Which statement describes balloon framing?

• A. It is the older style of framing.
• B. The floor joists are nailed to a ledger mounted on the studs.
• C. Studs in bearing walls run uninterrupted from the sole plate to the roof plate.
• D. It uses platform framing methods.

Answer: (C)

Continuous wall studs running from the foundation sill all the way up to the roof plate define balloon framing. This uninterrupted vertical framing lets the studs carry loads through multiple stories, with floor joists tying into the wall rather than resting on a completed platform at each level. The idea of floor joists being nailed to a ledger mounted on the studs describes a platform-type approach, not balloon framing. Saying it uses platform framing methods is inaccurate. While balloon framing does have an older historical origin, the defining feature is the continuous studs from bottom to top.