions, wind pressures, seismic forces) and the controlling serviceability criteria (deflection limits, drift limits) so that the specialty engineer has all of the information needed to design the members and connections.
−
−### Delegation of design without a clear, complete statement of the design loads and deflection criteria leads to under- or over-designed framing and to disputes about scope. {note}
−
−## Closeout Submittals {toc}
−
−### At substantial completion, the Contractor shall provide the following closeout submittals:
−
−- As-built shop drawings reflecting any field modifications or substitutions approved during construction
−- Final inspection reports covering visual and welding inspections for structural CFSF
−- Touch-up coating documentation
−- Certificates of compliance from the supplier and installer attesting that the work was performed in accordance with the contract documents and applicable standards
−
−```datasheet
−label: Required Closeout Submittals
−type: checkbox
−options:
− - As-built shop drawings reflecting field modifications or substitutions
− - Final inspection reports for visual and welding inspections (structural CFSF)
− - Touch-up coating documentation
− - Certificates of compliance from supplier and installer
−default: [As-built shop drawings reflecting field modifications or substitutions, Final inspection reports for visual and welding inspections (structural CFSF), Touch-up coating documentation, Certificates of compliance from supplier and installer]
−```
−
−# Quality Assurance {toc}
−
−## Special Inspection {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Special Inspection Required (Load-Bearing CFSF)
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Yes — per IBC Chapter 17 for cold-formed steel SFRS elements and welded connections"
− - "No — non-structural CFSF only; no special inspection required"
−default: "Yes — per IBC Chapter 17 for cold-formed steel SFRS elements and welded connections"
−```
−
−### Special inspection of cold-formed steel framing shall be performed in accordance with IBC Chapter 17 where structural CFSF is used.
−
−### The Statement of Special Inspections prepared by the SER shall list the required inspection tasks and frequencies (continuous or periodic).
−
−### At minimum, special inspection shall cover welding of structural cold-formed members per AWS D1.3, screw connections in designated shear walls and diaphragms, and members that are part of a seismic force-resisting system per AISI S400.
−
−### Non-structural CFSF (partition framing not carrying calculated loads beyond the finish) does not require special inspection. {note}
−
−## Installer Qualifications {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Installer Experience — Load-Bearing CFSF
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Minimum five years documented experience installing load-bearing CFSF on comparable projects"
− - "Manufacturer-approved or manufacturer-certified installer (for proprietary panel systems)"
− - "Minimum three years documented experience"
−default: "Minimum five years documented experience installing load-bearing CFSF on comparable projects"
−```
−
−### Load-bearing cold-formed steel framing is a discipline distinct from non-structural drywall partition framing. {note}
−
−### The installer shall demonstrate experience installing structural CFSF on projects of comparable scope.
−
−### For non-structural partition framing, standard commercial drywall installer experience is acceptable; CFSF for partition framing is installed by the same trades that install gypsum board (see [[sync/gypsum-board-assemblies]]). {note}
−
−## Welder Qualifications {toc}
−
−### Welders performing structural cold-formed steel welding shall be qualified under AWS D1.3/D1.3M for the processes, positions, and sheet thicknesses to be welded.
−
−### Qualification shall be current and shall not have lapsed by more than six months without re-qualification.
−
−### AWS D1.3 qualification is separate from AWS D1.1 qualification used for hot-rolled steel; a welder qualified only under D1.1 is not automatically qualified for sheet steel welding. {note}
−
−## Pre-Installation Conference {toc}
−
−### Before installation of load-bearing CFSF or exterior curtain-wall CFSF begins, the Contractor shall hold a pre-installation conference with the SER (for load-bearing), the AOR, the framing installer, the gypsum board installer (where applicable), the cladding installer, and the manufacturer's technical representative where panel design is delegated.
−
−### The conference shall confirm the layout, deflection track conditions at top of wall, opening framing for doors and windows, bridging schedule, anchor and clip selections, and the coordination of cladding attachment details with the framing.
−
−# Environmental and Service Conditions {toc}
−
−## Interior vs. Exterior Service {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Member Service Environment
−type: select
−options:
− - "Interior, dry — conditioned occupied space"
− - "Interior, intermittently humid — kitchens, laundries, swimming pool perimeter walls"
− - "Exterior, behind cladding — curtain-wall studs and load-bearing exterior walls"
− - "Exterior, exposed — direct weather exposure (canopies, soffits open at edges)"
− - "Coastal exterior — within 1 mile of saltwater"
−default: "Interior, dry — conditioned occupied space"
−```
−
−### The service environment shall determine the minimum metallic coating designation required for the framing members.
−
−### Interior dry conditions are adequately protected by G40 coating (the minimum permitted by ASTM C645 for non-structural framing), but G60 is the prevailing minimum coating across both structural and non-structural CFSF in U.S. commercial practice. {note}
−
−### Exterior and intermittently humid conditions shall require G60 minimum and benefit from G90.
−
−### Coastal exterior installations shall require G90 minimum and often warrant a higher-performance coating system or stainless steel screws in lieu of standard galvanized fasteners.
−
−### Building science failures from corrosion of cold-formed steel framing inside wall assemblies are typically caused by sustained moisture infiltration into the cavity rather than by inadequate coating on the steel; specifying G90 for exterior assemblies is inexpensive insurance against the conditions that do occur. {note}
−
−## Storage and Handling {toc}
−
−### Cold-formed steel framing shall be delivered to the site in the manufacturer's original bundles, protected from weather and physical damage.
−
−### Materials shall be stored elevated above the ground on dunnage, covered to prevent water accumulation between members but ventilated to prevent condensation, and arranged to permit drainage.
−
−### Wet bundles of galvanized framing develop white rust (zinc carbonate bloom) within hours when air circulation is restricted; white rust is cosmetic on light deposits but compromises the metallic coating where heavy. {note}
−
−### Damaged or corroded members shall not be installed without the AOR's or SER's written acceptance.
−
−### Members with section loss from corrosion shall be rejected.
−
−# Structural Cold-Formed Steel — Studs, Tracks, and Joists {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Base Metal Specification — Structural CFSF (Load-Bearing and Curtain-Wall)
−type: select
−options:
− - "ASTM A1003/A1003M, ST33H (Fy = 33 ksi)"
− - "ASTM A1003/A1003M, ST50H (Fy = 50 ksi)"
− - "ASTM A1003/A1003M, ST55H (Fy = 55 ksi)"
−default: "ASTM A1003/A1003M, ST50H (Fy = 50 ksi)"
−```
−
−## ASTM A1003/A1003M is the consolidated material standard for cold-formed framing members and covers galvanized sheet steel produced for cold-forming. {note}
−## Structural members under AISI S240 are designated with the suffix "ST" (structural) and a yield strength: ST33H (33 ksi yield, the older minimum still used for some light-gauge structural members), ST50H (50 ksi yield, the current standard for the vast majority of structural CFSF), and ST55H (55 ksi yield, used in selected proprietary heavy-gauge members). {note}
−## The "H" denotes that the steel is suitable for hot-dip metallic coating per ASTM A653/A653M. {note}
−## ST50H at 50 ksi yield is the SSMA reference standard for structural studs at 33 mil through 97 mil designations and is the appropriate default for nearly all U.S. commercial work. {note}
−
−## SSMA Designation System {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: SSMA Member Type
−type: select
−options:
− - "S — Structural stud (C-shape with return lips)"
− - "T — Track (U-shape with no return lips)"
− - "U — Cold-rolled channel (used for bridging and bracing)"
− - "F — Furring channel (hat-section)"
− - "L — Angle or clip"
− - "Joist (deeper C-section)"
−default: "S — Structural stud (C-shape with return lips)"
−```
−
−### The Steel Stud Manufacturers Association (SSMA) designation system identifies a cold-formed member with a four-part code that specifies web depth, flange width, member type, and base metal thickness. {note}
−### For example, the designation 362S162-43 indicates: 362 = 3.625 in. web depth (in hundredths of an inch), S = structural C-stud (with return lips), 162 = 1.625 in. flange width, and 43 = 43-mil (0.0451 in.) minimum base metal thickness. {note}
−### The full SSMA system covers studs (S), tracks (T), U-channels (U), hat furring (F), and L-section angles. {note}
−
−### The 1-5/8 in. flange (162) is the SSMA standard structural stud flange and is suitable for the great majority of stud applications. {note}
−### A wider 2 in. flange (200) is available in heavier-gauge structural studs and is used where additional flange width increases local buckling capacity at high axial loads. {note}
−### Deeper joist members typically have 2-1/2 in. flanges for compatibility with floor deck and screw spacing. {note}
−
−### Members shall be specified by SSMA designation rather than by gauge alone to ensure unambiguous procurement, which is the dominant U.S. convention for structural CFSF.
−
−```datasheet
−label: Stud Web Depth — Structural
−type: select
−unit: in.
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− - "2.5 in. (250)"
− - "3.5 in. (350)"
− - "3.625 in. (362)"
− - "4 in. (400)"
− - "5.5 in. (550)"
− - "6 in. (600)"
− - "8 in. (800)"
− - "10 in. (1000)"
− - "12 in. (1200)"
−default: deferred
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Stud Flange Width — Structural
−type: select
−unit: in.
−options:
− - "1.250 in. (125)"
− - "1.375 in. (137)"
− - "1.625 in. (162) — standard SSMA flange"
− - "2.000 in. (200) — extra-wide flange for higher buckling capacity"
− - "2.500 in. (250) — joist flange"
−default: "1.625 in. (162) — standard SSMA flange"
−```
−
−## Base Metal Thickness (Mil Designation) {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Base Metal Thickness (Mil) — Structural
−type: select
−unit: mil
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− - "33 mil (20 gauge structural, 0.0346 in.)"
− - "43 mil (18 gauge, 0.0451 in.)"
− - "54 mil (16 gauge, 0.0566 in.)"
− - "68 mil (14 gauge, 0.0713 in.)"
− - "97 mil (12 gauge, 0.1017 in.)"
− - "118 mil (10 gauge, 0.1242 in.)"
−default: deferred
−```
−
−### Cold-formed steel framing is designated by the minimum base metal thickness in mils (thousandths of an inch), not by the older gauge system. {note}
−### The mil designation system was adopted by the industry because gauge numbers are not standardized between manufacturers and because the design thickness used in AISI S100 calculations is the minimum base metal thickness, not the nominal coating-inclusive thickness. {note}
−### The conversion between gauge and mil is provided in the manufacturer literature; for reference, 43 mil corresponds to nominal 18 gauge structural and 33 mil to nominal 20 gauge structural. {note}
−### The "structural" qualifier on 20 gauge is important: ASTM C645 (non-structural) 20 gauge is permitted to be as thin as 18 mil, whereas ASTM C955 (structural) 20 gauge is 33 mil minimum. {note}
−### Specifying "20 gauge" without identifying structural vs. non-structural creates ambiguity that has produced bidding and procurement errors; the mil designation is unambiguous. {note}
−
−## Metallic Coating {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Metallic Coating Designation — Structural
−type: select
−options:
− - "G40 — minimum permitted, interior dry only"
− - "G60 — standard for U.S. commercial CFSF (interior and behind cladding)"
− - "G90 — exterior assemblies, humid interiors, and within 1 mile of saltwater"
−default: "G60 — standard for U.S. commercial CFSF (interior and behind cladding)"
−```
−
−### Galvanized coating designations under ASTM A653/A653M describe the minimum total weight of zinc coating on both sides of the sheet in ounces per square foot: G40 = 0.40 oz/ft², G60 = 0.60 oz/ft², G90 = 0.90 oz/ft². {note}
−
−### AISI S240 shall require a minimum of G60 for structural cold-formed steel in most applications; G40 is permitted only for interior, dry, conditioned applications.
−
−### G90 shall be the default for exterior wall assemblies, intermittently humid interior conditions, and any installation within one mile of saltwater coastline.
−
−### Where aluminum-zinc alloy coatings (AZ50, AZ55) or zinc-aluminum-magnesium coatings are specified as alternates, the specification shall identify the coating standard and minimum coating weight to ensure procurement equivalence.
−
−# Non-Structural Cold-Formed Steel — Partition Framing {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Base Metal Specification — Non-Structural CFSF (Interior Partitions)
−type: select
−options:
− - "ASTM C645 minimum thickness (15 mil / 25 gauge nominal — most interior partitions)"
− - "ASTM C645 18 mil / 22 gauge nominal (taller partitions, higher rated assemblies)"
− - "ASTM C645 27 mil / 20 gauge nominal (taller or specialty partitions)"
− - "ASTM C645 30 mil / 20 gauge equivalent (heavy non-structural)"
−default: "ASTM C645 minimum thickness (15 mil / 25 gauge nominal — most interior partitions)"
−```
−
−## ASTM C645 governs non-structural steel framing members intended only to support gypsum board and plaster bases. {note}
−## The minimum permitted base metal thickness under ASTM C645 is 15 mil (often described as 25 gauge nominal), which is adequate for partition heights up to approximately 10 ft at 16 in. on center supporting one layer of 5/8 in. gypsum board on each face. {note}
−## Taller partitions, partitions with two layers of board per face, and partitions in higher fire-resistance-rated assemblies require thicker base metal — typically 18 mil, 27 mil, or 30 mil — selected per the partition height tables published by manufacturers and by GA-600 design data. {note}
−
−## The non-structural stud web depth shall be specified for each partition type based on the partition height and deflection criteria shown on the drawings.
