Framing a Home in Florida: What Makes It Unique

When you see a new home being built, that moment when the wooden beams and boards rise up from the foundation is called framing. Framing is like the skeleton of the house—it gives the structure its shape, strength, and stability.

While the overall process of framing is similar everywhere, building in Florida has some special rules and techniquesto handle our climate, storms, and pests. Another big difference? Many homes here use concrete block exterior wallsinstead of wood.

Let’s break it down step by step.

Step 1: Anchoring to the Foundation

Every frame starts on top of the concrete slab or foundation walls. In Florida, we use treated sill plates (wood that resists rot and termites) and bolt them tightly to the concrete with anchor bolts.

⚠️ Florida Difference: Because of hurricanes, the spacing and strength of these anchor bolts is stricter here than in many states. The idea is simple: you don’t want your walls to ever lift off the foundation during high winds.

Step 2: Exterior Walls – Block or Wood

Here’s where Florida often looks different: many homes are built with concrete masonry units (CMU), or “block” walls, especially on the first floor. These blocks are stacked, filled, and reinforced with steel and concrete.

• Block Benefits: Strong against hurricanes, termite-proof, fire-resistant.

• Wood Framing Still Used: On the inside (interior walls) and above block (second floors, roof framing), wood studs are common.

So, in many Florida homes, the “skeleton” is actually a mix: block outside, wood inside.

Step 3: Raising Interior and Upper Walls

Inside the house, and on upper floors, walls are framed with vertical wood studs, with spaces left for doors and windows.

⚠️ Florida Difference: Stud spacing, bracing, and header sizes must meet code for wind resistance. These rules ensure walls can stand up to hurricane-force gusts.

Step 4: Building the Roof

The roof structure can be built with rafters (angled boards meeting at the peak) or trusses (pre-built triangular units). Trusses are common in Florida because they’re fast, strong, and engineered for high winds.

⚠️ Florida Difference: Roofs must be tied down with metal connectors or hurricane straps that attach the roof securely to the walls (block or wood). This creates a continuous “load path” from the roof to the foundation so the wind can’t rip the top off the house.

Step 5: Sheathing and Bracing

Once walls and roof are in place, builders nail large sheets of plywood or OSB (engineered board) to cover them. This is called sheathing, and it makes the structure rigid and ready for siding and shingles.

⚠️ Florida Difference: Roof sheathing has very strict nail spacing and fastening patterns here. This keeps the roof deck from flying off in hurricane winds. In some coastal areas, you also need a sealed roof deck (special tape or underlayment) to protect against water intrusion if shingles blow away.

Sheathing applied

Step 6: Bracing for Storms

Florida code also requires extra bracing and blocking inside the walls and roof framing. Think of these as reinforcements that keep everything steady when the wind pushes hard.

Why Framing in Florida Is Special

Framing everywhere builds the skeleton of the home, but in Florida it’s really about storm survival. That’s why you’ll often see:

• Concrete block exterior walls for strength and termite resistance.

• Pressure-treated wood where moisture or pests are a concern.

• Hurricane clips and straps at every roof-to-wall connection.

• Tighter fastening requirements for roof sheathing and siding.

• Special rules in coastal/high-wind zones (called HVHZ—High Velocity Hurricane Zones).

All of these add up to a house that not only stands tall but also stays standing when a storm rolls through.

In Summary

The basics of framing—floors, walls, and roof—are the same everywhere. But in Florida, many homes combine block exterior walls with wood-framed roofs and interiors, plus strict codes to make sure everything can resist termites, humidity, and especially hurricanes.

It’s the moment when blueprints start to look like a real house, and in Florida, it’s also the stage where storm safety gets built right into the bones of your home.

Florida homes need more than good design—they need strength. From block walls to hurricane straps, we build with safety in mind. Let’s talk about your project!