CSLB B LICENSE GENERAL CONTRACTOR
EXAM ACTUAL TEST QUESTIONS AND SOLVED
ANSWERS
◉ Standard concrete weight vs. Lightweight weight.
Answer: Standard concrete weighs 150 lbs per cubic foot (with
rebar). Lightweight concrete weighs 110 lbs per cubic foot.
◉ Max time limit to pour concrete after mixing.
Answer: Concrete must be completely discharged from the truck
mixer within 90 minutes or before the drum has revolved 300 times.
◉ Minimum footing depth in California.
Answer: Must extend below the local frost line, but minimum depth
is 12 inches below undisturbed ground surface
◉ Minimum footing width for standard 1 and 2-story buildings.
Answer: 1-story buildings require a minimum 12-inch wide footing.
2-story buildings require a minimum 15-inch wide footing.
◉ Vapor barrier (Stego wrap) placement and thickness.
,Answer: Placed directly under residential concrete slabs. Minimum
thickness required by CA green building code is 10 mil (0.010
inches)
◉ Foundation anchor bolt washers requirement.
Answer: Standard flat washers are no longer allowed on sill plates in
CA high-seismic zones. Must use minimum 3" x 3" x 1/4" thick
structural steel plate washers.
◉ Rebar sizing scale and calculation.
Answer: Rebar sizes are designated by numbers that represent the
diameter in 1/8-inch increments.
Example:
#4 rebar = 4/8"= 1/2 diameter
#5 rebar = 5/8" diameter.
◉ Rebar lap splice minimum overlap length.
Answer: Standard rebar laps must overlap by a minimum of 30
times the bar diameter, or 15 inches, whichever is greater. (For CSLB
questions, 24 to 36 inches is the typical range used for structural lap
splices depending on the concrete strength).
◉ Maximum height concrete can be dropped freely.
,Answer: Concrete should not be dropped freely from a height
greater than 3 to 5 feet to prevent segregation (where heavy rocks
separate from the creamy cement paste).
◉ Concrete Block (CMU) wall estimating multipliers.
Answer: Standard CMU blocks are 8" × 8" × 16".
It takes exactly 1.125 blocks per square foot of wall surface area.
It takes approximately 2/3 cubic foot of grout to fill the cores of 100
square feet of standard block wall.
◉ Stud Spacing.
Answer: Corner: Min of 3
Max unsupported height: 10ft
Max spacing
1Story: 24inch on center
2Story: 16 on center
3story: Not allowed on bottom floors
2/3Stories
, 2by6 or 3by4 Bottom levels must be 16inch on center. Top level
could be 24inch on center. Or 2by4's on 16 center.
Story Placement
floor joists or roof rafters at 16 inches on center, but your studs
underneath are spaced at 24 inches on center, the joists must rest
within 5 inches of a supporting stud below. If they are further away,
a double top plate is required to transfer the weight.
◉ Stud Boring.
Answer: - At 40%+ plus stud. 60% Max only if doubled. You cannot
have more than two doubled studs bored this way in a row.
- non-bearing wall: Max 60% stud
- Edge Distance: 5/8 from edge
Notching
-Bearing wall: 25% Width.
-Non-bearing wall: 40% width.
Always use true measurement of stud
◉ TopPlates.
Answer: -Double top: Required on all Exterior & bearing walls
EXAM ACTUAL TEST QUESTIONS AND SOLVED
ANSWERS
◉ Standard concrete weight vs. Lightweight weight.
Answer: Standard concrete weighs 150 lbs per cubic foot (with
rebar). Lightweight concrete weighs 110 lbs per cubic foot.
◉ Max time limit to pour concrete after mixing.
Answer: Concrete must be completely discharged from the truck
mixer within 90 minutes or before the drum has revolved 300 times.
◉ Minimum footing depth in California.
Answer: Must extend below the local frost line, but minimum depth
is 12 inches below undisturbed ground surface
◉ Minimum footing width for standard 1 and 2-story buildings.
Answer: 1-story buildings require a minimum 12-inch wide footing.
2-story buildings require a minimum 15-inch wide footing.
◉ Vapor barrier (Stego wrap) placement and thickness.
,Answer: Placed directly under residential concrete slabs. Minimum
thickness required by CA green building code is 10 mil (0.010
inches)
◉ Foundation anchor bolt washers requirement.
Answer: Standard flat washers are no longer allowed on sill plates in
CA high-seismic zones. Must use minimum 3" x 3" x 1/4" thick
structural steel plate washers.
◉ Rebar sizing scale and calculation.
Answer: Rebar sizes are designated by numbers that represent the
diameter in 1/8-inch increments.
Example:
#4 rebar = 4/8"= 1/2 diameter
#5 rebar = 5/8" diameter.
◉ Rebar lap splice minimum overlap length.
Answer: Standard rebar laps must overlap by a minimum of 30
times the bar diameter, or 15 inches, whichever is greater. (For CSLB
questions, 24 to 36 inches is the typical range used for structural lap
splices depending on the concrete strength).
◉ Maximum height concrete can be dropped freely.
,Answer: Concrete should not be dropped freely from a height
greater than 3 to 5 feet to prevent segregation (where heavy rocks
separate from the creamy cement paste).
◉ Concrete Block (CMU) wall estimating multipliers.
Answer: Standard CMU blocks are 8" × 8" × 16".
It takes exactly 1.125 blocks per square foot of wall surface area.
It takes approximately 2/3 cubic foot of grout to fill the cores of 100
square feet of standard block wall.
◉ Stud Spacing.
Answer: Corner: Min of 3
Max unsupported height: 10ft
Max spacing
1Story: 24inch on center
2Story: 16 on center
3story: Not allowed on bottom floors
2/3Stories
, 2by6 or 3by4 Bottom levels must be 16inch on center. Top level
could be 24inch on center. Or 2by4's on 16 center.
Story Placement
floor joists or roof rafters at 16 inches on center, but your studs
underneath are spaced at 24 inches on center, the joists must rest
within 5 inches of a supporting stud below. If they are further away,
a double top plate is required to transfer the weight.
◉ Stud Boring.
Answer: - At 40%+ plus stud. 60% Max only if doubled. You cannot
have more than two doubled studs bored this way in a row.
- non-bearing wall: Max 60% stud
- Edge Distance: 5/8 from edge
Notching
-Bearing wall: 25% Width.
-Non-bearing wall: 40% width.
Always use true measurement of stud
◉ TopPlates.
Answer: -Double top: Required on all Exterior & bearing walls