−
−```datasheet
−label: Non-Structural Stud Web Depth
−type: select
−unit: in.
−drawing_ref: "architectural partition type schedule"
−options:
− - "1-5/8 in. (158)"
− - "2-1/2 in. (250)"
− - "3-1/2 in. (350)"
− - "3-5/8 in. (362)"
− - "4 in. (400)"
− - "6 in. (600)"
−default: deferred
−```
−
−## The non-structural stud spacing shall be specified for each partition type based on the partition height, board configuration, and fire-resistance rating required.
−
−```datasheet
−label: Non-Structural Stud Spacing
−type: select
−unit: in. o.c.
−options:
− - "12 in. on center"
− - "16 in. on center"
− - "24 in. on center"
−default: "16 in. on center"
−```
−
−## Stud spacing of 16 in. on center is the U.S. standard for non-structural partition framing supporting one layer of 5/8 in. gypsum board on each face. 24 in. on center is permitted for many partition heights with 5/8 in. board but reduces partition stiffness and is more sensitive to point loads (wall-hung items, door operating shocks, partition rattle). 12 in. on center is used where partition height, deflection criteria, or surface impact resistance require closer spacing. {note}
−
−## The specifier shall verify that the selected gauge meets the partition height and deflection criteria for each partition type indicated on the architectural drawings.
−
−## Gypsum board installation shall be coordinated per [[sync/gypsum-board-assemblies]].
−
−# Tracks and Runners {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Track (Runner) Type
−type: select
−options:
− - "Standard track — same gauge as connected studs"
− - "Deflection track (slip track) — vertical deflection capacity at top of wall"
− - "Drift track — combined vertical deflection and seismic horizontal drift"
−default: "Standard track — same gauge as connected studs"
−```
−
−## Track sections (designated "T" in the SSMA system) are U-shaped channels that receive the ends of studs at the top and bottom of a wall. {note}
−## Standard tracks match the connected studs in base metal thickness and have the same flange dimension as the stud web depth. {note}
−## Deflection tracks (slip tracks) provide vertical relief at the top of non-load-bearing walls so that primary structure deflection from live, snow, or seismic loads does not transfer into the partition wall and crack finishes — the stud slides freely within the deflection track up to the rated travel. {note}
−
−## Deflection tracks shall be provided at the top of interior partitions and curtain-wall studs that extend to the underside of structure above, and the rated deflection capacity shall meet or exceed the calculated deflection of the structure above.
−
−## Drift tracks, which combine vertical deflection capacity with seismic horizontal drift accommodation, shall be used in seismic design categories C through F where in-plane drift of the primary frame would otherwise damage interior partition framing.
−
−## The deflection track shall be sized to accommodate at least the calculated total deflection of the primary structure above the wall, including the elastic deflection under live loads and any inelastic seismic drift where applicable.
−
−```datasheet
−label: Deflection Track Capacity
−type: select
−unit: in.
−drawing_ref: "structural drawings"
−options:
− - "1/2 in. vertical deflection"
− - "3/4 in. vertical deflection"
− - "1 in. vertical deflection"
− - "1-1/2 in. vertical deflection"
−default: deferred
−```
−
−## Specifying an undersized deflection track is one of the most common interior partition failures, generating cracked drywall and broken corner bead at occupancy. {note}
−
−# Joists, Rafters, and Built-Up Sections {toc}
−
−## Cold-formed steel joists and rafters are deeper C-section members (typically 6 in. to 12 in. web depth) used for floor and roof framing where light-gauge structural framing is selected over open-web steel joists or hot-rolled wide flange beams. {note}
−
−## Where cold-formed steel joists or rafters are used for floor and roof framing, the framing approach shall be specified based on the span, spacing, and loading shown on the structural drawings.
−
−```datasheet
−label: Floor and Roof Framing (CFSF Joists)
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Not applicable — floor and roof framing by other materials"
− - "CFSF joists per structural drawings and supplier load tables"
− - "Proprietary CFSF truss system, supplier-designed and supplied"
−default: "Not applicable — floor and roof framing by other materials"
−```
−
−## Joist member sizes, spacing, lateral bracing, and bearing details shall be designed per AISI S100 and S240.
−
−## Joists shall be selected from manufacturer load tables that correspond to the actual span, spacing, and loading shown on the structural drawings.
−
−## Built-up sections — pairs or triples of studs connected back-to-back or as boxed sections — shall be used for jamb studs at large openings, header members, and column-like members where a single C-section would be inadequate.
−
−# Bridging and Bracing {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Stud Bridging Type — Structural CFSF
−type: select
−options:
− - "Cold-rolled channel through punched stud knockouts, with clip angles welded or screwed"
− - "Proprietary bridging bar through stud knockouts with proprietary clips"
− - "Steel strap on both faces, screwed to each stud, with periodic solid blocking"
− - "Sheathing-braced design (per AISI S240 sheathing-braced provisions)"
−default: "Cold-rolled channel through punched stud knockouts, with clip angles welded or screwed"
−```
−
−## Bridging restrains structural studs against rotation and weak-axis buckling at intermediate points along the stud length. {note}
−## Each stud manufactured for structural CFSF has factory-punched knockout slots in the web at standard intervals (typically 12 in. or 24 in. on center vertically) sized to receive a 3/4 in. or 1-1/2 in. cold-rolled channel (CRC) used as bridging. {note}
−## The CRC passes through every stud in the wall and is fixed to each stud with a clip angle screwed or welded to the stud flange. {note}
−## Proprietary clip-and-bar systems achieve the same function with snap-in or screw-in connectors and are increasingly common because they reduce labor at each connection. {note}
−## Strap bracing on both faces (with periodic solid blocking) is used where stud knockouts cannot be aligned or where sheathing is not relied upon for diaphragm action. {note}
−
−## The maximum vertical spacing of bridging rows shall be governed by AISI S100 weak-axis buckling provisions and by AISI S240 detailing requirements; typical commercial values are 4 ft to 8 ft on center.
−
−```datasheet
−label: Maximum Vertical Spacing of Bridging Rows
−type: select
−unit: ft o.c.
−drawing_ref: "structural drawings"
−options:
− - "4 ft on center (heavy or tall studs)"
− - "5 ft on center"
− - "6 ft on center"
− - "8 ft on center"
−default: deferred
−```
−
−## The specialty engineer responsible for the wall design shall determine the actual spacing, which shall be shown on the shop drawings and confirmed against the manufacturer's published load tables.
−
−# Connectors and Clip Angles {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Clip Connectors at Top and Base of Load-Bearing Walls
−type: select
−options:
− - "Manufacturer-standard L-clip angles (matched to stud gauge)"
− - "Proprietary engineered slide clips (vertical-only movement)"
− - "Proprietary engineered drift clips (vertical plus in-plane lateral movement)"
− - "Bypass slip connectors (curtain-wall bypass framing)"
−default: "Manufacturer-standard L-clip angles (matched to stud gauge)"
−```
−
−## Engineered slide clips and drift clips provide controlled freedom of movement at the top of curtain-wall studs to accommodate primary structure deflection and seismic drift without transferring those movements into the framing or cladding. {note}
−
−## Clip connectors at the connection of CFSF to primary structure or to other CFSF members shall be selected to transfer the calculated forces without imposing rotational restraint where rotational freedom is required.
−
−## Manufacturer's published load tables shall be the basis for clip selection; clip type, size, and screw or weld pattern shall be shown on the shop drawings.
−
−# Fasteners {toc}
−
−## Self-Drilling Tapping Screws {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Self-Drilling Tapping Screws (Steel-to-Steel)
−type: select
−options:
− - "ASTM C1513 #8 self-drilling tapping screws — non-structural partition framing"
− - "ASTM C1513 #10 self-drilling tapping screws — structural CFSF, standard connections"
− - "ASTM C1513 #12 self-drilling tapping screws — structural CFSF, heavy gauge connections"
− - "ASTM C1513 #14 self-drilling tapping screws — heaviest gauge structural connections"
−default: "ASTM C1513 #10 self-drilling tapping screws — structural CFSF, standard connections"
−```
−
−### #8 screws are standard for non-structural partition framing through 33 mil and thinner members. {note}
−### #10 screws are the standard for structural CFSF through approximately 54 mil; #12 and #14 screws are used in heavier-gauge connections. {note}
−
−### Self-drilling tapping screws used for cold-formed steel framing connections shall comply with ASTM C1513.
−
−### Screw size shall be selected based on the combined thickness of the connected steel and the calculated screw shear and pullout demand.
−
−### Screw spacing, edge distance, and minimum end distance shall be shown on the shop drawings and shall comply with AISI S100 Section E4 connection provisions and the manufacturer's published values.
−
−### Screw coating shall match or exceed the corrosion environment of the assembly.
−
−```datasheet
−label: Screw Coating
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Zinc-plated (mechanical or electroplated) — interior dry only"
− - "Hot-dip galvanized — interior intermittently humid, behind cladding"
− - "Climaseal, Stalgard, or equivalent coating — exterior assemblies and coastal conditions"
− - "Type 410 stainless — most aggressive corrosion environments"
−default: "Hot-dip galvanized — interior intermittently humid, behind cladding"
−```
−
−### The zinc plating on standard screws sold for interior drywall work is inadequate for screws in exterior wall assemblies and within the building envelope of exterior walls; field reports of corroded screws in wall cavities are typically of standard zinc-plated screws used where a corrosion-resistant coating was required. {note}
−
−## Powder-Actuated Fasteners {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Powder-Actuated Fasteners (Track to Concrete or Hot-Rolled Steel)
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Permitted for non-structural track to concrete or steel substrates"
− - "Permitted for structural track per supplier engineer's design and tested values"
− - "Not permitted — anchors or screws only"
−default: "Permitted for non-structural track to concrete or steel substrates"
−```
−
−### Powder-actuated fasteners (PAFs) are commonly used to anchor bottom and top tracks to concrete slabs and to hot-rolled steel beams; they are appropriate and code-compliant for non-structural partition tracks to either substrate. {note}
−
−### Use of PAFs in load-bearing or shear-wall track connections shall be limited to fasteners with published, tested capacities and shall be designed by the SER or the delegated specialty engineer.
−
−### PAFs shall not be installed within minimum edge distances of concrete or near concrete reinforcement.
−
−### PAFs shall be inspected after installation for proper embedment.
−
−## Welded Connections {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Welded Connections (Cold-Formed Sheet Steel)
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Not used — connections are all screws or PAFs"
− - "Used in shop only, per AWS D1.3 with qualified WPS and welders"
− - "Used in shop and field, per AWS D1.3 with qualified WPS and welders"
−default: "Not used — connections are all screws or PAFs"
−```
−
−### Field welding of cold-formed steel framing is less common than screw or PAF connections because of the labor cost, the burn-through risk, and the damage to the galvanized coating around the weld. {note}
−
−### Welded connections in cold-formed sheet steel shall conform to AWS D1.3/D1.3M (Structural Welding Code — Sheet Steel), which is distinct from AWS D1.1 (used for hot-rolled steel).
−
−### The minimum sheet thickness at which welding is reliably acceptable for structural connections is governed by AWS D1.3 and is approximately 0.025 in. (25 mil); welds on thinner sheet are unreliable because of burn-through and rapid cooling.
−
−### Where field welding is used, the damaged coating shall be repaired with a zinc-rich cold galvanizing compound applied within 24 hours of welding.
−
−# Installation {toc}
−
−## Coordination With Other Trades {toc}
−
−### Cold-formed steel framing installation shall be coordinated with concrete placement (for cast-in anchor plates and embeds), with structural steel erection (for clip-angle attachments to hot-rolled members), with mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and low-voltage rough-in (for penetrations through studs and tracks), with gypsum board installation per [[sync/gypsum-board-assemblies]], with door and window installation per [[sync/doors-frames-and-hardware]], and with exterior cladding installation.
−
−### Penetrations through studs shall use the manufacturer's factory-punched knockouts wherever possible.
−
−### Field-cut openings shall be made by mechanical means (hole saw or rotary cutter) and shall not exceed the dimensions or location permitted by the supplier's published values.
−
−### Torch cutting of cold-formed steel framing in the field is prohibited; the heat distorts the section, destroys the metallic coating, and produces uncontrolled openings.
−
−## Layout {toc}
−
−### Layout of partition and load-bearing walls shall be performed from the project control points established by the General Contractor.
−
−### The framing layout shall match the partition plan dimensions, and stud spacing shall be measured from the same end of the wall in each course of framing to maintain alignment for gypsum board joints.
−
−### At door and window openings, jamb studs shall be located so that the rough opening matches the requirements of the specified door or window per [[sync/doors-frames-and-hardware]].
