Conventional house walls have an inner wooden framework. This framework may or may not support part of the house. But it does support wall coverings, windows, and doors. And it provides cavities for electrical wiring, plumbing, heating ductwork, insulation, and other utilities.

Though most walls are framed with 2-by-4 wall studs, 2 by 6s are used to provide more strength and/or larger cavities for gear. Exterior walls, for example, may be framed with 2 by 6s to allow more room for insulation; some bathroom walls are framed with 2 by 6s to allow plenty of space for large pipes.

Not all houses are framed with wooden wall studs. Some newer homes are built with metal studs, a practice adopted from commercial construction methods.

Windows have a single or double sill across the base, made up of 2 by 4s laid flat. Trimmer studs support each end of a header, and cripple studs fill in the areas above and below the openings. Cripple studs are placed on the 16- or 24-inch stud layouts.

Wherever windows, doors or other openings occur along a wall, the regular studs are eliminated. Instead, a small beam, called a header, spans across the top of the opening, bridging the gap.

A double top plate—two 2 by 4s or 2 by 6s laid flat—caps the top of the studs, locking the studs in position. This gives the wall rigidity and support and provides a backing for nailing-on wall-covering materials. At the wall's base, studs are nailed to a 2-by-4 or 2-by-6 sole plate to lock them to the floor.
 
The wall frame generally consists of 2-by-4 or 2-by-6 wall studs placed vertically every 16 or 24 inches, from center to center. Extra studs provide nailing area and sturdy support wherever walls intersect, such as at corners.

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