When building a house, it’s important to consider the thickness of exterior walls. 2×6 walls are larger than 2×4 walls and are harder to lift. They require more work on headers and can be added 2.5 inches of thickness. For residential use, 2×4 studs are used to frame 8 ft tall exterior walls. Load-bearing walls support the entire construction.
To build exterior walls over 8 ft tall, outline the wall in chalk, mark the location of doors or windows, and mark the top. Standard wall thickness varies based on factors such as material used, type of framing, and the thickness of the walls. Most exterior walls range from 5 ½ inches to 12 inches, with brick walls ranging from 14 to 18 inches. Two-story homes typically have 2 x 6 or even 2 x 8 framing, creating thicker walls than a single-story home.
Builders looking for the least expensive way to build exterior walls with high R-values usually settle on double-stud walls. By spacing parallel 2×4 walls 5 inches apart, a builder can leave room for a full 12 ft. Standard wall thickness depends on construction methods and materials. For taller structures up to 70 feet in height, it is recommended that the exterior walls have a thickness of no.
Exterior wall heights are determined by the room structure height, but some exterior walls may be higher to accommodate the roof. Any exterior wall higher than 10 feet supporting a span of more than 12 feet will now require a structural engineer. Exterior wall heights should not exceed 8 feet (2438 mm) in height for exterior walls and load-bearing walls.
📹 Tips For Building Tall Walls
We take pride in building good solid homes, but have seen some structures that lack strength where it is needed. In this video I will …
What is exterior height?
Exterior wall height refers to the distance from the average finished grade to eaves on a gabled roof form or the upper cornice or parapet on flat roofed buildings. Interior refers to the spaces, parts, components, or elements of an individual dwelling unit. Roof refers to a non-porous cover for a structure, such as Lexan barriers or shingles, but not shade trellis or ivy. Signage includes advertising displays, hoardings, glow signs, neon signs, LED signs, LCD signs, and digital signs.
How tall are exterior walls in a house?
It is imperative that utility grade studs do not exceed 16 inches on center, provide support for more than a roof and ceiling, and not exceed 8 feet in height for exterior and load-bearing walls or 10 feet for interior nonload-bearing walls.
Can an exterior wall be 2×4?
2×6 vs. 2×4 wall framing is generally suitable for small garages and sheds, as it is code compliant when bearing wall heights do not exceed 10 ft. Medeek Design typically specifies 2 x 4 studs @ 16″ o. c. spacing for small sheds and garages with building widths less than 16 feet. Larger structures are called out with 2 x 6 exterior studs @ 16″ o. c. unless otherwise specified. This type of framing is considered “conventional light framing” and is in prescriptive compliance with the building code.
Using 2 x 6 framing can increase the structural strength of the building significantly, with a significant difference in compressive strength, resistance to buckling, and lateral deflection. Additionally, 2 x 6 walls provide more space for insulation, resulting in less heat loss and smaller cooling and heating costs. Walls are also less drafty, improving the overall comfort level of the living space. Additionally, more space is available for utilities within framing, resulting in thicker walls with better soundproofing and less outside noise.
What is the average high of a wall?
The standard wall height in Australia is 2. 4 m (7 ft 10 in), with some exceptions such as hallways with low ceilings, especially in basement areas. The minimum ceiling height building code allows for low ceilings, but it should not compromise comfort, as tall individuals may experience neck and head pain when entering or sleeping on low beds. High ceilings also help keep hotter air closer to the roof. In Australia, the standard ceiling height for normal rooms is 2.
4 m (7ft 10 in), with exceptions for living rooms and bathrooms. The building code of Australia prohibits living rooms from being less than 2. 1m, while bathrooms and laundries can have a height of fewer than 2. 4m with variation.
How tall are mobile home exterior walls?
New manufactured homes have higher ceilings, with standard ceiling heights increasing to approximately 9 feet since the early 2000s. These homes are comparable to mobile home wall heights, door heights, and crawl space heights. Custom designs are available for those who desire high ceilings.