−
−### Floor and ceiling tracks shall be set first, accurately aligned with the wall layout, and fastened to the structural substrate before studs are installed.
−
−## Track Anchorage to Substrate {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Bottom Track Anchorage to Concrete
−type: select
−options:
− - "Powder-actuated fasteners at maximum 24 in. on center (non-structural)"
− - "Expansion anchors at maximum 24 in. on center"
− - "Powder-actuated fasteners with tested capacity, spacing per design (structural)"
− - "Cast-in anchor bolts per structural drawings (structural)"
−default: "Powder-actuated fasteners at maximum 24 in. on center (non-structural)"
−```
−
−### Bottom track fastener spacing shall be the lesser of the manufacturer's recommendation, 24 in. on center for non-structural partitions, and the structural design spacing for load-bearing walls.
−
−### Fasteners shall be installed within 2 in. of the end of each track section and at each end of openings.
−
−### Specifying PAFs for structural loads without manufacturer-tested values is not acceptable, because the actual capacity of PAFs in concrete depends strongly on the concrete strength and the presence of nearby reinforcement.
−
−## Stud Installation {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Maximum Stud Plumb Tolerance
−type: select
−unit: in.
−options:
− - "1/8 in. in 10 ft (standard)"
− - "1/16 in. in 10 ft (tight tolerance — architecturally exposed)"
−default: "1/8 in. in 10 ft (standard)"
−```
−
−### Studs shall be plumb within 1/8 in. in 10 ft and shall fit snugly within the top and bottom tracks.
−
−### Studs shall be screwed or welded to both top and bottom tracks for load-bearing walls; for non-load-bearing partitions with deflection track at the top, studs shall be screwed to the bottom track only and shall be free to slide within the deflection track at the top.
−
−### Studs shall not be cut short to accommodate framing errors; short studs shall be replaced with full-length members.
−
−### Studs that are skewed, kinked, or bent shall be rejected and replaced before gypsum board installation begins, because the resulting wall surface will telegraph the distortion through the finished board.
−
−## Opening Framing {toc}
−
−### Door and window openings in CFSF walls require additional framing: jamb studs (often built-up from two or more studs box-connected back-to-back), a header member spanning the opening, a sill member at window openings, and cripple studs at the header and sill to maintain stud spacing pattern. {note}
−
−### Opening framing shall be detailed on the shop drawings and shall be sized to carry the loads transferred from the interrupted studs above.
−
−```datasheet
−label: Jamb Stud Configuration at Openings
−type: select
−options:
− - "Single stud (small openings up to 36 in., light interior doors)"
− - "Two studs box-connected (standard interior commercial doors)"
− - "Two studs back-to-back (heavy doors, frame-supporting jambs)"
− - "Built-up section per shop drawings (large openings, structural jambs)"
−default: "Two studs box-connected (standard interior commercial doors)"
−```
−
−### Door frame anchorage to jamb studs shall be coordinated with [[sync/doors-frames-and-hardware]]; jamb studs at hollow metal door frames shall be solid-blocked to the floor track and to the header to resist door swing loads.
−
−### Jamb stud gauge shall be at least equal to the adjacent field stud gauge and shall be increased where required by the opening width and the door weight.
−
−## Bridging Installation {toc}
−
−### Bridging shall be installed at the spacing and locations shown on the shop drawings before any sheathing or gypsum board is applied.
−
−### CRC bridging shall be passed through each stud knockout in a continuous line and shall be fastened to each stud with a clip angle on at least one side of the CRC; AISI S240 requires both stiffness and strength at the bridging-to-stud connection sufficient to restrain the stud against rotation.
−
−### Bridging at the ends of walls and at openings shall be tied back to a stable element (a solid blocked stud at a wall end, a jamb stud at an opening) to prevent the bridging from sagging or pulling out at the termination.
−
−## Wall Bracing and Diaphragm {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Lateral Bracing of CFSF Walls
−type: select
−options:
− - "Sheathing-braced design — gypsum board or wood sheathing provides shear capacity"
− - "Strap-braced X-bracing in designated bracing bays"
− - "Cold-formed steel shear walls per AISI S240"
− - "Walls are non-load-bearing — lateral resistance not within scope"
−default: "Walls are non-load-bearing — lateral resistance not within scope"
−```
−
−### Where the CFSF wall serves as part of the lateral force-resisting system, the design basis for that system shall be shown clearly on the structural drawings.
−
−### Sheathing-braced walls rely on the sheathing material (gypsum board, oriented strand board, or steel sheet) and its fastener pattern to resist racking; the design and detailing per AISI S240 are sensitive to fastener spacing and edge distance, and field substitution of fastener pattern is not permitted.
−
−### Strap X-bracing in designated bays uses tension straps fastened diagonally across stud faces; strap material, thickness, attachment screw pattern, and termination details shall be per the shop drawings.
−
−### Cold-formed steel shear walls under AISI S240 or AISI S400 (seismic) require strict adherence to the design provisions and special inspection during construction.
−
−## Welded Connection Installation {toc}
−
−### Where welded connections are used, the welder shall verify that the WPS for the actual sheet thickness is available at the workstation, that the welding equipment is set to the parameters of the WPS, and that the base metal is clean and dry.
−
−### Burn-through, blowout, and inadequate fusion are the most common welding defects in sheet steel; defects shall be repaired only by qualified welders and shall be re-inspected after repair.
−
−### The galvanized coating shall be removed from the immediate weld area by mechanical means before welding to avoid zinc contamination of the weld pool, and the coating shall be restored with a zinc-rich cold galvanizing compound after welding is complete.
−
−## Penetrations and Notching {toc}
−
−### Penetrations through stud webs for piping, conduit, and cabling shall use the manufacturer's factory-punched knockouts where possible.
−
−### Field-cut penetrations shall not exceed the dimensions, spacing, or location restrictions specified by the supplier (AISI S100 and S240 provide default rules; supplier-published values may be more restrictive for proprietary sections).
−
−### Notching of stud flanges is prohibited for structural members; notched flanges drastically reduce moment capacity at the notch and shall not be used as a substitute for proper opening framing.
−
−### Field-cut penetrations in tracks shall not exceed the manufacturer's published values; track penetrations near anchor locations shall be avoided.
−
−## Coordination With Cladding {toc}
−
−### Curtain-wall studs that support exterior cladding shall be installed with the deflection track or slide clip at the top of the wall before the cladding is installed, and the deflection clearance shall be maintained throughout the cladding installation.
−
−### The cladding installer and the framing installer shall confirm the deflection track condition at the pre-installation conference.
−
−### Cladding anchored solidly across the deflection track defeats the deflection accommodation function and is a frequent cause of cracked cladding and broken sealants at upper occupied floors of mid-rise buildings. {note}
−
−# Fire-Resistance-Rated Assemblies {toc}
−
−## Cold-formed steel framing is a permitted substrate for many UL-classified and GA-600 fire-resistance-rated wall and floor assemblies. {note}
−## The fire-resistance rating depends on the precise assembly — stud gauge, stud spacing, board type and thickness, fastener pattern, cavity insulation, and perimeter conditions — and a change to any component invalidates the listing. {note}
−
−## The Contractor shall identify each rated assembly by its UL design number or GA-600 reference and shall install the assembly per that design.
−
−```datasheet
−label: Fire-Resistance Design Number Schedule
−type: select
−options:
− - "Provided in architectural partition type schedule"
− - "Provided in structural drawings"
− - "Submitted by Contractor for AOR review"
−default: "Provided in architectural partition type schedule"
−```
−
−## CFSF stud gauge for rated assemblies shall be governed by the specific UL or GA-600 design rather than by the load on the wall; a non-load-bearing partition in a 2-hour assembly may require a heavier gauge than the same partition would require structurally, because the listed design was tested with that gauge.
−
−## Substitution of a thinner gauge than the listing requires shall not be permitted without an engineering judgment letter issued by a qualified party (UL, GA, or a licensed engineer with fire-resistance expertise) and approved in writing by the AOR.
−
−## Firestopping at penetrations through rated CFSF assemblies shall be installed per [[sync/firestopping]] and shall use UL-classified firestop systems for the specific assembly and penetration condition.
−
−# Testing and Inspection {toc}
−
−## Visual Inspection {toc}
−
−### All cold-formed steel framing shall be visually inspected by the installer's foreman before gypsum board, sheathing, or cladding is applied.
−
−### Visual inspection shall verify that members are the size and gauge shown on the shop drawings; that framing layout matches the contract drawings; that studs are plumb within tolerance and seated in tracks; that bridging is installed at the specified spacing with clip angles in place; that openings are framed with the specified jamb and header members; that fasteners are installed at the specified spacing, with no missing fasteners and no stripped or backed-out screws; and that the galvanized coating is intact, with any field damage repaired with zinc-rich cold galvanizing compound.
−
−## Special Inspection — Welded Connections {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: NDT of CFSF Welds
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Visual inspection only (standard for CFSF welds)"
− - "Visual inspection plus magnetic particle testing on demand-critical welds"
−default: "Visual inspection only (standard for CFSF welds)"
−```
−
−### Where welded connections are used in structural CFSF, special inspection per AWS D1.3 shall be performed by a qualified inspector.
−
−### Inspection shall verify weld size, length, location, fusion, and freedom from cracks, burn-through, and undercut.
−
−### Repairs to defective welds shall be re-inspected after repair.
−
−### Visual inspection per AWS D1.3 is the standard for cold-formed sheet steel welds; volumetric NDT (UT, RT) is not generally meaningful on sheet steel because of the limited section thickness, and MT may be appropriate for designated demand-critical welds in seismic CFSF systems per AISI S400. {note}
−
−## Special Inspection — Screw Connections in Designated Shear Walls {toc}
−
−### Where the CFSF wall is part of a designated shear wall under AISI S240 or AISI S400, the screw pattern at panel edges and at field studs shall be inspected before the sheathing is concealed.
−
−### Inspection shall verify that screws are the type and size shown on the shop drawings, that spacing matches the listed shear wall design, that edge distance is maintained, and that screws are properly seated (heads flush, not over-driven, not under-driven).
−
−### The shear capacity of cold-formed steel shear walls is highly sensitive to fastener pattern; field substitution is not permitted.
−
−# Delivery, Storage, and Handling {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Site Storage Requirements
−type: checkbox
−options:
− - "Store on timber dunnage elevated above ground surface"
− - "Arrange bundles to permit drainage and prevent water accumulation"
− - "Cover to exclude weather but permit air circulation (no sealed plastic)"
− - "Separate by member designation and gauge to prevent installation errors"
− - "Inspect for transit damage on arrival; reject members with section damage"
−default: "Store on timber dunnage elevated above ground surface"
−```
−
−## Cold-formed steel framing shall be delivered to the project site in the manufacturer's standard bundles, with each bundle clearly marked with the member designation, gauge, coating, and quantity.
−
−## Members shall be unloaded with care to prevent kinking, twisting, or denting.
−
−## Members shall be stored on dunnage above the ground surface, arranged to drain water away, and covered loosely with breathable material that excludes weather but permits air circulation.
−
−## If material arrives wrapped in plastic, the wrap shall be loosened or removed promptly, because tightly sealed coverings that trap moisture against bundled members are a frequent cause of white rust formation on galvanized framing within hours of arrival.
−
−## Members showing white rust shall be inspected before installation; light white rust is cosmetic and may be wiped clean, but heavy white rust indicates loss of zinc coating and the affected members shall be rejected.
−
−## Members with kinks, twists, dents in the web that exceed 1/8 in., or coating damage exceeding the limits of touch-up shall not be installed without the SER's or AOR's written acceptance.
−
−# Warranty {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Framing Warranty Period
−type: select
−options:
− - "1 year from substantial completion"
− - "2 years from substantial completion"
−default: "1 year from substantial completion"
−```
−
−## The supplier shall warrant the cold-formed steel framing products against defects in material and manufacturing, including incorrect gauge, incorrect coating, and section properties not matching published values.
−
−## The installer shall warrant the installation against defects in workmanship, including incorrect member layout, missing or improperly installed bridging, missing or under-driven fasteners, plumbness deviations, and damage to coatings caused by installation operations.
−
−## The warranty does not cover damage caused by other trades, overloading beyond the design basis, modifications by others after completion, or corrosion attributable to water infiltration through the building envelope that is unrelated to the framing installation.
−
−## Where delegated design is used, the specialty engineer's professional liability for the design of the framing system extends per the engineer's professional services agreement and is not limited by the construction warranty period.
+---
+title: Cold-Formed Metal Framing
+category: Structural / Steel & Metal Fabrications
+description: >
+ When to use: Structural cold-formed steel framing designed under AISI S100 and AISI S240 and, where the framing participates in a seismic force-resisting system, AISI S400. Covers load-bearing stud walls, exterior non-load-bearing wind-bearing wall framing in both infill and bypass arrangements, cold-formed steel floor joists, roof rafters, and trusses, cold-formed steel shear walls and braced walls, and the parapet, canopy, and soffit framing that carries calculated load. Addresses the division of design responsibility between the Engineer of Record and the specialty engineer, sheet steel and metallic coating selection, member designation and identification, out-of-plane deflection criteria, movement accommodation at the head of wall, bridging and bracing, screwed, welded, powder-actuated, clinched, and bolted connections, opening and built-up member framing, web penetrations and field modification, erection tolerances, listed fire-resistance-rated assemblies, and field inspection.
