Two Types of Framing Explained

There are several types of home framing options available, but the two most common types are platform framing and balloon framing.

Balloon Framing

Balloon framing is a type of framing that uses long wooden studs that extend through the height of the house. A single wooden stud will run the entire height of the building. Balloon framing is not as popular in today's construction because of the dangers, expense, and added scarcity of the materials. The long wooden studs are becoming more expensive and harder for contractors to locate at an affordable and manageable rate. As well, balloon framing can have warping issues and poses an increase in the fire spreading risks due to the unrestricted open space from the bottom to the roof.

Platform Framing

Platform framing is a type of framing where builders stack walls on top of the subfloor. Platform framing has become the more popular framing style used by residential builders. When building multi-level houses, platform framing requires the builder to complete one story of the home at a time. In this framing design, the completion of one floor is required, as the walls of the completed level act as a platform for the next floor level. With today's standardized stud length, platform framing is less expensive and much faster to construct than balloon framing. The installation of platform framing is an easier and more reliable task for builders to complete.