Finally started framing my house today after twenty years of never thinking it would happen. I’ve been out of the game 11 years. Decided to go with 8 foot studs instead of precuts as I have a 16 in. LVL that hangs down four in. into the ceiling. This way the bottom of the LVL is still 8 feet high. When I neared the end of my 46 foot front wall I noticed a stud was long. Blamed my brother with picking up a scrap or something. Noticing it wasn’t cut, I measured the stack of 2×6 and they varied from 96 3/16 to 96 3/4. Up until this point I lucked out and grabbed all 96 3/16. Like I said I’ve been away 11 years but is this standard or B.S. I’m pissed, I should have used rough sawn if I have to at least measure each one and cut a hundred or so. What to you guys think?
Thanks……Roy
Replies
I'm just a DIYer, but I cut way too many studs over the past hear for my house (300 maybe??) and while many were right on, most were not.
A little jig and away you go...and how nice to have a helper. But it only takes a bit...
Never trust....that's what I have learned.
Good luck!
cheaper grade lumber is not precision end trimmed you got what you paid for if you wanted 8s you should have told the guys at the yard what you wanted
Thje only lumber I've EVER seen "precision trimmed" is pre-cut studs. Other lumber is left a bit long. I've never known it to be otherwise.
With 8' studs, have you given any thought to how you're going to handle your drywall?
Really tall baseboards?Close enough for government work
drop ceiling?
Yeah, just wait until those 8 footers dry down to 7 ft 6...
Roy, just curious but did you get these studs from one of the big boxes?
The only precision cut to length wood I've EVER seen are precut 8, 9, and 10 foot 2x4 or x6 studs. Never seen anything else that wasn't a "little" long, no matter 2x4 up to 2x14. Heck, even LVLs are a little long...and if you check out the cut quality on those non-precuts...I'm guessing you really want to square them up anyhow. And no, this ain't from a big box, just the general crap we get sent from Canada.
"And no, this ain't from a big box, just the general crap we get sent from Canada."
Oh! Those are our 10 footers. There is just some cut off for tax and duties.
To All:
I settled on 96 3/16 since i was to far to turn back. Seems like the whole bundle (canada) is either 96 3/16 or 96 3/4. I feel if they are cutting them at all, cut them what they should be.
I have wide base to cover the difference for drywall.
Roy
For the drywall you could do 54" boards, cut to the required width, course I guess you're only needing to cover 3" with your base. If it were mine, I'd bite the bullet and rock all the way down to the bottom plate. I would prefer the added stiffness of perimeter attatchment, esp. near the floor where the wall may get bumped. I also wonder whether DW installed short of the bottom plate would pass inspection. May need to add blocking along the bottom of the wall.
Ken Hill
If the inconsistent lengths bother you, wait until you get a bunch of 2x8's (6's, 10's, etc.) only to find that the widths are not consistently cut (some 7 1/2", some 7 1/4", etc.).
I do believe I bought those at Lowes....may have had something to do with it.
Rich Beckman
I bought a load of lumber from the local big box, had it delivered, and every board was cut to exact dimention. One was exactly 7' - 11 15/16", one was exactly 7' - 11 7/8", one was exactly 7' 11 - 11/16".............
And it wasn't even special ordered!
WebTrooper
I can guarantee quality, just not the amount of it.
I've been in this for over thirty years (when 2x4s were 1-5/8" thick by 3-5/8" wide) and I've never seen them to a precise length except fpr precut studs. You ordered 2x4x8' lumber not 8'studs. Order a stud and you have specified a length and a use. Order a 2x4x8' and the mill has absolutely no idea what you intend to use it for. Any dimension lumber can vary over length by as much as an inch though some mills are better than others.