2x4 or 2x6 for insulation
tedesco24
13 years ago
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Epiarch Designs
13 years agodavid_cary
13 years agoRelated Discussions
Cost of 2x6 vs 2x4 construction
Comments (8)hotly debated and often discussed! LOL! There are piles of threads that may cover specifics....here's a link. My own personal experience...I can't give you a dollar amount because I am doing all the labor myself. It cost more for the exterior doors and windows (the casing is wider and is usually a special order). Lumber is a bit more, insulation is more (but you also have better insulation). I love the nice wide window sills I get with the thicker walls. No doubt it is stronger. Your buuilder should be able to give you the upcharge amount for using 2x6 prior to writing the contract. Here is a link that might be useful: 2x6 search...See More2x6 framing versus 2x4 framing
Comments (14)Our passive solar home has 2x6 construction, as specified by the architect. Not a single builder we talked to regarding the build had any issues with the 2x6 construction, and that included some who did have issues with building a tight house. In other words, even those who weren't too up to date on things, didn't have any problem with 2x6 construction. None of the builders that submitted proposals suggested switching to 2x4 construction as a cost saving measure. All of the builders made such suggestions in other areas. Our builder and the framing subs doing the work haven't made a single negative comment regarding the 2x6 walls. We are building in East Tennessee. I doubt things are much different in Middle Tennessee. East Tennessee is much more conservative than Middle Tennessee. If there was resistance to 2x6 construction in Tennessee, I would expect it here, rather than there....See More2x4 vs 2x6 walls
Comments (26)Good houses have been built using 2X4 @ 16 for years, together with other good materials and practices. There's nothing wrong with 2X4 construction in its proper place. 2X6 construction may have gotten its start in residential construction for energy conservations purposes at "little" additional cost, by providing more stud wall depth for batt or sprayed insulation. 2X6 construction, properly installed, is obviously stronger, if that's an issue. That said, there's been so much research and analysis in the last few decades on residential construction that it's clear there are a variety of strategies for constructing a sound house which is also energy efficient. But the way it often works out is that a builder will simply built a house the way they learned and the way they always have out of habit and predictability. It's one of the good reasons to really pick one's builder carefully. A good builder is a godsend!...See More2x6 vs 2x4 subway tile backsplash - how to choose??
Comments (5)Thanks all. The main thing I had to decide on was size (not color) so made a 2x6 & 2x4 basic wireframe pattern in Microsoft Excel, printed lifesize and taped together a few to get a sample poster to put on wall. This let me get to 2x6 as choice - it didn't seem too skinny-- if anything 2x4 seemed too small for a kitchen (personal choice). 2x6 might also make things less busy if you have multi-color and that's a concern. (Noted that layout detail such as near kitchen window and grout color are very important.)...See Moreworthy
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