+
+ Not intended for: Interior non-structural steel framing that supports only gypsum board and its finishes, which is furnished to ASTM C645, installed to ASTM C754, and specified under [[sync/gypsum-board-assemblies]] and [[sync/gypsum-shaft-wall-assemblies]]; hot-rolled structural steel framing (see [[sync/structural-steel-framing]]); connections between hot-rolled members (see [[sync/structural-steel-connections]]); open-web steel joists and joist girders (see [[sync/steel-joists]]); steel floor and roof deck and its diaphragm design (see [[sync/steel-deck]]); anchor rods and embed plates set in concrete (see [[sync/structural-steel-anchor-bolts]]); wood light framing and wood sheathing (see [[sync/wood-sheathing]]); pre-engineered metal building systems; cold-formed members of stainless or non-ferrous alloy; or prescriptive residential cold-formed steel framing built under AISI S230 without engineered design.
+---
+
+# Scope {toc}
+
+## Work Covered by This Standard {toc}
+
+### This standard governs the furnishing, delegated design, fabrication, delivery, erection, protection, and inspection of structural cold-formed steel framing. {note}
+
+### Cold-formed steel framing is roll-formed at ambient temperature from metallic-coated sheet steel into C-shaped studs and joists, U-shaped tracks, channels, hat sections, angles, and proprietary built-up profiles. A member is defined by its web depth, flange width, return lip, base steel thickness, and yield strength rather than by a rolled-shape catalog. {note}
+
+### A member is structural when its failure would compromise the strength, stability, or serviceability of the building or of the cladding it supports. That test, and not the wall's position in the building, is what places framing inside this standard. {note}
+
+### An exterior wall stud that carries no gravity load is still structural, because it resists the design wind pressure and delivers it to the primary structure, and because the cladding it backs up depends on its stiffness. {note}
+
+### Structural cold-formed steel framing shall be designed under AISI S100 and detailed under AISI S240.
+
+### Structural cold-formed steel framing that participates in a seismic force-resisting system shall additionally be designed and detailed under AISI S400.
+
+### Framing member locations, extents, elevations, and wall type assignments are [[drawing: the framing plans and wall type schedule]].
+
+### This standard governs how the framing is specified, procured, connected, and erected, and the contract documents define what is built and where. {note}
+
+## Framing Assemblies in Scope {toc}
+
+### The cold-formed steel framing assemblies included in the work shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Cold-Formed Steel Framing Assemblies in Scope
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Load-bearing exterior wall framing"
+ - "Load-bearing interior wall framing"
+ - "Exterior non-load-bearing wind-bearing wall framing"
+ - "Cold-formed steel floor joist framing"
+ - "Cold-formed steel roof rafter framing"
+ - "Cold-formed steel trusses"
+ - "Cold-formed steel shear walls and braced walls"
+ - "Parapet framing"
+ - "Canopy and overhang framing"
+ - "Structural soffit and ceiling framing carrying calculated load"
+```
+
+### Several articles of this standard apply only to assemblies selected in this field, and each such article states its own trigger. {note}
+
+### The framing assemblies selected shall be consistent with the framing shown in the contract documents.
+
+## Work Not Covered by This Standard {toc}
+
+### This standard does not cover: {note}
+
+- Interior non-structural framing supporting only gypsum board and its finishes, which is governed by [[sync/gypsum-board-assemblies]] and, at shaft and stairwell enclosures, by [[sync/gypsum-shaft-wall-assemblies]]
+- The primary structure to which the cold-formed framing attaches, whether hot-rolled steel under [[sync/structural-steel-framing]], concrete under [[sync/cast-in-place-concrete]], or masonry under [[sync/unit-masonry]]
+- Steel floor and roof deck, its attachment, and diaphragm design, which are governed by [[sync/steel-deck]]
+- Sheathing, weather-resistive barriers, and air barriers applied over the framing, which are governed by [[sync/wood-sheathing]] and [[sync/air-barriers]]
+- Cavity and continuous insulation within or outside the framed assembly, which is governed by [[sync/building-thermal-insulation]]
+- Masonry veneer, its anchors, and the anchor spacing relative to the studs, which are governed by [[sync/masonry-anchorage-and-veneer]]
+- Applied fireproofing on cold-formed members, which is governed by [[sync/fireproofing]]
+- Firestopping of head-of-wall joints and penetrations, which is governed by [[sync/firestopping]]
+- Shop and field coating materials and their application, which are governed by [[sync/shop-painting-and-galvanizing]]
+
+# Delegated Design and Division of Responsibility {toc}
+
+## Extent of Delegated Design {toc}
+
+### Cold-formed steel framing is commonly engineered in two places at once: the Engineer of Record establishes the loads, the framing geometry, and the interface with the primary structure, and a specialty engineer retained by the framing supplier or installer designs the members and connections that deliver them. {note}
+
+### Which portions are delegated is a project decision rather than a property of the product, and both fully-detailed and fully-delegated projects are built routinely. What produces disputes is not the choice but leaving the boundary unstated. {note}
+
+### The portions of the cold-formed steel framing design that are delegated to a specialty engineer shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Portions of the Framing Design Delegated to a Specialty Engineer
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "No portion delegated, because all members and connections are detailed in the contract documents"
+ - "Exterior non-load-bearing wind-bearing wall framing"
+ - "Load-bearing wall framing"
+ - "Floor joist framing"
+ - "Roof rafter framing"
+ - "Truss assemblies"
+ - "Shear walls and braced walls"
+ - "Bridging and bracing"
+ - "Connections of the framing to the primary structure"
+ - "Opening framing including jambs, headers, and sills"
+```
+
+### Where a portion of the design is delegated, the specialty engineer shall be a professional engineer licensed in the jurisdiction of the project.
+
+### Where a portion of the design is delegated, the specialty engineer shall seal the shop drawings and the calculations covering that portion.
+
+### The Engineer of Record's review of a delegated design confirms conformance with the loads, deflection criteria, and interface conditions stated in the contract documents, and it does not transfer the detailed design responsibility to the Engineer of Record. {note}
+
+### The Contractor shall not begin fabrication of any delegated portion until the submittals covering it have been reviewed and returned.
+
+## Information the Contract Documents Must State {toc}
+
+### A delegated design is only as complete as the loads and criteria it is given. Framing designed against an incomplete load statement is not conservative in any predictable direction, because the missing load may control a member the specialty engineer never checked. {note}
+
+### Gravity loads, wind pressures, and seismic forces acting on the cold-formed steel framing are [[drawing: the structural general notes]].
+
+### Concentrated and suspended loads carried by the framing, and their points of application, are [[drawing: the framing plans]].
+
+### Axial forces induced in framing acting as a diaphragm chord, collector, or drag strut are [[drawing: the lateral force resisting system plans]].
+
+### Interstory drift that the framing is required to accommodate is [[drawing: the structural general notes]].
+
+### The calculated deflection of the primary structure above each non-load-bearing wall is [[drawing: the framing plans]].
+
+### The Engineer of Record shall state the loads and criteria for every portion of the framing that is delegated, before the framing is released for fabrication.
+
+### The specialty engineer shall not be assigned responsibility for a load or an interface condition that the contract documents do not state.
+
+## Responsibility for Interfaces With Adjacent Work {toc}
+
+### Cold-formed steel framing touches more adjacent scopes than almost any other structural product, and most of the coordination failures in framing work occur at those boundaries rather than within the framing itself. {note}
+
+### Attachment of gypsum board and its finishes to the framing shall comply with [[sync/gypsum-board-assemblies]].
+
+### Anchor rods, embed plates, and cast-in connection hardware in concrete shall comply with [[sync/structural-steel-anchor-bolts]].
+
+### Clip angles, plates, and welded attachments furnished as part of the hot-rolled structural steel package shall comply with [[sync/structural-steel-framing]].
+
+### Masonry veneer anchors engaging the studs shall comply with [[sync/masonry-anchorage-and-veneer]].
+
+### Door and window frame anchorage to jamb framing shall be coordinated with [[sync/doors-frames-and-hardware]].
+
+### The administrative envelope for submittals and the coordination process between supplier, installer, and Contractor is established in [[sync/submittal-and-quality-procedures]].
+
+# Referenced Standards {toc}
+
+## Materials, fabrication, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
+
+## Where referenced standards conflict, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
+
+| Standard | Title |
+|----------|-------|
+| AISI S100 | North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members |
+| AISI S202 | Code of Standard Practice for Cold-Formed Steel Structural Framing |
+| AISI S220 | North American Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing, Nonstructural Members |
+| AISI S230 | Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing, Prescriptive Method for One- and Two-Family Dwellings |
+| AISI S240 | North American Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Structural Framing |
+| AISI S250 | North American Standard for Thermal Transmittance of Building Envelopes with Cold-Formed Steel Framing |
+| AISI S400 | North American Standard for Seismic Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Systems |
+| ASTM A1003/A1003M | Steel Sheet, Carbon, Metallic- and Nonmetallic-Coated for Cold-Formed Framing Members |
+| ASTM A653/A653M | Steel Sheet, Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) or Zinc-Iron Alloy-Coated (Galvannealed) by the Hot-Dip Process |
+| ASTM A792/A792M | Steel Sheet, 55 % Aluminum-Zinc Alloy-Coated by the Hot-Dip Process |
+| ASTM A875/A875M | Steel Sheet, Zinc-5 % Aluminum Alloy-Coated by the Hot-Dip Process |
+| ASTM A1046/A1046M | Steel Sheet, Zinc-Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy-Coated by the Hot-Dip Process |
+| ASTM A153/A153M | Zinc Coating (Hot-Dip) on Iron and Steel Hardware |
+| ASTM A780/A780M | Repair of Damaged and Uncoated Areas of Hot-Dip Galvanized Coatings |
+| ASTM B117 | Operating Salt Spray (Fog) Apparatus |
+| ASTM C645 | Nonstructural Steel Framing Members |
+| ASTM C955 | Load-Bearing (Transverse and Axial) Steel Studs, Runners (Tracks), and Bracing or Bridging for Screw Application of Gypsum Panel Products and Metal Plaster Bases |
+| ASTM C1007 | Installation of Load Bearing (Transverse and Axial) Steel Studs and Related Accessories |
+| ASTM C1513 | Steel Tapping Screws for Cold-Formed Steel Framing Connections |
+| ASTM E119 | Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials |
+| ASTM E2126 | Cyclic (Reversed) Load Test for Shear Resistance of Vertical Elements of the Lateral Force Resisting Systems for Buildings |
+| AWS D1.1/D1.1M | Structural Welding Code, Steel |
+| AWS D1.3/D1.3M | Structural Welding Code, Sheet Steel |
+| ASCE/SEI 7 | Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures |
+| IBC | International Building Code (Chapter 16, Structural Design; Chapter 17, Special Inspections and Tests; Chapter 22, Steel) |
+| SFIA Technical Guide for Cold-Formed Steel Framing Products | Member designations, section properties, and limiting height and span tables |
+| BIA Technical Note 28B | Brick Veneer, Cold-Formed Steel Framed Walls |
+| GA-600 | Fire Resistance and Sound Control Design Manual |
+| UL Fire Resistance Directory | Listed fire-resistance-rated wall, floor/ceiling, roof/ceiling, and head-of-wall joint systems |
+
+## AISI S240 is the umbrella framing standard and adopts AISI S100 for member-level design, so a project that invokes S240 has invoked S100 with it. {note}
+
+## The provisions formerly published as separate AISI standards for wall systems, floor and roof systems, lateral systems, trusses, and headers were consolidated into AISI S240, which is why a current specification cites one framing standard where older ones cited several. {note}
+
+# Submittals {toc}
+
+## Action Submittals {toc}
+
+### The Contractor shall submit the following to the Engineer of Record before cold-formed steel framing is released for fabrication:
+
+- Product data for each stud, track, joist, channel, angle, clip connector, deflection track, bridging component, screw, anchor, and accessory to be furnished, giving the member designation, base steel thickness in mils, minimum yield strength, metallic coating designation, and published section properties
+- Shop drawings showing every member designation and mark, member spacing, track conditions at the head and base of wall, bridging type and location, opening framing, connections to the primary structure, screw types and patterns, and weld symbols and sizes where welding is used
+- Calculations for each delegated portion, sealed by the specialty engineer, demonstrating compliance with AISI S100 and AISI S240 for the stated loads and deflection criteria
+- Evaluation reports for proprietary clip connectors, deflection tracks, bridging systems, and fasteners whose capacity is established by testing rather than by calculation
+- Welding procedure specifications covering shop and field welds on cold-formed members
+- Fire-resistance-rated assembly designations proposed for each rated wall, floor, or roof condition, together with the head-of-wall joint systems that complete them
+
+```datasheet
+label: Action Submittals Required
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Product data for members, connectors, and fasteners"
+ - "Shop drawings for the framing"
+ - "Sealed calculations for each delegated portion"
+ - "Evaluation reports for proprietary connectors and fasteners"
+ - "Welding procedure specifications"
+ - "Fire-resistance-rated assembly designations"
+default:
+ - "Product data for members, connectors, and fasteners"
+ - "Shop drawings for the framing"
+ - "Sealed calculations for each delegated portion"
+ - "Evaluation reports for proprietary connectors and fasteners"
+```
+
+### Product data shall identify the member designation in the four-part form of the SFIA and SSMA system so that a distributor can fill the order without interpretation.
