Studs 24" on center????

[maxwellsmart007]

To me, minimum code is the minimum 'safe' way to build...it doesn't mean it's the best way...there's a tv show up here made by Mike Holmes that makes a point of showing the contractor's use of 'minimum code' and how he has to come in and fix it because of the idiocy of some of the code minimums...

Also, up here at least, plywood is ridiculously expensive...so much so that the cost of 1/2" ply over 3/8" sheathing will dramatically raise the cost of a project...

So were it my house, I'd rather have the extra beams, and thus extra nailing edges also, just for my own piece of mind...and very little additional cost.

[lexrex]

Apr 25, 2010 20:10:17 GMT -6 brburns said:

I plan to ask about the 5/8 drywall. As far as fireproof goes, well, I hope that never gets tested.

I believe 5/8 exterior is code here in Delaware county.

[brburns]

Well, after talking to a contractor friend of mine, I'm probably going to go with 2x4 16oc.

By the way Chris, I'm moving up to Union Co.

[rrich]

Apr 27, 2010 18:47:57 GMT -6 Leo Voisine said:

Just do not go less than code requirements.

AMEN!!!!

[art3427]

Regarding the flattness of a 16"oc wall versus 24"oc . The spacing of the studs has little to do with how flat the wall will be. This is more readily affected by whether or not the studs were "crowned" befor being nailed to the top and btm. plate. Each stud should be examined for the crown side and then all crowns on all studs turned the same way. This should be done on all studs whether 2x4 or 2x6. A 24"oc wall with all crowns set the same way will be a flatter wall than 16"oc with randomly crowned studs.

art

[TDHofstetter]

...but it's very very seldom that you can get a carpenter (whose job it is to stand a wall up VERY FAST) to pay attention to that sorta' thing. In the interest of getting the job done quickly, I've seen carpenters do some pretty cheap & nasty stuff.

[art3427]

The flatness of a wall is more directly affected by carefully crowning each stud than in stud spacing. Before nailing the stud to the plates each stud should be examined as to which edge has the crown. All crowns should be turned the same way - up or down. It doesn't matter which way as long as you are consistent for the length of the wall.

art

[dcarter636]

Art, I don't know what a crowned edge is.

Would you explain what the crowned edge means and why it is significant.

[TDHofstetter]

The ideal 2x4 looks like this when it's standing up:

||

Very few 2x4s are ideal - when you sight along 'em, you can see that they're shaped a little more like this:

((

That's crowning. So... instead of building the wall like this:

(( (( )) (( )) )) (( ))

Build it like this:

(( (( (( (( (( (( (( ((

Carpenters don't like to take the extra time to do that, though - they just rely on the sheetrockers to cover whatever they stand up in a hurry.

EDIT: Same goes (only more so) for floor joists & rafters.

[dcarter636]

Oh, that.

I relegate anything more than 1/4" out of straight on the edge to be cut into 14⁵/₈" long fire blocks.

I can't remember how many times I've heard folks say "A good sheet-rock man will take care of (insert careless or lazy framing flaw here) with shims". When you're both the framer and sheetrock guy the framing gets a lot tidier.

[Beamer]

you know .. i've always ha a problem with that term... crown.

That ain't got a crown! That's got a crook!

[fredbelknap]

Construction lumber isn't very straight normally especially after the band are cut and it has been allowed to lay out in the rain and sun a few days. I have seen carpenters cut a stud almost in two and put in a wedge to straighten up a single stud in a wall. I doubt if it is the best practice, but it works.