I am currently building a new 2 story home approx 1400 sf in Alabama. I am making changes to a set of stock plans I purchased. The downstairs walls are built with 2×6 as the original plans called for. I am increasing the upstairs from a short knee wall to a full 8ft wall, and I am considering using 2×4 material instead of 2 x6 for various reasons. Anyone see a good reason why I shouldn’t or can’t ? How about using 2 x6 for the exterior walls and 2×4 for the interiors ? I am building outside of the city limits in a rural area so I basically can do what I want but I still want it to be structually sound. Expert builders and carpenters….LET ME HEAR FROM YOU !!! Thanks, I appreciate it in advance.
Jcrew2
Replies
The iedea of using 2x6 instead of 2x4 originated in the seventies as a way of increasing the amt of insulation in the wall space. This was back when FG batts was the primary insulation material used. Unfortunately, FG has proven to be one of the least efficient insulations available. One can have a better insulated house with other materials in a 2x4 wall than using FG in a 2x6 wall.
You might find other reading on the subject here;
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/list.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&ctx=1024&cacheTag=x31-41
Structurally, there can be reasons for a 2x6 wall but I see no such advantage in the upper floor of a two story house.
Go for it!
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Hi piff!
Hi - You are the framer. Answer the man's question here dude!;)
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I did... he posted the same question in another thread on this forum. Tonight was my first visit to this forum. Pretty cool. Feels good to feel like I can lend a hand with some of this stuff. It's refreshing.... especially with the crap going on in Breaktime the past week or so.
It does feel good to be helping someone lost in the jungle. Be Tarzan!LOL
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Sounds like you're going from a 1 1/2 story Cape to a 2 story Colonial? Why not go with all exterior 2x6 ...............sounds good to me .....also saves on the confusion when ordering doors and windows for 6'"vs 4" walls.