Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
(OP)
I've got some 14' 2x6 exterior stud walls. My designer swears to me that they work as 2x6 stud grade @ 8" o/c. Assuming that to be true, and I'll check, is there a practical limit on stud height irrespective of capacity? Should we be using an engineered wood product simply because a straight 2x6 stud grade stud will be difficult to find etc?
Capacity aside, how tall is too tall for regular stud grade stud walls?
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
Capacity aside, how tall is too tall for regular stud grade stud walls?
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.






RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
From a code point of view there is a slenderness limit.
2x6@8" o.c. should work fine for a 14' wall. I would switch to (2) at 16" in order to get any electrical through there.
When I am working on a problem, I never think about beauty but when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong.
-R. Buckminster Fuller
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
If the wall is to be insulated see if they work with doubles at 17.5" o/c. Your contractor will love not having to custom cut every batt.
I generally default to 2x8 once I exceed about 12-14 feet.
Is slenderness really an issue if you've got sheathing on the outside and possibly sheathing (drywall) on the inside? I guess in the strong direction it may be but I've never (needed to) ran the number.
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
I had a really experienced site super on a few of my jobs in a row. He always had little tricks to make peoples lives easier and it taught me a lot about how to save time on a job site. Time is more expensive than material is most cases (Specifically timber framing).
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
17.5" does not go evenly into 96", so on a long run of wall I don't see how you can drop full sheets of plywood down and have the joints land on regular stud spacing. I would love to be proven wrong here and learn something new. I think studs at 19.2" is the closest you'll get here.
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
I have used LSL studs, which are very straight, in tall walls for great room end walls, etc..., however, it can get very expensive doing more than a localized section of wall. For your typical garage/shed type structure, I normally stick with dimensional lumber. My decision on LSL vs dimensional generally depends on the project ... million dollar houses get LSL's, work sheds get dimensional lumber.
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
We have done 20'-0" walls in 2x6, but our contractors prefer 2x8 to keep the walls straight above 16'-0" or so. Relatively straight 14'-0" 2x6 studs are easy to find, but the contractor still needs to pay attention to match the stud bow during framing.
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
Once you hit around 26psf wind loading 18ft or higher goes to an LSL or LVL. Recently I've had lumber yards calling me trying to get MSR spec'd in my tall walls - so that could always be an option for longer 2x8 walls.
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
@Jayrod: does insulation need to be trimmed rather than just squishing it in there? Does squishing compromise thermal performance?
@Canpro: a short length wall at a two story entrance space is exactly what this is. Clairvoyant.
@Brad: the "designer" is one of my guys. We can make changes. Excellent point regarding energy codes.
@Manstrom: solid advice obviously. I don't get the electrical part though. Is it that, while you'd have to drill through the same number of studs with 2-ply, it would be done in half the number of operations? Probably a little tough to get a drill and hand in an 8" space too I suppose.
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
KootK I was told that insulation should not be squished to the point of deformation as it can have an effect on the R-value.
And the electrical part is because it's an absolute bitch to drill holes with an auger bit if the studs are at 8" o/c. The holes end up at weird angles, the wiring doesn't pull nicely and you have to technically fish it through twice as many holes (even though they're half as long).
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
Agreed that squishing the batts isn't ideal. My understanding is that the air space between the fibreglass provides the insulation value, if you squish it out you lose R-value.
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
there is a chance I'm mis-remembering acoustic vs thermal performance
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
I've never tried a double 2x6 stud (other than where required for shearwall sheathing panel edges), however in one recent situation I have contemplated it.
A confused student is a good student.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, PE
www.medeek.com
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
Seemed to work out nicely. Getting the loads into the diaphragm was a little tough.
14 ft. 2x6's @ 16" o.c. are done here commonly. i usually go to 2x8's over 15 or 16 ft.
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
We are allowed L/120, but I usually won't go below L/240. If it has brick, I usually won't go below L/360.
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
When I am working on a problem, I never think about beauty but when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong.
-R. Buckminster Fuller
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
RE: Best Choice For Tall Stud Walls
You would not believe how many houses around here have 18 ft. tall great room walls that are framed out of 2x4's with a double horizontal plate at 9 ft.running about 20 ft. They can be easily shaken by hand but no drywall cracks exist.