+
+### Shop drawings shall be prepared by the framing supplier's engineer for delegated portions and by the fabricator or installer for portions detailed in the contract documents.
+
+### The Contractor shall allow fifteen working days for each review cycle, measured from receipt of a complete submittal.
+
+### Installation of a framing assembly shall not begin until the submittals covering that assembly have been reviewed and returned.
+
+### The Contractor shall not substitute a member designation, connector, or fastener for the one shown on the reviewed shop drawings without the Engineer of Record's written approval.
+
+### A substitution that appears equivalent by thickness alone frequently is not, because capacity in a cold-formed member follows web depth, flange width, lip geometry, and yield strength together rather than thickness by itself. {note}
+
+## Informational Submittals {toc}
+
+### The Contractor shall submit the following before or with the first delivery of framing:
+
+- Certified mill test reports for the sheet steel used in structural members, confirming the ASTM A1003 designation, the minimum yield strength, and the metallic coating designation
+- Welder qualification records under AWS D1.3 for the processes, positions, and sheet thicknesses to be welded
+- Documentation of the installer's experience meeting the qualification stated in this standard
+- Manufacturer test data supporting the corrosion protection of fasteners where a coating qualified by salt-spray testing is furnished
+
+```datasheet
+label: Informational Submittals Required
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Certified mill test reports for structural member steel"
+ - "Welder qualification records under AWS D1.3"
+ - "Installer experience documentation"
+ - "Fastener corrosion test data"
+default:
+ - "Certified mill test reports for structural member steel"
+ - "Installer experience documentation"
+```
+
+### Certified mill test reports shall be traceable to the heat from which the sheet was produced.
+
+### Where welding is not used in the work, welder qualification records are not required. {note}
+
+## Closeout Submittals {toc}
+
+### At substantial completion the Contractor shall submit the following:
+
+- As-built shop drawings recording every field modification, substitution, and approved deviation
+- Field inspection reports covering visual inspection of the framing and, where welding was performed, welding inspection reports
+- Documentation of coating repair, identifying the material used and the areas treated
+- Certificates of compliance from the framing supplier and from the installer
+
+```datasheet
+label: Closeout Submittals Required
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "As-built shop drawings"
+ - "Field inspection reports"
+ - "Coating repair documentation"
+ - "Certificates of compliance from the supplier and the installer"
+default:
+ - "As-built shop drawings"
+ - "Field inspection reports"
+ - "Certificates of compliance from the supplier and the installer"
+```
+
+# Quality Assurance {toc}
+
+## Installer Qualification {toc}
+
+### Structural cold-formed steel framing and interior partition framing are installed with the same hand tools and by overlapping trades, which is why experience alone is not a reliable proxy and the qualification is stated in years of structural work specifically. {note}
+
+### The installer shall have at least the experience indicated in the datasheet installing structural cold-formed steel framing.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Minimum Installer Experience With Structural Cold-Formed Steel Framing
+type: range
+unit: years
+options:
+ min: 0
+ max: 10
+ setpoints: [0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10]
+default: 3
+```
+
+### Where the parties disagree whether an installer's experience is comparable in scope to the work of this project, the Engineer of Record shall make the initial determination.
+
+### Where a proprietary panelized or truss system is furnished, the installer shall hold the system supplier's current certification for that system.
+
+## Welding Qualification {toc}
+
+### Requirements in this article apply where arc welding is selected in the datasheet field for the connection methods permitted.
+
+### AWS D1.3 governs arc welding of sheet steel 0.188 in. and less in nominal thickness, and it is a separate code from AWS D1.1 because burn-through rather than fusion is the governing risk at those thicknesses. {note}
+
+### Welds in cold-formed steel members shall be qualified and performed under AWS D1.3.
+
+### Welds joining a cold-formed member to a hot-rolled member shall be qualified under AWS D1.3 for the sheet side of the joint.
+
+### Welders shall be qualified for the processes, positions, and sheet thicknesses to be welded.
+
+### A welder qualified only under AWS D1.1 shall not perform welding on cold-formed steel members without qualifying under AWS D1.3.
+
+### A welder who has not performed production work in a qualified process within the preceding six months shall requalify before performing production welding.
+
+### Welding procedure qualification, filler metal selection, and the nondestructive examination program shall comply with [[sync/welding-requirements]].
+
+## Special Inspection of Framing Work {toc}
+
+### The Statement of Special Inspections, the approval of the inspection agency, and the continuous-versus-periodic designations for the project are established under IBC Chapter 17 and [[sync/special-inspections-and-testing]].
+
+### Special inspection of cold-formed steel framing shall cover at least the items indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Special Inspection Scope for Cold-Formed Steel Framing
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Member designation and base steel thickness verified against the reviewed shop drawings"
+ - "Welded connections in structural members"
+ - "Screw connections in shear walls and diaphragms"
+ - "Bridging type, spacing, and end anchorage"
+ - "Anchorage of track to the primary structure"
+ - "Hold-down installation and anchorage at shear wall ends"
+ - "Seismic detailing of members in the seismic force-resisting system"
+ - "Head-of-wall movement joints left free to move as detailed"
+default:
+ - "Member designation and base steel thickness verified against the reviewed shop drawings"
+ - "Welded connections in structural members"
+ - "Bridging type, spacing, and end anchorage"
+ - "Anchorage of track to the primary structure"
+```
+
+### The inspection agency shall have no business, financial, or organizational relationship with the framing supplier or the installer.
+
+### Special inspection findings shall be reported in writing to the Engineer of Record, the Contractor, and the Owner.
+
+## Pre-Installation Conference {toc}
+
+### Before installation of any framing assembly in scope begins, the Contractor shall hold a pre-installation conference attended by the Engineer of Record, the framing installer, the specialty engineer for any delegated portion, the cladding installer, the gypsum board installer, and the firestopping installer.
+
+### The conference shall review the framing layout, the head-of-wall movement details, the opening framing, the bridging schedule, the clip and anchor selections, the cladding attachment details, and the sequence by which each rated assembly is completed.
+
+### Head-of-wall movement details and rated head-of-wall joint systems fail more often through a downstream trade filling the movement gap than through a framing error, which is why the trades that follow the framing attend this conference. {note}
+
+# Corrosion Protection {toc}
+
+## Service Environment {toc}
+
+### The corrosion demand on cold-formed steel framing is set by how much liquid water and chloride reach the steel and how long it stays there, rather than by whether the wall is nominally interior or exterior. {note}
+
+### Framing concealed in an exterior wall assembly sits in the condition that produces most reported corrosion, because a cavity that wets from an envelope leak dries slowly and is not inspected. {note}
+
+### Where framing is installed within one mile of a saltwater coastline, in an indoor swimming pool enclosure, or in a process environment carrying airborne chlorides, the Engineer of Record shall establish the corrosion protection for that framing in the contract documents.
+
+### The Contractor shall report any framing location that will remain permanently exposed to weather to the Engineer of Record before the framing for that location is ordered.
+
+## Metallic Coating of Framing Members {toc}
+
+### AISI S240 sets the minimum metallic coating for structural members at the CP60 coating performance designation, which is satisfied by G60 galvanized, A60 galvannealed, AZ50 aluminum-zinc alloy, and GF30 zinc-5 % aluminum alloy coatings. CP90 is the corresponding designation at the higher coating weight. {note}
+
+### Aluminum-zinc and zinc-aluminum-magnesium coatings corrode by a different mechanism than zinc, so equal coating weight does not mean equal service life in every environment, and the two families are compared by exposure data rather than by weight. {note}
+
+### The minimum metallic coating on structural framing members shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Minimum Metallic Coating on Structural Framing Members
+type: select
+options:
+ - "G60 zinc coating conforming to ASTM A653"
+ - "G90 zinc coating conforming to ASTM A653"
+ - "A60 zinc-iron alloy coating conforming to ASTM A653"
+ - "AZ50 aluminum-zinc alloy coating conforming to ASTM A792"
+ - "AZ55 aluminum-zinc alloy coating conforming to ASTM A792"
+ - "GF30 zinc-aluminum alloy coating conforming to ASTM A875"
+ - "Zinc-aluminum-magnesium alloy coating conforming to ASTM A1046"
+default: "G60 zinc coating conforming to ASTM A653"
+```
+
+### Members furnished with a coating other than the one selected shall not be installed without the Engineer of Record's written acceptance.
+
+### Where a coating outside the CP60 and CP90 designations is furnished, the supplier shall submit exposure or accelerated test data establishing its performance in the service environment of the framing.
+
+## Corrosion Protection of Fasteners and Connectors {toc}
+
+### A fastener carries the load of the connection through a cross-section far smaller than the members it joins, so the same rate of section loss reaches a fastener's capacity long before it reaches a stud's. {note}
+
+### Screws sold for interior drywall work carry a light plating that is not intended for a wall cavity, and corroded screws found in exterior assemblies are commonly that product installed where a coated or stainless fastener was required. {note}
+
+### The corrosion protection of screws, clips, and anchors used in the framing shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Corrosion Protection of Fasteners and Connectors
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Mechanically deposited or electrodeposited zinc coating"
+ - "Hot-dip galvanized coating conforming to ASTM A153"
+ - "Proprietary coating qualified by salt-spray testing to ASTM B117"
+ - "Type 410 stainless steel"
+ - "Type 304 stainless steel"
+ - "Type 316 stainless steel"
+```
+
+### Where a coating qualified by salt-spray testing is furnished, the supplier shall submit the ASTM B117 exposure duration achieved without red rust.
+
+### Clip connectors, deflection tracks, bridging components, and hold-downs shall carry corrosion protection at least equal to that of the members they connect.
+
+### Stainless steel fasteners in contact with coated carbon steel members shall be selected so that galvanic corrosion of the member does not govern the life of the connection.
+
+## Coating Damage and Repair {toc}
+
+### Coating damaged by welding, field cutting, field drilling, abrasion, or handling shall be repaired within twenty-four hours of exposure.
+
+### Repair on zinc-coated members shall be performed under ASTM A780 with a zinc-rich material that restores galvanic protection.
+
+### The galvanic protection a zinc coating gives to a small scratch does not extend across a burned or ground area of any size, which is why a weld zone is repaired rather than left to the surrounding coating. {note}
+
+### Members with section loss from corrosion shall be rejected.
+
+### The Contractor shall bear the cost of coating repair made necessary by damage occurring after the members leave the supplier.
+
+# Framing Member Steel {toc}
+
+## Sheet Steel Specification {toc}
+
+### ASTM A1003 is the consolidated sheet steel specification for cold-formed framing members and designates structural grades as ST followed by the minimum yield strength in ksi and a type letter, so ST50H is a 50 ksi structural grade of Type H steel. {note}
+
+### The type letter distinguishes the steel by ductility, and AISI S100 limits both where the lower-ductility grades may be used and what yield strength may be taken in design for them. {note}
+
+### Structural framing members shall be formed from sheet steel conforming to ASTM A1003 or to another sheet steel specification permitted by AISI S100 for structural members.
+
+### Structural framing members shall be formed from Type H steel unless the Engineer of Record accepts a lower-ductility grade in writing for a specific member.
+
+### Where a sheet steel specification other than ASTM A1003 is furnished, the mill test report shall state the specification, the grade, and the metallic coating designation.
+
+## Minimum Yield Strength {toc}
+
+### The minimum yield strength of structural framing members shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Minimum Yield Strength of Structural Framing Members
+type: range
+unit: ksi
+options:
+ min: 33
+ max: 80
+ setpoints: [33, 37, 40, 50, 55, 80]
+default: 33
+```
+
+### The yield strength used in design shall be the value published in the manufacturer's section properties for the member furnished, and it shall be shown on the shop drawings.
