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Which of the terms below refers to horizontally installed 2x4 or 2x6 boards under wall studs attached to the sub-floor or concrete slab?

1. Deadwood

2. Subfloor

3. Bottom plates

4. Top plates

The correct answer is: Bottom plates

The term that refers to horizontally installed 2x4 or 2x6 boards under wall studs attached to the sub-floor or concrete slab is "bottom plates." In construction, bottom plates serve as the foundational support for vertical wall studs, helping to secure the wall assembly to the underlying structure. This component is critical for maintaining the stability and alignment of walls, as they provide the necessary base for attachment and load distribution. The bottom plate also acts as a protective barrier, preventing moisture from the concrete slab or subfloor from reaching the wood components of the wall. By ensuring that the wall studs are properly anchored, the bottom plate enhances the overall integrity of the wall system. It is essential in framing, as it provides the necessary connection between the walls and the floor. In contrast, deadwood typically refers to pieces of wood placed between wall studs, often for fire blocking, while subfloor denotes the structural layer beneath the finished floor, and top plates are the horizontal members at the top of wall studs, which tie the wall structure together at its uppermost part. Each of these terms plays a distinct role in a building's framework, but they do not refer specifically to the horizontal boards beneath the wall studs, which is the function of bottom plates.