Manufactured home size and pricing are influenced by square footage and the number of sections. Homebuyers work with customer service professionals to review family needs, including bedrooms, bathrooms, living space, and other amenities. They can customize their dream home with luxurious bathrooms, next-generation amenities, high-end flooring, skylights, and expansive windows. This process allows people on a budget to get what they truly desire in a cost-effective fashion, allowing them to get what they truly desire in a more affordable way.
How thick are most exterior walls?
The thickness of residential walls can range from 7. 5 to 10 inches, contingent on the exterior treatment. The addition of stucco results in a thickness of 1 to 1. 5 inches, while the use of brick or adobe facades entails a thickness of 4 to 6 inches. The thickness of the wall varies depending on the specific exterior treatment.
How thick are standard exterior walls?
The thickness of exterior residential walls using ICFs depends on factors like the building’s design and location. Standard ICF walls require six inches of concrete, while areas susceptible to high winds require at least 8 inches. Engineering tables review these factors to determine the concrete core size and rebar layout. ICF reinforced concrete walls are superior to wood framed walls as shear walls.
What size are outdoor walls?
The Outdoor RCC Boundary Wall, available in heights of 6 to 10 feet and thicknesses of 3 to 5 inches, is currently unavailable for purchase. Since its inception, the company has been showcasing an elite array of Outdoor RCC Boundary Walls.
Are exterior walls usually 2×6?
Modern conventional home building typically uses 2×4 lumber for exterior walls, but 2×6 framing is a common upgrade required by some local building codes. This framing is 1. 5 times wider and is more expensive due to its higher wood content. Wider boards are used for rafters, floor and ceiling joists, and support columns.
Additionally, many wall supplies need to be upgraded at the new size, including extended window jambs, larger door jambs, extra insulation, and double top and bottom wall plates. The bottom plate typically consists of pressure-treated lumber on the bottom and conventional lumber on top. These additional costs add up, making it a major factor for more homeowners not opting for 2×6 framing.
What is the height of the wall?
In architectural terminology, the term “wall height” is used to describe the maximum vertical distance between the finished natural ground level at the base of a wall and the top where the wall intersects the roof.
What is the standard height of a wall?
It is typical for residential buildings to have walls constructed with 8-foot lumber, which results in ceiling heights for rooms that are approximately 8 feet. Homes of a larger and more opulent nature may employ 12-foot lumber in order to achieve ceiling heights that are noticeably higher.
📹 STOP Building Walls with 2×6 Studs – Use this technique instead!
Axel Sorensen is back to show our preferred exterior wall system, where we achieve a complete thermal break around the entire …
sounds like a great system no learning curve and relatively inexpensive only down side I see is in the case of a fire. That wall cavity is a fire’s heaven. there really isn’t anything stopping a ladder flame. have you come up with any solutions to that problem if so could you please share? thank you love the content.
A couple things–the quality of 2×4 studs for straightness and the bearing for the wall must be the width of the wall. The inside plate has to be supported same as the outside plate. You have to firestop the gap 10′ o.c. and at the ceiling. The cost of this wall is going to be much more, way more than the relative cost of studs, but if it’s more insulation you are after it’ll help. Many people are going for exterior insulation to create a thermal break.
Has anyone actually done any scientific studies of this obsession with the “Thermal Break”. I’m sure it does something I’m not sure it works any better than 2 inches of foam (R14) and aluminum doubled (R19) bubble installed across the studs and then taped off. And you couldn’t pay me to use bats. Maybe 3 inches of foam the break and then the ADB on the front of the studs on the interior. I’ve opened too many walls and found too much rodent. insect and just falling down activity in bats. .
There is NO way 2- 2X4 studs are 60% the cost of a single 2X6 stud. You are also missing the added labor cost to frame that additional wall. What about fire stops, a rated stop has to be installed between each level (ceiling line). Interesting concept, I would have to see a lot more detail of the technique before I can accept it. I’ve found a good “seal” walk where you go around and seal every crack and penetration is the best option and cost effective.
I’m curious how much your R actually nets out in reducing total energy consumption. There certainly has to be a bell curve in there somewhere. It would be interesting to see based on different climate areas. My guess, anything past R22 really doesn’t get you much unless you live in extremely cold areas.
