Alabama Millwork and Finish Carpentry Contractor Examination

When installing baseboard along a straight wall, what is the preferred joint where two long pieces meet in the middle of a run?

• AA 45-degree miter with the short point against the wall
• BA scarf (overlapping bevel) joint sloped so the visible face hides the joint
• CA square butt joint left unglued for wood movement
• DA half-lap joint cut with a circular saw only

Inside corners of baseboard and casing are commonly joined with which technique for a tight, paint-ready fit?

• AA plain square butt with no coping
• BCoping the profile of one piece to fit the face of the other
• CA full-blind dovetail
• DA biscuit joint only, with no shaping of the profile

Outside corners of door and window casing are typically joined with what cut?

• AA 45-degree miter
• BA cope joint only
• CA scarf joint
• DA finger joint

When installing crown molding, why is a compound miter (or coping on inside corners) typically required?

• ABecause crown is installed at an angle between wall and ceiling
• BBecause crown is always thicker than baseboard
• CBecause crown never needs painting
• DBecause crown is only used on exterior eaves

What is the main purpose of scribing a cabinet side or backsplash panel to an irregular wall?

• ATo make the panel thicker for screw holding
• BTo fit the panel tightly against an out-of-plumb or uneven surface
• CTo hide factory edge banding
• DTo reduce the need for wall anchors

Chair rail is typically installed at what approximate height in a residential room with standard 8-foot ceilings?

• AAt the ceiling line only
• BAbout one-third of the wall height, often 32 to 36 inches above the finished floor
• CExactly 12 inches above the floor
• DFlush with the top of the door casing only

When fastening interior trim to studs or framing, which practice best reduces splitting and improves holding power in hardwood molding?

• ADriving nails without pilot holes near ends and miters
• BPredrilling pilot holes and using finish nails or brads of appropriate length
• CUsing only drywall screws through the face of every joint
• DGluing only, with no mechanical fasteners

What is the primary function of a reveal (margin) between door casing and the door jamb edge?

• ATo create a consistent, intentional shadow line and allow for slight irregularities
• BTo provide space for insulation only
• CTo eliminate the need for a stop
• DTo hide missing hinges

When installing wainscot paneling, what is the best practice for accommodating wood movement?

• AGlue every panel solidly to the wall with no expansion gaps
• BAllow for expansion and contraction with appropriate gaps, floating methods, or flexible…
• CNail only through the face every 2 inches with no backer
• DSeal only one face of solid-wood panels so they cup toward the room

Shoe molding (quarter-round) is primarily used to:

• AReplace the need for baseboard
• BCover the expansion gap between baseboard and finished flooring
• CSupport cabinet shelves
• DAct as a structural header over doors

On an interior stair, the vertical board that closes the end of a tread is called the:

• ARiser
• BStringer
• CNewel
• DBaluster

A stair tread nosing that projects beyond the riser is primarily intended to:

• AEliminate the need for a handrail
• BIncrease the usable walking surface and improve step safety and appearance
• CHide missing stringers
• DAct as a code-required fire stop

When fitting door casing around an out-of-square opening, the best finish approach is usually to:

• AForce square miters and leave large gaps at the jamb
• BAdjust reveal lines and joint angles carefully so reveals stay consistent and joints close
• COmit the head casing entirely
• DUse only caulk with no mechanical fastening

What is the purpose of a plinth block at the base of door casing?

• ATo provide a thicker, square block where base and casing meet so profiles do not have to…
• BTo replace the door stop
• CTo act as a structural jack stud
• DTo conceal the hinge mortises

Before installing interior wood trim, stock should generally be acclimated to the jobsite so that:

• AIts moisture content approaches equilibrium with the interior environment
• BIt becomes fully saturated with water
• CAll factory finishes are removed
• DIt expands to its maximum outdoor dimension

When nailing casing to a jamb, nails should typically:

• AMiss the jamb entirely and only hit drywall
• BSecure the casing into the jamb edge and also into framing where possible
• CBe driven only into the drywall paper
• DBe omitted if adhesive caulk is used on the face

A picture rail is installed high on the wall primarily to:

• ASupport hanging artwork without putting many nails into finished walls
• BReplace structural ceiling joists
• CAct as a fire-rated corridor assembly
• DProvide the only means of attaching baseboard

When installing solid-wood baseboard over vinyl or hardwood flooring, the base should typically:

• ABe pressed hard against the floor with zero gap and glued solidly to the floor
• BSit slightly above the floor or allow for flooring expansion, with shoe molding covering…
• CBe fastened only to the flooring, never the wall
• DAlways be installed before any flooring is laid

Rosettes (corner blocks) at the head of door casing are used mainly to:

• AEliminate miter joints between head and side casings
• BIncrease the fire rating of the door
• CReplace the need for a door jamb
• DServe as structural headers

When back-cutting a miter slightly on casing, the goal is usually to:

• AMake the joint open on the face
• BEnsure the visible face edges contact tightly even if the back is slightly open
• CReduce the need for any glue
• DConvert the joint into a scarf

Window stools (interior sills) should typically be installed:

• ALevel and projecting the correct distance past the casing or apron design
• BPitched steeply to the room for drainage only
• CWithout any fasteners, relying on paint
• DAfter the apron but before the jambs exist

The apron under a window stool primarily:

• ASupports the structural header
• BFinishes the underside of the stool and covers the rough sill edge
• CReplaces the need for window casing
• DActs as the exterior drip edge

When installing prefinished hardwood flooring transitions next to base, finish carpenters should:

• ANail base hard to the floor to pin the flooring in place
• BLeave the manufacturer-required expansion gap and cover it with base or shoe
• CFill the expansion gap solid with construction adhesive
• DOmit base entirely so the floor can float freely into the wall cavity

A returned miter on the end of a stool or apron is used to:

• AHide end grain and present a finished profile on the exposed end
• BIncrease structural span capacity
• CCreate a firestop
• DEliminate the need for fasteners

When installing solid wood paneling vertically, why might a horizontal furring or backer system be used?