+
+### The industry catalog is not uniform in yield strength across thicknesses: the thinner structural members are commonly stocked at 33 ksi and at 50 ksi, while the heavier thicknesses are commonly stocked only at 50 ksi. {note}
+
+### Setting a project-wide minimum of 50 ksi therefore narrows the available product at the thin end of the range, and setting 33 ksi leaves the heavier members free to be furnished at their catalog strength. {note}
+
+### Yield strengths above 50 ksi are furnished under sheet steel specifications outside the ASTM A1003 ST grades, and AISI S100 restricts the design yield strength that may be taken for steels not meeting its ductility criteria. {note}
+
+## Member Designation and Identification {toc}
+
+### The SFIA and SSMA designation system identifies a member with a four-part code giving web depth in hundredths of an inch, a letter for the member type, flange width in hundredths of an inch, and minimum base steel thickness in mils, so 600S162-54 is a 6 in. deep stud with a 1.625 in. flange formed from 54 mil steel. {note}
+
+### The type letters are S for stud and joist sections, T for track sections, U for channel sections, and F for furring channel sections, and track depth in the designation is the inside-to-inside dimension so that a track receives the stud of the same nominal depth. {note}
+
+### The mil designation replaced the gauge system because gauge numbers were never standardized between producers and because AISI S100 calculates capacity from the base steel thickness rather than from a coating-inclusive nominal thickness. {note}
+
+### A member called out only by gauge is ambiguous in a way that has produced real bidding and procurement errors, because the same gauge number corresponds to different minimum thicknesses in the structural and non-structural product lines. {note}
+
+### Framing members shall be specified and ordered by the four-part designation rather than by gauge.
+
+### Each member shall carry the manufacturer's legible identification of the designation, the minimum base steel thickness, the minimum yield strength, and the metallic coating designation.
+
+### Members whose identification is illegible or absent shall not be installed.
+
+# Wall Framing Members {toc}
+
+## Stud Web Depth {toc}
+
+### Web depth, flange width, thickness, and spacing are outputs of the wall design rather than product preferences, and each is answered by the structural drawings or by the reviewed delegated-design submittal for the wall in question. {note}
+
+### The stud web depth shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Structural Stud Web Depth
+type: range
+unit: in.
+drawing_ref: "the structural drawings"
+options:
+ min: 2.5
+ max: 16
+ setpoints: [2.5, 3.5, 3.625, 4, 5.5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16]
+default: deferred
+```
+
+### Where the framing includes walls of more than one depth, the depth of each is shown on the reviewed shop drawings and the datasheet value states the governing minimum for the work.
+
+## Stud Flange Width {toc}
+
+### Flange width controls the local buckling capacity of the compression flange and the bearing area available for sheathing screws, so a wider flange buys capacity at high axial load and edge distance at closely spaced fasteners. {note}
+
+### The stud flange width shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Structural Stud Flange Width
+type: range
+unit: in.
+drawing_ref: "the structural drawings"
+options:
+ min: 1.25
+ max: 3
+ setpoints: [1.25, 1.375, 1.625, 2, 2.5, 3]
+default: deferred
+```
+
+### Studs and tracks that are assembled together shall have compatible flange dimensions so that the stud seats fully within the track.
+
+## Base Steel Thickness {toc}
+
+### The minimum base steel thickness of structural framing members shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Minimum Base Steel Thickness of Structural Members
+type: range
+unit: mil
+drawing_ref: "the structural drawings"
+options:
+ min: 33
+ max: 118
+ setpoints: [33, 43, 54, 68, 97, 118]
+default: deferred
+```
+
+### The thickness stated in the designation is the minimum base steel thickness before coating, and the delivered thickness including coating is greater. {note}
+
+### Delivered members shall be at not less than ninety-five percent of the design thickness used in the section properties, as AISI S240 requires.
+
+### Track shall be at least the thickness of the studs it receives unless the reviewed design establishes a thinner track for a specific condition.
+
+## Stud Spacing {toc}
+
+### The spacing of structural studs shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Structural Stud Spacing
+type: range
+unit: in. o.c.
+drawing_ref: "the structural drawings"
+options:
+ min: 8
+ max: 24
+ setpoints: [8, 12, 16, 24]
+default: deferred
+```
+
+### Stud spacing shall be held from a common end of each wall in every course of framing so that sheathing and board joints land on studs.
+
+### Spacing selected for structural capacity shall be reconciled with the spacing the cladding attachment and the listed fire-resistance-rated assembly require, and the closest of the three shall govern.
+
+### A wall can satisfy its structural spacing and still fail its listed assembly, because a fire-resistance listing was tested at a specific stud spacing and thickness that the listing does not permit a project to loosen. {note}
+
+## Track Sections {toc}
+
+### Track is a U-shaped section without return lips that receives the ends of studs at the head and base of a wall and distributes the stud reactions into the supporting construction. {note}
+
+### Tracks shall be furnished in lengths that place splices away from openings and away from the ends of walls.
+
+### Track splices shall be made with a splice detail shown on the reviewed shop drawings.
+
+### Track shall be seated tight against the supporting construction across its full width before it is anchored.
+
+### Gaps beneath a track leave the anchor to carry bending as well as shear and let the track deform under stud reactions that were designed to be delivered in direct bearing. {note}
+
+# Exterior Wall Framing {toc}
+
+## Framing Arrangement at the Building Perimeter {toc}
+
+### Requirements in this article apply where exterior wall framing is selected in the datasheet field for the framing assemblies in scope.
+
+### Exterior cold-formed steel wall framing is arranged in one of a few distinct ways, and the arrangement changes the stud length, the connection to the primary structure, the movement the head-of-wall connection must accommodate, and the thermal detailing at the slab edge. {note}
+
+### The arrangements of the exterior wall framing used in the work shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Exterior Wall Framing Arrangements Used
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Infill framing spanning between floor levels"
+ - "Bypass framing spanning past the slab edge"
+ - "Load-bearing exterior wall framing stacked at each level"
+```
+
+### Where more than one arrangement is used, the arrangement applicable to each wall shall be identified on the reviewed shop drawings.
+
+### Bypass framing carries its gravity load through a vertical load path that must be continuous to the foundation or to an intermediate support, and the slab edge it passes provides lateral restraint rather than bearing. {note}
+
+### Infill framing bears at each level, so the head-of-wall connection at every floor must release vertical movement of the structure above rather than transferring it into the wall. {note}
+
+### Where bypass framing is used, the attachment of the framing to the slab edge shall be designed for the lateral reaction without restraining the vertical movement the design requires.
+
+### The thermal performance of the assembly at the slab edge shall be evaluated under AISI S250 and coordinated with [[sync/building-thermal-insulation]].
+
+## Out-of-Plane Deflection Limit {toc}
+
+### The out-of-plane deflection limit for wind-bearing exterior wall framing is set by what the framing supports rather than by the framing itself, because the stud is serviceable at deflections that crack a rigid cladding. {note}
+
+### Rigid and brittle claddings tolerate the least movement, and published guidance for masonry veneer on cold-formed steel framing now supports limits across a range rather than a single value, so the limit is selected against the specific cladding and its joint detailing. {note}
+
+### The out-of-plane deflection limit for wind-bearing wall framing under service-level wind load shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Out-of-Plane Deflection Limit for Wind-Bearing Wall Framing
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "L/120"
+ - "L/180"
+ - "L/240"
+ - "L/360"
+ - "L/480"
+ - "L/600"
+ - "L/720"
+```
+
+### Where a wall carries more than one cladding type, the most restrictive limit applicable to any cladding on that wall shall govern for the full wall.
+
+### Where a deflection limit stricter than the datasheet selection applies to a specific wall, that limit is [[drawing: the exterior wall sections]] and governs for that wall.
+
+### The deflection limit shall be applied to the service-level wind pressure and not to the strength-level pressure, and the shop drawings shall state which pressure the calculations used.
+
+### Reporting a deflection check against a strength-level pressure understates the movement the cladding will actually see by the load factor, which is a silent error because the member still passes its strength check. {note}
+
+## Cladding Attachment Coordination {toc}
+
+### Cladding attachment points shall land on framing members at the spacing the cladding requires.
+
+### Masonry veneer anchors shall engage the studs at the spacing established under [[sync/masonry-anchorage-and-veneer]].
+
+### The framing installer and the cladding installer shall confirm at the pre-installation conference that no cladding attachment crosses a movement joint in the framing.
+
+### Cladding fixed rigidly across a head-of-wall movement joint defeats the movement accommodation the framing was designed to provide and transfers structural deflection directly into the cladding. {note}
+
+# Movement at the Head of Wall {toc}
+
+## Movement to Be Accommodated {toc}
+
+### The movement that the head-of-wall connection is required to accommodate shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Movement to Be Accommodated at the Head of Wall
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "None, because the framing is fixed to the structure above"
+ - "Vertical deflection of the structure above"
+ - "Vertical deflection of the structure above and in-plane lateral drift"
+```
+
+### A load-bearing wall is fixed at its head because it is part of the vertical load path, while a non-load-bearing wall extending to the underside of the structure above must release that structure's deflection or it becomes an unintended column. {note}
+
+### Where in-plane drift is accommodated, the connection shall permit the drift stated in the contract documents without loss of the out-of-plane restraint the stud requires.
+
+### The head-of-wall connection shall be shown on the reviewed shop drawings for every wall condition in the work.
+
+## Head-of-Wall Connection Type {toc}
+
+### The type of head-of-wall connection shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Head-of-Wall Connection Type
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Deep-leg deflection track with the studs unattached to the track legs"
+ - "Slotted deflection track fastened to each stud through the slots"
+ - "Nested double-track assembly"
+ - "Proprietary slide clip at each stud"
+ - "Proprietary drift clip at each stud"
+ - "Fixed track fastened to each stud"
+```
+
+### Where a proprietary connector is furnished, the reviewed evaluation report shall establish its capacity and its rated movement.
+
+### Studs at a deflection track shall be cut to leave the design clearance at the head of the wall.
+
+### A stud cut long enough to bear against the inside of the deflection track transfers the full deflection of the structure above into the wall regardless of how the track was rated. {note}
+
+### Sheathing, gypsum board, and finishes shall not be fastened across the head-of-wall movement joint.
+
+## Vertical Movement Capacity {toc}
+
+### The vertical movement capacity provided at the head of wall shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Vertical Movement Capacity at the Head of Wall
+type: range
+unit: in.
+drawing_ref: "the structural drawings"
+options:
+ min: 0
+ max: 3
+ setpoints: [0, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 3]
+default: deferred
+```
+
+### The movement capacity provided shall equal or exceed the calculated deflection of the structure above the wall stated in the contract documents.
+
+### A capacity of zero states an intentionally fixed head-of-wall condition and is selected where the wall is part of the vertical load path. {note}
+
+### Where the wall occurs in a fire-resistance-rated assembly, the head-of-wall joint system shall be listed for at least the movement capacity selected and shall be installed under [[sync/firestopping]].
+
+### A rated head-of-wall joint system is listed with a movement class, so a joint that moves further than the listing permits is no longer a tested assembly even though the framing is correct. {note}
+
+# Floor, Roof, and Truss Framing {toc}
+
+## Cold-Formed Steel Joist and Rafter Framing {toc}
+
+### Requirements in this article apply where floor joist, roof rafter, or truss framing is selected in the datasheet field for the framing assemblies in scope.
+
+### Cold-formed steel joists are deeper C-sections with wider flanges than wall studs, and they are selected from the manufacturer's span tables for the actual span, spacing, and loading rather than designed member by member on most projects. {note}
+
+### Joists and rafters shall be selected or designed under AISI S100 and AISI S240 for the spans, spacings, and loads stated in the contract documents.
+
+### Joist and rafter bearing conditions, including bearing stiffeners and web crippling reinforcement, shall be detailed on the reviewed shop drawings.
+
+### Web crippling at a bearing point governs more cold-formed joist designs than bending does, because the thin web carries the reaction over a short bearing length. {note}
+
+### Joists and rafters shall be laterally braced on both flanges at the spacing the reviewed design requires until the sheathing and ceiling are installed.
+
+### Openings in a cold-formed steel floor or roof framing system shall be framed with headers designed for the reactions of the interrupted members.
+
+## Floor Deflection and Vibration {toc}
+
+### The live-load deflection limit for cold-formed steel floor framing shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Floor Framing Live-Load Deflection Limit
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "L/240"
+ - "L/360"
+ - "L/480"
+ - "L/600"
+default: "L/360"
+```
+
+### A cold-formed steel floor is light and lightly damped, so it can satisfy every strength and deflection limit and still be objectionable to walk on. Deflection limits do not predict vibration response, which depends on mass, damping, and natural frequency. {note}
+
+### The floor vibration requirement shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Floor Vibration Requirement
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "No vibration analysis required"
+ - "Vibration analysis performed against the criterion stated in the contract documents"
+```
+
+### Where vibration analysis is required, the analysis shall address the occupancy stated in the contract documents and shall report the predicted response against the acceptance criterion used.
+
+### Where the vibration analysis governs the framing selection, the resulting member and spacing shall be recorded on the shop drawings so that a lighter member is not proposed later on strength grounds.
+
+## Truss Assemblies {toc}
+
+### Cold-formed steel truss design provisions were consolidated into AISI S240, so a truss assembly is designed under the same framing standard as the walls that carry it. {note}
+
+### Truss assemblies shall be designed under AISI S240 by the specialty engineer for the loads stated in the contract documents.
+
+### Truss layout, bearing locations, permanent bracing, and connections to the supporting framing shall be shown on the sealed truss shop drawings.
