Cap plates

[youngins]

 I have the cap plates on the two short (end) walls, lapping over the ends of the two long walls:




To finish the cap plates on the long walls so I can then sheath, can the wood stock be bits of shorter lengths of wood?

I am trying to use up a bunch on stock, most less than a foot long that is left over from cuts.

[PEG688]

 

No your "top plates" not cap plates provide a lot of strenght. It appears you have lapped them properly ,

couple of tips

#1: Get / use the straighest 2x4's you can the top plates will help straighten the over all wall line , which is important when you put the rafters up , and bows in that top plate you'll fight when trying to have a straight / true / level ridge board.

#2: When you nail the top plate down nail not right over the studs , but just outside of them , no more than 1 " or so , you do this so you don't hit the nails below , and you keep them close to the studs so that any wire holes / plumbing (ya not in your case Chris ) holes etc that need drilled are not in the space between the stud , electricians and plumbers don't like to ruin thier drill bits hitting 16 d sinkers .

#3: On long runs , again not on your place Chris , the splices should be as far away as possible from the plate below , and they should land over a stud for the same reason you don't nail between the stods in what could be  a wire/ plumbing race way / hole .


So IF your outta plate stock go BUY a couple of more , do er right , your kids are counting on you