• ATo provide a true plane, attachment, and a path for wiring or slight air space behind pan…
• BTo eliminate all fasteners into the panels
• CTo make panels waterproof for exterior use without finish
• DTo replace the need for any wall structure

When setting a run of base cabinets, which floor condition typically controls the level line?

• AThe highest point of the floor, with lower areas shimmed up to that level
• BThe lowest point only, ignoring high spots so cabinets step down
• CRandom floor spots with no leveling
• DThe ceiling only

Wall cabinets should typically be fastened into:

• ADrywall alone with short finish nails
• BWall studs or solid blocking with appropriate screws of sufficient length
• COnly the ceiling joists from below with no wall attachment
• DAdhesive caulk with no mechanical fasteners

When joining face-frame cabinets side by side, best practice is to:

• AClamp face frames flush and screw them together through the frames
• BLeave a 1-inch gap between cabinets for movement
• CNail only through the finished doors
• DRely solely on countertop weight to hold units together

A frameless (European-style) cabinet typically uses which type of hinge?

• ASurface-mounted decorative strap hinges only
• BConcealed cup (Euro) hinges with adjustable mounting plates
• COnly butt hinges mortised into a face frame
• DPiano hinges on every door regardless of size

Standard overlay cabinet doors are designed to:

• ASit fully inside the face-frame opening with equal reveals on all sides
• BOverlap the face frame opening by a designed amount on the edges
• CAlways be flush with the outside of the cabinet side only
• DNever use hinges

Inset cabinet doors require tighter tolerances primarily because:

• AThey sit within the frame opening and uneven gaps are highly visible
• BThey never use hardware
• CThey are always made of metal
• DThey do not need finishing

A common, strong method for attaching a solid-wood drawer front to a drawer box is:

• AHot-melt glue only with no screws
• BScrews from inside the drawer box into the front, often with temporary alignment or clamps
• CNailing through the finished face with roofing nails
• DStaples only into end grain of the front

Full-extension drawer slides allow the drawer box to:

• AOpen only halfway
• BTravel so the full interior length of the box is accessible outside the cabinet
• COperate without any hardware
• DOnly move vertically

When hanging an interior prehung door, the first critical checks include:

• APlumb hinge jamb, level head, and consistent reveals around the slab
• BIgnoring the floor and only plumbing the latch side
• CRemoving all hinges before shimming
• DInstalling casing before the unit is set

According to common AWI-type finish-carpentry guidance for non-fire-rated field-fitted doors, side and top clearances are often on the order of:

• AAbout 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) at sides and top
• B1 inch all around
• CNo clearance; the door should drag the jamb
• DExactly 2 inches at the head only

A door that binds at the top latch-side corner after installation is often corrected by:

• AAdding shims behind the lower hinge and/or adjusting hinge depth so the top opens properly
• BRemoving the entire rough opening framing
• CShortening the hinge-side jamb by 2 inches
• DGluing the door to the stop

Bifold closet doors typically require:

• AA level track, correct opening width, and proper pivot/guide hardware alignment
• BNo track if the floor is carpeted
• COnly exterior-grade weatherstripping
• DStructural steel headers only

Pocket door installation requires special attention to:

• ARough framing clearance for the pocket, header strength, and track alignment before drywa…
• BUsing only exterior storm hardware
• CEliminating the floor entirely
• DInstalling after all baseboard is complete with no planning

Cabinet toe kicks are typically:

• AAbout 3 to 4 inches high and recessed so users can stand closer to the counter
• B12 inches high and flush with the cabinet face
• COmitted on all base cabinets by code
• DStructural beams spanning rooms

Scribe molding on cabinets is used to:

• AClose gaps between cabinets and uneven walls or ceilings with a contoured fit
• BReplace all door hinges
• CSupport countertop spans over 10 feet without brackets
• DAct as the primary electrical raceway

When installing a countertop on base cabinets, the cabinets should be:

• ALevel, securely fastened, and in a true plane across the run
• BIntentionally racked to follow a sloped floor without shims
• CLeft floating with no wall attachment
• DFilled with water to weigh them down only

A European 32 mm cabinet system is characterized by:

• AHoles and components laid out on a 32 mm modular grid for hinges, slides, and shelves
• BOnly using imperial 16-inch on-center studs as cabinet parts
• CEliminating all adjustable shelves
• DRequiring face frames on every cabinet

Soft-close drawer slides and hinges primarily:

• APrevent slamming by damping the final portion of travel
• BEliminate the need for any cabinet screws
• CMake drawers open only halfway
• DReplace finished end panels

When boring for a Euro hinge cup, the typical cup diameter for common residential hinges is:

• A35 mm
• B10 mm
• C75 mm
• D2 inches exactly for all brands

A cabinet finished end panel is installed to:

• ACover the unfinished side of a run exposed to view
• BReplace the need for wall attachment of the entire bank
• CAct as a structural shear wall for the house
• DVentilate the refrigerator only

Mortising a butt hinge into a door edge should result in a hinge leaf that is:

• AFlush with the door edge and jamb surface so the door swings without a large gap
• BProud of the surface by 1/4 inch on both leaves
• CBuried 1/2 inch below the surface with no plate showing
• DAttached only with adhesive

Backsets for common residential cylindrical locksets are most often:

• A2-3/8 inches or 2-3/4 inches
• B6 inches only
• C1/4 inch only
• D12 inches