+
+### Permanent truss bracing shall be installed before construction loads are placed on the truss system.
+
+### Trusses shall not be field modified, cut, or notched.
+
+### A truss chord and web are proportioned close to their capacity, so cutting one to clear a duct changes the assembly's capacity rather than merely marking it. {note}
+
+# Bridging, Bracing, and Blocking {toc}
+
+## Bridging Method {toc}
+
+### Bridging restrains a stud against rotation and weak-axis buckling between its end supports, and the capacity published for a member assumes the bridging its design requires is installed and anchored. {note}
+
+### Structural studs are punched with knockouts in the web at regular intervals so that a channel or bar can pass through every stud in a wall and be fixed to each one. {note}
+
+### The bridging and bracing methods used in the work shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Bridging and Bracing Methods Used
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Cold-rolled channel through the stud knockouts with clip angles at each stud"
+ - "Proprietary bridging bar and clip system through the stud knockouts"
+ - "Flat steel strap on both flanges with periodic solid blocking"
+ - "Solid blocking between studs"
+ - "Sheathing-braced design under AISI S240"
+```
+
+### Strap bracing shall be installed on both flanges of the stud and shall be terminated at solid blocking or at a braced end condition.
+
+### Strap bracing on one flange only restrains translation but not rotation, so a stud strapped on a single face can still roll between bracing points. {note}
+
+### Bridging shall be continuous through the length of the wall and shall be anchored at each end to a member capable of resisting the accumulated bracing force.
+
+### A bridging line anchored only to the studs it crosses braces nothing, because the whole row can translate together. The anchorage is what converts a row of bridging into restraint. {note}
+
+### Bridging shall not be omitted, relocated, or reduced from the reviewed shop drawings without the written approval of the specialty engineer and the Engineer of Record.
+
+## Bridging Spacing {toc}
+
+### The maximum vertical spacing of bridging rows shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Maximum Vertical Spacing of Bridging Rows
+type: range
+unit: ft o.c.
+drawing_ref: "the structural drawings"
+options:
+ min: 2
+ max: 8
+ setpoints: [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8]
+default: deferred
+```
+
+### Bridging shall additionally be installed within the distance of the head-of-wall connection that the connector's evaluation report requires.
+
+### A slide or drift clip releases the stud at its head, so the first bridging row below that connection is what holds the stud against rotation where it is least restrained. {note}
+
+## Sheathing-Braced Design {toc}
+
+### Requirements in this article apply where sheathing-braced design is selected in the datasheet field for the bridging and bracing methods used.
+
+### A sheathing-braced design relies on the sheathing and its fastener pattern to restrain the stud, so the sheathing becomes a structural component whose substitution is a design change. {note}
+
+### Sheathing relied upon for bracing shall be identified on the reviewed shop drawings by material, thickness, fastener type, and fastener spacing.
+
+### Sheathing relied upon for bracing shall be installed before the construction loads that the braced condition assumes are applied.
+
+### Sheathing material, thickness, fastener type, or fastener spacing shall not be substituted in the field.
+
+### Where sheathing is applied to only one face of a sheathing-braced wall, the design shall state how the unsheathed face is restrained.
+
+# Lateral Force Resisting System {toc}
+
+## Role of the Cold-Formed Steel Framing {toc}
+
+### The role of the cold-formed steel framing in the lateral force resisting system shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Role of the Cold-Formed Steel Framing in the Lateral Force Resisting System
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "The framing does not participate in the lateral force resisting system"
+ - "The framing includes shear walls or braced walls designed under AISI S240"
+ - "The framing includes a seismic force-resisting system designed under AISI S400"
+```
+
+### Where the framing participates in the lateral force resisting system, the design basis for that system is [[drawing: the lateral force resisting system plans]].
+
+### Framing that carries only its tributary out-of-plane load is designed under AISI S240 alone, while framing that collects and delivers story shear takes on chord, collector, hold-down, and anchorage demands that the wall design must address explicitly. {note}
+
+## Shear Wall and Braced Wall Type {toc}
+
+### Requirements in this article apply where the framing is selected in the datasheet to include shear walls, braced walls, or a seismic force-resisting system.
+
+### The shear wall and braced wall types used in the work shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Shear Wall and Braced Wall Types Used
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Wood structural panel sheathed shear walls"
+ - "Steel sheet sheathed shear walls"
+ - "Gypsum board panel sheathed shear walls"
+ - "Fiberboard panel sheathed shear walls"
+ - "Flat strap diagonal braced walls"
+```
+
+### The in-plane shear capacity of a sheathed cold-formed steel wall is governed by the fastener pattern at the panel edges rather than by the framing members, so an edge screw spacing changed by one increment changes the wall's rated capacity. {note}
+
+### Panel edge and field fastener spacing shall be as shown on the reviewed shop drawings and shall not be substituted in the field.
+
+### Hold-downs and their anchorage shall be installed at each end of every shear wall segment before the wall is sheathed.
+
+### Chord studs, collectors, and drag struts shall be identified as such on the reviewed shop drawings.
+
+### Sheathing on a shear wall shall not be concealed until the fastener pattern, the hold-downs, and the anchorage have been inspected.
+
+## Seismic Detailing Under AISI S400 {toc}
+
+### Requirements in this article apply where a seismic force-resisting system designed under AISI S400 is selected in the datasheet field for the role of the framing.
+
+### The seismic force-resisting system shall be designed and detailed under AISI S400 in addition to AISI S240.
+
+### Members and connections designated as protected by the capacity design provisions of AISI S400 shall be identified on the reviewed shop drawings.
+
+### Field substitution of a member, a fastener, or a sheathing material within a designated seismic force-resisting system shall not be made.
+
+### A capacity-designed system relies on one element yielding while the elements around it stay elastic, so substituting a heavier member inside that system can move the yielding somewhere it was not intended and is not a conservative change. {note}
+
+# Connections {toc}
+
+## Connection Methods Permitted {toc}
+
+### Cold-formed steel framing connections are made by several methods that are all recognized by AISI S240 and all in routine use, and the method that suits a project follows from the shop-versus-field split, the substrate, the coating, and the labor available. {note}
+
+### The connection methods permitted in the work shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Connection Methods Permitted for Steel-to-Steel Framing Connections
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Self-drilling tapping screws conforming to ASTM C1513"
+ - "Arc welds qualified under AWS D1.3"
+ - "Powder-actuated fasteners"
+ - "Pneumatically driven pins"
+ - "Press-joining, also called clinching"
+ - "Structural bolts"
+```
+
+### The capacity of every connection shall be established by AISI S100 or by a current evaluation report for the fastener and the connected thicknesses.
+
+### Connection type, size, quantity, and spacing shall be shown on the reviewed shop drawings for every connection in the framing.
+
+### A method not selected in the datasheet shall not be used without the Engineer of Record's written approval.
+
+## Screw Connections {toc}
+
+### Requirements in this article apply where self-drilling tapping screws are selected in the datasheet field for the connection methods permitted.
+
+### Self-drilling tapping screws for steel-to-steel framing connections shall conform to ASTM C1513.
+
+### The screw size for structural steel-to-steel connections shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Screw Size for Structural Steel-to-Steel Connections
+type: select
+drawing_ref: "the reviewed shop drawings"
+options:
+ - "No. 8"
+ - "No. 10"
+ - "No. 12"
+ - "No. 14"
+ - "1/4 in. diameter"
+default: deferred
+```
+
+### Screw length shall be sufficient to extend at least three exposed threads beyond the last connected member.
+
+### Screw spacing, edge distance, and end distance shall comply with the connection provisions of AISI S100 and with the fastener manufacturer's published values.
+
+### Screws shall be driven perpendicular to the connected surfaces and shall be seated without stripping the connected material.
+
+### An over-driven screw strips the thread it just cut and leaves a connection with a fraction of its published pull-out capacity while looking identical to a sound one. {note}
+
+### Stripped, tilted, backed-out, or missing screws shall be replaced with a new screw in sound material adjacent to the failed location.
+
+## Welded Connections {toc}
+
+### Requirements in this article apply where arc welds are selected in the datasheet field for the connection methods permitted.
+
+### Welded connections in cold-formed members shall conform to AWS D1.3.
+
+### Welding shall not be performed on material thinner than the minimum thickness the reviewed welding procedure specification qualifies.
+
+### The metallic coating shall be removed from the immediate weld area by mechanical means before welding.
+
+### Zinc entering the weld pool produces porosity and reduces the strength of a weld that looks acceptable from the surface, which is why the coating is removed rather than burned through. {note}
+
+### Welding fumes from metallic-coated sheet shall be controlled by ventilation or extraction at the arc.
+
+### Coating removed or damaged by welding shall be restored under the coating repair requirements of this standard.
+
+## Powder-Actuated and Pneumatically Driven Fasteners {toc}
+
+### Requirements in this article apply where powder-actuated fasteners or pneumatically driven pins are selected in the datasheet field for the connection methods permitted.
+
+### Powder-actuated fasteners and pneumatically driven pins shall be installed only where a current evaluation report establishes their capacity in the substrate and connected thicknesses of the actual condition.
+
+### The capacity of a powder-actuated fastener in concrete depends on the concrete strength, the embedment achieved, and the proximity of reinforcement, so a tested value for one condition is not transferable to another. {note}
+
+### Fasteners shall be installed at not less than the minimum edge distance, spacing, and base material thickness the evaluation report states.
+
+### Fasteners driven into concrete shall not be installed where they would strike reinforcement, post-tensioning tendons, or embedded conduit.
+
+### The location of post-tensioning tendons and embedded services shall be verified before driven fasteners are installed in a post-tensioned or congested slab.
+
+### Every driven fastener shall be inspected after installation for correct standoff and embedment, and fasteners that did not set shall be removed and replaced at an adjacent location.
+
+## Anchorage of Track to the Supporting Construction {toc}
+
+### The methods used to anchor track to concrete, masonry, and structural steel shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Track Anchorage Methods Used
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Powder-actuated fasteners"
+ - "Pneumatically driven pins"
+ - "Post-installed expansion anchors"
+ - "Post-installed screw anchors"
+ - "Adhesive anchors"
+ - "Cast-in anchor bolts"
+ - "Welds to embedded plates or to structural steel"
+ - "Self-drilling tapping screws to structural steel"
+```
+
+### Anchor type, size, embedment, and spacing shall be shown on the reviewed shop drawings.
+
+### Anchors shall be installed within 2 in. of each end of every track section and at each side of every opening.
+
+### An unanchored track end is free to lift and rotate under the reaction of the first stud, which is why the end anchor is placed regardless of the calculated spacing. {note}
+
+### Anchorage in concrete and masonry shall be installed after the substrate has reached the strength the anchor design assumes.
+
+### Anchors installed in a location that proves unsuitable shall be removed or abandoned in place under a detail furnished by the Engineer of Record, and the hole shall be filled.
+
+## Clip Connectors {toc}
+
+### Clip connectors joining framing to the primary structure or to other framing shall be selected from the manufacturer's published capacities for the actual connected thicknesses and fastener pattern.
+
+### Clip connectors shall be selected to transfer the calculated forces without imposing rotational restraint where the design requires rotational freedom.
+
+### Proprietary clip connectors shall be installed with the fastener type, quantity, and hole pattern that the evaluation report establishes for the published capacity.
+
+### Filling every hole in a proprietary clip is not always correct and leaving holes empty is not always wrong, because the published capacity corresponds to a specific pattern that the evaluation report defines. {note}
+
+### Clips shall not be field modified by cutting, drilling, or bending.
+
+# Openings and Built-Up Members {toc}
+
+## Jamb Framing at Openings {toc}
+
+### Opening locations, sizes, and rough opening dimensions are [[drawing: the framing plans and opening details]].
+
+### An opening interrupts studs whose load must be carried around it, so the jamb, header, sill, and cripple framing together replace a load path rather than merely trimming a hole. {note}
+
+### The jamb framing configuration at openings shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Jamb Framing Configuration at Openings
+type: select
+drawing_ref: "the structural drawings"
+options:
+ - "Single stud at each jamb"
+ - "Two studs connected back to back"
+ - "Two studs connected flange to flange as a boxed section"
+ - "Built-up section of three or more studs"
+ - "Rolled shape or structural tube furnished under the structural steel work"
+default: deferred
+```
+
+### Jamb framing shall be designed for the load transferred from the interrupted studs above the opening in addition to its own tributary load.
+
+### Jamb framing at a door frame shall be solidly blocked to the base track and to the header so that door swing and closing loads are not carried by the track alone.
+
+### Jamb studs shall be at least the base steel thickness of the adjacent field studs.
+
+### Door frame anchorage to the jamb framing shall be coordinated with [[sync/doors-frames-and-hardware]].
+
+## Header and Sill Framing {toc}
+
+### Headers shall be designed for the reactions of the interrupted studs and for the tributary load above the opening.
+
+### Sill members at window openings shall be designed for the load transferred from the cripple studs below the opening.
+
+### Cripple studs shall be installed at the field stud spacing above headers and below sills so that the sheathing and cladding attachment pattern continues across the opening.