In predominantly heating regions (northern climates) you need 1/3 of the wall’s effective R value as exterior insulation. The higher the wall R value, the colder your sheathing will be because the heat from the interior can’t reach it. During the winter the warmer moist interior air will condense on the back side of the sheathing and cause mold and rot. No vapor barrier or vapor retarder can prevent that. A wall assembly with R10 exterior installation and R20 interior insulation would be higher performance due to the thermal breaking from the exterior insulation.
Guess us people from Ohio with all of our regulations and years of building along with actual proof to look at are wrong? None of this makes sense. Also if insulation is a fire block why do we have to use 2 layers of 5/8″ drywall on a fire wall? And vapor barriers are a bad idea in cold climate. You say they have to be installed with no leaks. Impossible. Period. We had that crap for a while and we made a lot of money years later treating out moldy insulation and drywall. Time is the best proof for any system. Like to see a follow up in 5-10 years.
In 1978 I built a 2200 sq. ft. house and built the exterior walls with 2×10 top and bottom plates and also same for window/door framing but used 2 sets of 2×4 studs. Fiber glass batt insulation was available for this exact thickness. R 30 if i remember correctly ? Blown in cellulouse in the ceiling for R 50. This was in Fairbanks Alaska. I used roughly half of the heating oil that a same size house with 2×6 exterior walls used.
We pay $2.95 for 2x4x 92 5/8 studs and $4.50 per 2x6x 92 5/8 studs here in Houston. Depending on the house, if you’re buying 1,000 more 2×4’s, that extra $1,500 will certainly pay for itself with the energy savings pretty quickly. The extra $3,000 in wall insulation may take a bit longer as will the extra concrete. But from an energy efficiency standpoint, it sounds pretty good.
Basically you have a 2×10 wall for significantly less that 2×10’s. However your labor cost would be significantly higher. We have a 2×8 outer wall a 2 inch gap and then 2×4’s. Both layers are insulated and vapor wrapped. All interior walls are sheeted with OSB then sheet rocked. Exterior of course is OSB then vapor Barrie’s then hardy board siding. We are R60. Heat in the winter with wood. No AC. In the summer at 95-100 outside we are 69-70 inside. No ducting, no furnace, no heat pump. We are off grid as well…. As a side note we used rock wool batting for both layers. House is very quiet…
Just to be clear: yes, he did say that a 2×4 stud is (roughly) 60% the cost of a 2×6 but remember there are double the 2x4s in this wall SYSYEM so the 2×4 cost is (roughly) 20% more than a 2×6 wall system just for the stud wood since there are two 2×4 walls framed. There will be 20% to 25% higher framing just for the framing materials, plus the added labor, and double the insulation cost up front (about 40 to 50% more total cost than 2×6 for the framing lumber, labor, and insulation). With that, you now have nearly twice the insulation space (at 10 inches vs 5-1/2 inches) for this system over a 2×6 framed house plus the thermal break. Balance that with the life-long energy savings created by this system (as long as the insulation material used does not compact and create voids). Personally, I like this system and I would combine it with rock wool for the insulation since it does not compact, is moisture and mold resistant, and is a great sound insulator.
Even better wall imo…I slow flip houses in Phoenix and target houses built in 1940’s. These homes often have no insulation. I remove the drywall and standard batts to the existing wall. Then furring out inside: 2×2’s screwed at a 45 and 24″ o.c. to existing vertical studs. Then vertical 2×2’s 16″ o.c. to the diagonals but offset from the original vertical 2×4’s. On long walls diagonals at opposing directions on either ends. I make sure a diagonal catches door and window corners. Furring can create any depth wall. 8″ seems fine for Phoenix. I never run any heat in winter and of course summer cooling cost is reduced. Pros… No shear sheathing is needed. When OSB was $50 a sheet this was a big help. Older homes always used diagonal boards for shear strength, normally a single 1×4 let in per wall…I’m adding many. Almost no wood thermal bridging. No drilling studs for wire and pipes since these can be attached to the inside 2×4 face of original 2×4. Can even create raceways if you like for running water, sewer, split AC line sets, etc… I can use cull and salvaged lumber. I rip 2x4s, 2×6, whatever to 2x2s. Length doesn’t really matter, about 3′ min. The final vertical 2×2’s are easy to shim out using a string at top and bottom to get vertical, and then a level to shim any low spots in the middle. No top or bottom plate is needed. I do add a horizontal 2×2 at the top for drywall screws. At the bottom I attach a 2 or 3″ strip of 1/2″ OSB or ply to outside of final vertical 2×2 as a baseboard backer and to fill the drywall gap on 8′ 2″, 8′ 3″ walls.
