Replies

1. 
   CAGIV | Dec 06, 2006 08:06pm | #1

   acceptable is a relative term...

   in my opinion, no it's not ok

   

2. 
   Lansdown | Dec 06, 2006 08:10pm | #2

   Completely unacceptable in my opinion too. I prefer 5/8" on 16" o.c.

1. 
   akjim | Dec 06, 2006 08:13pm | #4

   That follows my thoughts and experience also.Just wanted to get more opinions.Thanks.

3. 
   EJCinc | Dec 06, 2006 08:12pm | #3

   We've done it on two houses now.  Both 2x6 exterior walls on 24" o.c. and 2x4 interiors on 16" o.c.  The theory was for more insulation and less thermal bridging, not to save a couple dollars on wood.

   The first house was the customers idea and I thought it was a good idea.  Turned out fine.  Drywall looks just as good as 16" o.c. and the siding outside is nice and straight.

   The second house was my personal house.  The drywall still finished nicely inside but in a lot of areas I have wavy siding.  I also have more gaps in my baseboard than normal. 

   I've decided we will not do 24" o.c. walls anymore.

    

4. 
   Kyle | Dec 07, 2006 01:47am | #5

   I don't have my 2006 IRC next to me, but the 2000 says that it is acceptable. But I wouldn't ever do it in any of my houses. I wouldn't ever use less than 5/8 on 24" O.C.

5. 
   accidentprone | Dec 07, 2006 02:16am | #6

   Absolutely unequivocally not acceptable.  The 1/2" does not have the rigidity to span the 24" distance.  You'll kick yourself after you finish and notice how much the drywall flexes.

6. 
   BarryE | Dec 07, 2006 02:57am | #7

   There is a high strength 1/2" gypsum bd that is rated for ceilings 24" oc

   Suppose to be comparable to 5/8" type x

   ---

   Barry E-Remodeler

    

7. 
   MSA1 | Dec 07, 2006 04:00am | #8

   Walls or ceiling? If it were a ceiling i'd go with 5/8". I would be concerned with sag.

   I dont have any experience with walls 24oc so I dont have an answer for that.

8. 
   Matt | Dec 07, 2006 04:38am | #9

   National homebuilders like Cenxxx do it all day every day.  Not that they are by any means fine home builders, but if it were that bad they wouldn't be able to get away with it as SOP.

9. 
   Gene_Davis | Dec 07, 2006 05:34am | #10

   Fine with me on walls.  Here, I could walk you into a couple of $1M houses done this way.  And you really wouldn't know the diff between them and less expensive places done with wallstuds at 16.

   Ceilings, however, need either lighter-density rock, made for ceiling work, strapping at 16, or RC channel at 16, to be OK with me.

1. 
   BarbaraD | Dec 07, 2006 07:59am | #11

   This discussion is right on target with what happened on my job today.  In a very tiny bathroom, the final piece of the drywall job was on a sloped ceiling. We had finished the rest of the drywall days before, and kind of ignored this last piece because it wasn't going to be easy. The piece to be fitted in was triangular, with sides measuring 23", 30", and 32".  It was not possible to add blocking. The piece only had a nailer in two of the corners, two drywall clips along the 32" side, and just the ledge of the wall's drywall along the 30" side.  Just believe me when I say that's the best we could do for support.  After fitting a piece of 1/2" drywall up there and realizing it was too mushy for the screw to hold, I threw it away and wondered about using a piece of 5/8.  Not only would the 5/8 have been thicker than the rest of the ceiling, necessitating more work mudding it in to look good, but the 5/8 would have been just as mushy.  (It had rained for several days, and I didn't realize that the drywall in the garage would suck up so much moisture.  Good thing we had all the drywall done except this last piece.) I had a few pieces of Hardibacker handy because I'd been installing it in the shower.  Hmm, why wouldn't that work?  So I fit a piece of 1/2" Hardibacker in there and it's stiff as, well, Hardibacker, and I think all is well.  By the way, this job is my own house.

2. 
   DaveRicheson | Dec 07, 2006 02:20pm | #12

   I agree with you Gene.

   Flat walls and tight base are not a function ofstud spacing. They are a function of good framing and a few extra steps to check for out of plane studs before dw installation.

   Another source of bows and dips in 1/2" dw installed on 24" centers is the bad practice of leaning the dw agianst stud walls, rather than laying it flat. Not only can it push studs out of plane, but the dw warps between the studs. To keep it flat, lay it down. The hangers won't like you because they have to pick up every piece, but at least the board will be flat before it is hung.

    

   Dave