Free checklist
Cold-formed metal framingCold-formed metal framing pre-cover inspection checklist
A cold-formed metal framing pre-cover inspection is the hold point before concealed work disappears behind the next layer. This checklist is built for that walk: verify, photograph, then release the cover, not the other way around. Work is commonly verified against AISI cold-formed steel standards, the applicable building code. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 4
- Photos required
- 7
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The framing foreman with the GC's superintendent, walking connections just before the wall face is closed.
When in the schedule
After framing and blocking are complete and before sheathing, cladding or board covers the studs, since a missed screw line or missing backing is invisible once the face is on.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
Fasteners and connections
- 2 photos
Screw type, size and pattern per the connection
Correct screw at stud-to-track and stiffener connections, count and pattern matching the detail, heads seated flush and not stripped or over-driven.
- 2 photos
Any welded connections sound and touched up
Field welds continuous and not burned through the light-gauge steel, slag cleaned and bare metal primed against corrosion.
Backing and blocking
- 2 photos
Blocking and backing set for every finish attachment
Steel or plywood backing located and fastened for grab bars, casework, handrails, wall-hung fixtures and TVs per the finish drawings, before the face closes.
- 1 photo
Openings framed and reinforced
Jamb studs, headers and sill framing at doors and windows built and fastened per the opening detail, not a single stud where a boxed or doubled jamb is called for.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Screws driven with the wrong head or length so they strip or stand proud, discovered only when the board won't sit flat.
- Blocking for grab bars, cabinets, TVs or handrails left out because the finish layout wasn't in the framer's hands.
- Field welds on structural connections left unpainted and rusting, or burned thin on light-gauge material.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 7 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this cold-formed metal framing pre-cover checklist cover?
- 4 items across 2 sections, covering fasteners and connections, backing and blocking. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The framing foreman with the GC's superintendent, walking connections just before the wall face is closed.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After framing and blocking are complete and before sheathing, cladding or board covers the studs, since a missed screw line or missing backing is invisible once the face is on.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 7 of the 4 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a cold-formed metal framing pre-cover inspection?
- Screws driven with the wrong head or length so they strip or stand proud, discovered only when the board won't sit flat. Blocking for grab bars, cabinets, TVs or handrails left out because the finish layout wasn't in the framer's hands. Field welds on structural connections left unpainted and rusting, or burned thin on light-gauge material.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.
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