+
+### Header and sill members shall be connected to the jamb framing with a detail shown on the reviewed shop drawings.
+
+### Bearing at the header-to-jamb connection is a web crippling condition in a thin section, and it is the location where an opening most often fails to deliver its design capacity. {note}
+
+## Built-Up Section Assembly {toc}
+
+### Built-up sections shall be assembled with the fastener type, spacing, and pattern shown on the reviewed shop drawings.
+
+### The individual members of a built-up section shall be in contact along the length that the design assumes composite behavior.
+
+### Two studs stitched together at wide spacing behave as two separate members rather than as one built-up section, so the stitch spacing is a structural requirement and not a fabrication convenience. {note}
+
+### Built-up sections shall be assembled before erection wherever the assembly can be lifted into place, so that the stitch connections are made under controlled access.
+
+# Web Penetrations and Field Modification {toc}
+
+## Penetrations Through Member Webs {toc}
+
+### Penetrations for piping, conduit, and cabling shall use the manufacturer's factory-punched knockouts wherever the required routing allows.
+
+### Field-cut web penetrations shall not exceed the size, spacing, or location limits established by AISI S100 for the member or by the manufacturer's published values for a proprietary section, whichever is more restrictive.
+
+### Field-cut web penetrations shall be made by mechanical means.
+
+### Torch cutting of cold-formed steel framing shall not be performed.
+
+### Torch cutting distorts the section, destroys the coating well beyond the cut, and produces an opening whose actual size and edge condition no design provision covers. {note}
+
+### A web penetration exceeding the permitted limits shall be reinforced under a detail furnished by the specialty engineer or the Engineer of Record before the member is loaded.
+
+## Modifications That Shall Not Be Made {toc}
+
+### Flanges and return lips of structural members shall not be notched, cut, or drilled.
+
+### The flange and its return lip carry the compression in a bending member, and a notch there removes the element the section relies on to avoid local buckling. {note}
+
+### Structural members shall not be spliced except with a splice detail shown on the reviewed shop drawings.
+
+### Studs shall not be cut short and shimmed to fit a framing error.
+
+### Members that have been kinked, twisted, or bent shall not be straightened in the field and reinstalled.
+
+### An unauthorized field modification shall be reported to the Engineer of Record, and the affected member shall be evaluated before it is loaded or concealed.
+
+### The Contractor shall bear the cost of evaluating and correcting an unauthorized field modification.
+
+# Installation {toc}
+
+## Layout and Track Placement {toc}
+
+### Framing shall be laid out from the project control points established by the Contractor.
+
+### Base and head tracks shall be set, aligned, and anchored before studs are installed.
+
+### Track alignment shall be verified against the wall layout before anchors are installed, because correcting an anchored track means abandoning anchors in the substrate. {note}
+
+### Framing shall comply with the installation requirements of AISI S240 and ASTM C1007.
+
+## Stud Placement and Bearing {toc}
+
+### Studs shall be seated squarely in the track with the stud web in full contact with the track web at bearing conditions.
+
+### Studs in load-bearing walls shall be aligned vertically with the framing above and below so that the axial load path is continuous.
+
+### Where a stud cannot align with the framing above, the track and its supporting construction shall be designed for the eccentric load, and the condition shall be shown on the reviewed shop drawings.
+
+### Off-alignment bearing puts the reaction into the track web in bending rather than into the stud below in direct bearing, which is a different and much weaker load path. {note}
+
+### Studs in load-bearing walls shall be fastened to both the base and head tracks.
+
+### Studs at a deflection track shall be fastened to the base track only and shall remain free to move within the head-of-wall connection.
+
+## Erection Tolerances {toc}
+
+### The plumb tolerance for erected studs shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Stud Plumb Tolerance
+type: select
+options:
+ - "1/8 in. in 10 ft"
+ - "1/16 in. in 10 ft"
+default: "1/8 in. in 10 ft"
+```
+
+### Erected framing shall be within the erection tolerances of AISI S202 for position, elevation, spacing, and alignment.
+
+### Framing outside tolerance shall be corrected before sheathing, board, or cladding is applied.
+
+### A stud that is out of plane telegraphs through finished board and through most cladding systems, so the tolerance check is made before concealment rather than at final inspection. {note}
+
+### Framing that cannot be brought within tolerance shall be reported to the Engineer of Record for a written disposition.
+
+## Bridging Installation Sequence {toc}
+
+### Bridging shall be installed at the spacing and locations shown on the reviewed shop drawings before sheathing, board, or cladding is applied.
+
+### Cold-rolled channel bridging shall pass through the knockout of every stud in a continuous line and shall be fastened to each stud with a clip.
+
+### Bridging at the end of a wall and at each side of an opening shall be tied back to a solidly blocked stud or to the jamb framing.
+
+### Construction loads shall not be placed on a framed floor or roof system until the bridging and bracing that system requires is installed and anchored.
+
+## Coordination With Other Trades {toc}
+
+### The framing installer shall coordinate with concrete placement for cast-in anchors and embeds, with structural steel erection for clip attachments, with mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and low-voltage rough-in for web penetrations, and with the sheathing, cladding, board, and firestopping trades for the sequence in which each assembly is closed.
+
+### Rough-in shall be routed through knockouts and shall not require field-cut penetrations beyond the permitted limits.
+
+### The framing installer shall not relocate, remove, or modify framing to accommodate another trade's rough-in without the Engineer of Record's written approval.
+
+### Framing cut by another trade to clear a duct or a pipe is the most common unauthorized modification on a project, and it is discovered after the wall is closed unless the inspection before concealment looks for it. {note}
+
+# Fire-Resistance-Rated Assemblies {toc}
+
+## Listed Design Compliance {toc}
+
+### Required fire-resistance ratings and the listed designs that satisfy them are [[drawing: the fire-resistance-rated assembly schedule]].
+
+### A fire-resistance rating belongs to a whole tested assembly, which includes the stud designation and spacing, the board type and layers, the fastener pattern, the cavity condition, and the perimeter joint treatment. No single component of it carries a rating on its own. {note}
+
+### Assemblies shall be constructed to the listed design identified in the contract documents.
+
+### The stud designation, base steel thickness, and spacing used in a rated assembly shall be confirmed against the listing before the framing is ordered.
+
+### A component of a listed assembly shall not be substituted without either selecting a different listed design or obtaining a written engineering evaluation acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.
+
+### A rated assembly may require a heavier member or a closer spacing than the structural design does, because the listing records what was tested rather than what is structurally sufficient. {note}
+
+### The rated assemblies themselves are specified under [[sync/fire-rated-wall-and-floor-assemblies]], and applied fireproofing on cold-formed members under [[sync/fireproofing]].
+
+## Head-of-Wall Joints and Penetrations in Rated Assemblies {toc}
+
+### Head-of-wall joint systems and penetration firestop systems in rated assemblies shall be installed under [[sync/firestopping]].
+
+### The head-of-wall joint system selected shall be listed for the wall assembly, for the structure above, and for the movement capacity provided at that wall.
+
+### The framing installer shall leave the head-of-wall joint at the design dimension and shall not fill it.
+
+### A head-of-wall joint filled by the framing installer to close a gap defeats both the movement accommodation and the listed joint system, and the failure is invisible after the board is hung. {note}
+
+# Field Inspection {toc}
+
+## Inspection Before Concealment {toc}
+
+### The Contractor shall inspect each framed assembly before sheathing, board, or cladding conceals it.
+
+### The inspection shall verify that member designations and thicknesses match the reviewed shop drawings, that spacing matches the drawings and the listed assembly, that studs are plumb and seated in track, that bridging is installed and anchored, that opening framing is complete, that fasteners are present and correctly seated, that head-of-wall movement joints are open at their design dimension, and that coating damage has been repaired.
+
+### The inspection shall be documented and the record shall be available to the Engineer of Record and to the special inspector.
+
+## Welded Connection Inspection {toc}
+
+### Inspection requirements in this article apply to the welded connections made where arc welds are selected in the datasheet.
+
+### Welds in structural cold-formed members shall be visually inspected under AWS D1.3 by a qualified inspector.
+
+### Visual inspection shall verify weld size, length, and location, fusion at the weld toes, and freedom from cracks, burn-through, undercut, and blowout.
+
+### Volumetric nondestructive examination is not generally meaningful on sheet steel because the section is too thin to interpret, which is why visual inspection is the governing method for cold-formed welds. {note}
+
+### Defective welds shall be repaired by a qualified welder and shall be re-inspected after repair.
+
+### The party whose work was rejected shall bear the cost of re-inspection.
+
+## Shear Wall Fastener Inspection {toc}
+
+### Inspection requirements in this article apply to the shear walls, braced walls, and seismic force-resisting system elements selected in the datasheet.
+
+### The fastener pattern at panel edges and at field studs shall be inspected before the sheathing is concealed.
+
+### Inspection shall verify the fastener type and size, the edge and field spacing, the edge distance, and that fasteners are seated flush without over-driving.
+
+### Hold-down installation and anchorage shall be inspected before the wall is sheathed.
+
+### Sheathing concealed before its fastener inspection shall be opened for inspection at the Contractor's cost.
+
+## Nonconforming Framing Work {toc}
+
+### Framing work that does not conform to the contract documents, the reviewed shop drawings, or AISI S240 shall be documented as a nonconformance and reported in writing to the Engineer of Record, the Contractor, and the Owner.
+
+### Construction loads shall not be placed on a documented nonconformance until the Engineer of Record has issued a written disposition.
+
+### Each disposition shall be one of the following: reject and replace, accept as-is supported by a written engineering evaluation, or accept with a stated compensating measure such as added bridging or a supplemental connection.
+
+### The cost of evaluating and correcting a nonconformance shall be borne by the party whose work produced it.
+
+# Delivery, Storage, and Handling {toc}
+
+## Delivery and Site Storage {toc}
+
+### Framing shall be delivered in the manufacturer's bundles, each marked with the member designation, base steel thickness, yield strength, coating designation, and quantity.
+
+### Site storage shall satisfy the requirements indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Site Storage Requirements
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Store on dunnage clear of the ground"
+ - "Arrange bundles to drain"
+ - "Cover to exclude weather while permitting air circulation"
+ - "Loosen or remove sealed wrapping on arrival"
+ - "Separate members by designation and thickness"
+ - "Store long members with intermediate support to prevent permanent set"
+default:
+ - "Store on dunnage clear of the ground"
+ - "Arrange bundles to drain"
+ - "Cover to exclude weather while permitting air circulation"
+ - "Loosen or remove sealed wrapping on arrival"
+```
+
+### Bundled zinc-coated framing that stays wet with no air movement between the members develops white rust within hours, because the zinc oxidizes without the carbon dioxide it needs to form the stable protective film. {note}
+
+### Members shall be unloaded and handled so that no member is kinked, twisted, dented, or racked.
+
+### Members shall be lifted rather than dragged across the ground or across other members.
+
+## Damaged Members {toc}
+
+### Members showing white rust shall be inspected before installation.
+
+### Light white rust that wipes clean is a surface deposit, while a heavy deposit indicates that zinc has been consumed and the coating no longer provides the design protection. {note}
+
+### Members with heavy white rust, with section loss from corrosion, or with kinks, twists, or web dents shall be rejected.
+
+### Members with coating damage beyond the limits of repair under ASTM A780 shall be reported to the Engineer of Record for a written disposition.
+
+### Rejected members shall be removed from the site or clearly marked and segregated so that they are not installed.
+
+# Warranty and Correction Period {toc}
+
+## Correction Period {toc}
+
+### The framing supplier and the installer shall each warrant their work for the period indicated in the datasheet, measured from the date of substantial completion.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Correction Period for Framing Supply and Installation
+type: range
+unit: years
+options:
+ min: 1
+ max: 5
+ setpoints: [1, 2, 3, 5]
+default: 1
+```
+
+### The framing supplier shall warrant the members and accessories against defects in material and manufacturing, including base steel thickness, yield strength, coating designation, and section properties not matching the published values.
+
+### The installer shall warrant the installation, including member layout, bridging completeness, fastener installation, plumbness and alignment, movement joints left free to move, and coating damage caused by installation operations.
+
+### Where a warranted defect is corrected, the corrected work shall carry a fresh correction period of the same length measured from the date of the correction, or the remainder of the original period, whichever ends later.
+
+### The party performing a warranty correction shall bear the cost of removing and replacing other work that must be disturbed to reach the defect.
+
+### The form of the warranty documents and any bonds are established under [[sync/warranties-and-bonds]].
+
+## Warranty Exclusions {toc}
+
+### The warranty does not cover loading beyond the design loads stated in the contract documents.
+
+### The warranty does not cover unauthorized field modification of a framing member.
+
+### The warranty does not cover damage caused by the work of other trades after the framing installer has completed and turned over an assembly.
+
+### The warranty does not cover corrosion caused by water entering the assembly through the building envelope.
+
+### Where the parties disagree whether corrosion originated in an envelope leak or in a coating deficiency, the Engineer of Record shall make the initial determination.