nogging n : rough brick masonry used to fill in the gaps in a wooden frame

English

Verb

nogging

1. present participle of nog

Noun

1. A horizontal beam used in the construction of a building, especially to strengthen upright posts
2. Rough brick masonry used to fill open spaces

A Noggin (ENG) or Dwang (SCT,NZ) is a horizontal bracing piece used between wall studs or floor joists to give rigidity to the wall or floor frames of a building. They may be made of timber, steel or aluminium. If made of timber they are cut slightly longer than the space they fit into, and are driven into place so they fit tightly or are rebated into the stud.

The interval between noggins is dictated by local building codes and by the type of timber used; a typical timber-framed house in a non-cyclonic area will have two or three noggins per storey between each stud. Additional noggins may be added as grounds for later fixings.

Noggins on vertical studs generally brace the stud against bending under load; noggins on floor joists prevent the joist from twisting, or rotating under load (lateral-torsional buckling) and are often fixed at intervals, in pairs diagonally for that reason. In floors this type of bracing is also called herringbone strutting.

Noggins provide no bracing effect in shear and are generally supplemented by diagonal bracing to prevent the frame from racking.

See also