Hi: Now for a verrrrry basic question. For a two story home what is the advantage of 2x 6 exterior walls are opposed to 2x 4 walls.other than insulation. The only area my builders has proposed 2 x6 walls is in the main entrance area which wil lbe open to the second story.
So are 2 x 6’s necessary?
Thanks
Cloudbuster
Lighting up an exterior isn't just about ambiance— it's also about code compliance. Here is what the code says about safety and efficiency when it comes to outdoor lighting.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
2 x 6 are good in plumbing walls. I think 2 x 6 should be used on all exterior walls with continuous sheathing. Makes for a stonger house.
If you are looking for the best insulation with stick built, go with Mooney Walls.
Chuck S
Are they necessary WHERE ??? Since we don't have a clue where you live that's impossible to answer. (Fill out your profile, would ya?)
The added insulation MIGHT make sense in a cold climate. But in a more temperate one it would be a waste of money.
Keep in mind that the added cost of the lumber isn't the only cost in going from 2X4 to 2X6. You also have to consider the cost of jamb extensions and lost space.
Hi: Sorry for not including the location. Little Rock Arkansas
Cloudbuster
BossHog, good point about the lost space.
If every room is right sized then the only way to add 2 inches is to the outside. Even a starter house would add over 30 square feet at $60/s.f = $1800
I use 2x6 walls in NC largely because I like the way they make the window sills bigger to hold beer cans and the like. We runn them 24" OC and don't have any problems with the drywall. The jamb extensions are the main price increase over 2x4's 16" OC. Adds $30 per opening. At 20 openings in a modest house thats only $600, the increase in the insulation cost is negligible.
------------------
"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."
ShelterNerd, The deep set windows and sills do look good.
You can also achieve deeper returns by using a 2x4 at 16 wall with rigid insulation on the outside. The overall effective r-value may be better than a 2x6 at 24 wall and you don't have to pay for the square feet. We measure our footage to the edge of the slab. Just think of all the subs that charge by the square foot(including Architects). And the homeowner can get a break on the tax appraisal. I know you don't like Hardi-plank...but it sure looks better when the studs are 16 inches oc.
Builders can go from 16 inch to 24 inch stud spacing, and spend less time installing insulation, drywall, siding, etc.
Don't forget the plumbers and electricians having to drill fewer holes!
add your location to your username info, not just in a post, this will help for now, people who find this thread in a search years from now and also next time you post a question.
If they are only proposing it in that one area, it must be for plumbing or chasing something. The extra cost for the 2x6's is nothing but all the extras for extension jambs, insulation, etc will add up. For your climate, it would just be for a look, it really would not provide any value otherwise.
has proposed 2 x6 walls is in the main entrance area which wil lbe open to the second story
If you squint at the plans in that area, there may be a notation of "Balloon frame this area"--which is plan book "code" for "build with 2x6 to the upper level top plate."
The tract building community will tell you that's for added strength, but, it probably has a lot more to do with available lengths of 2x6 on a tract builder's national/regional buying schedule than anything else.
Getting an extra 2" of insulation stuffed in will help "counteract" the net loss of the generally large window openings in such walls, but the specifics require specifics (ain't that jsut the case?)
Now, you could examine this, it's an interesting "take" on the actual physics of building houses: http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-011-thermal-control-in-buildings/view?searchterm=little%20rock
Little Rock falls in the Mixed-Humid map (see here: http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/digests/side-bar-hygrothermal-regions)
Here is their summary page for building in mixed-humid: http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/primers/plonearticlemultipage.2006-11-16.8755545932/section-2-the-basic-mixed-humid-climate-house/
It's good reading, if a tad dry and technical--but it's approaching the answers we want from quantitative ways, not "we've always dunnit t'at way"--which may or may not have merit.