balloon frame
introduced in the 1830s, a system of framing a building in which wood studs extend in one piece from the top of the foundation sill-plate to the top roof plate; ...
A balloon frame, which is held together entirely by nails, could be erected faster than a post-and-beam frame, with the use of less-skilled labor; and the end result was stronger and more apt to be square and plumb.
To save money, brick and cement were often applied as a veneer (facing) on a groundwork of lath (wood or metal strips) over a standard wood balloon frame.
In the mostly obsolescent and now rare balloon framing method, the wall studs are very long and tall and run from sill plate to roof plate, with the walls holding up the floors. In tall balloon framed buildings, ...
 See also: Floor, Balloon, Brick, House, Frame
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