What about the huge gap in that provides unimpeded access to the attic. Which is a sauna in the summer time? In Florida the electrician needs to foam every small penetration in the top plate. Isn’t that also a serious fire hazard?? If it starts inside of an exterior wall nothing would stop it from getting into the attic. We also use 5/8″ x on the lids.
I realize that in many areas builders have to comply with local building codes so rough framing material might be difficult to get approved. Keep in mind rough sawn lumber is perfect for double wall construction. Make sure it’s kiln dried or better, air dried. If one must adhere to the cutesy polished and planed approved 2 x 4’s then outside walls can be 24 O/C and second wall 16 O/C so 1/2 in. rock can be used. Also, if there is no second floor, what’s wrong with using 2 x 3’s for the second wall? Or, no load second wall could be rough sawn. All interior waslls such as bathroom, kitchen, bedrooms and living room walls can revert back to conventional 2 x 4.
You should stagger the studs between the inner and outer walls rather then having the inner and outer studs right next to each other. With a double wall, would it be possible to use 2x3s? These days I would NEVER use fiberglass or any blown in insulation! Spray foam or ridgid foam board. Of course I REALLY would rather use structural insulation panels, that does sheathing, insulation, studs and drywall all in one go. No voids and you can’t put your fist through the wall; you’d have to really work at it, even with a hammer. Right now I’m renovating a 200 year old house. At one post somebody put fiberglass insulation in the walls. With all the stupid studs they put in to hang the fiberglass, the wall was half solid wood from inside to outside! There were still all kinds of voids and trash, and mouse nests, YUCK!
I’m using Rockwool. 2/6 walls and it’s very efficient for sub 0 winter weather in north Montana! Looks like a good place for Rodents to get in and live in luxury! Sorry, just doesn’t make sense to me. Square footage has to be expanded for the same interior plus the extra concrete foundation. With the cost of homes right now it’s just not economical at least in our part of the country.
I see that you are in Canada. As a platinum ENERGY STAR builder for 37 years you have left out a few things. The labor for framing 2 walls will almost be double, particularly when you have to frame around windows and doors. Secondly, you decrease the size of the rooms by several hundred square feet per home. What we have found that performs better and provides a better ROI for our customers is to us the insulated zip wall sheathing and the spray 1/2″ closed cell foam onto the inside of the sheathing to completely seal the thermal envelope. Then use R-21 unfaced batt insulation with 2×6 wall construction. Our clients utility bills are usually between $100 and $150 for 4-5000 sf homes…
Thank GOD the Father I Live in Florida and only need 2″ of Foam.. Maybe 3″ and do just fine with that… I live in a Camping Trailer and walls are only 1.5in thick ( Vary Little Insul ) and I stay Warm enough in Winter and Cool enough in Summer… Leaks (air) like s,o,b but that’s normal… So when I get ready to build a Actual Shed.. I mean House, I can still get away with 2″ or even 3″ Foam.. Or Hell, None at all as long as the walls are Air Tight… Heating/Electric Bill is $65 Max and that’s in Feb.. Cooling/Electric is Max $75 Running A/C only during the day.. Off season it’s $35..
Wood is a horrible thermal conductor. Why not place a layer of closed cell foam (foamular) type insulation on the outside of the building, spaced off the studs with horizontal furring strips? I feel the same thermal break could be achieved. Moisture in wood is the ultimate thermal conductor – and yes, your construction will prevent this issue, but you are basically building two houses, when you could just build one. You lose square footage on the inside of the house when you could only lose a few inches if you created that thermal break on the outside. Ultimately you are talking pennies, or dimes a week. This is why Dupont is still second to tar paper. We’re not convinced, until you erase 100 years of history (soon im sure)
Use 2 sided radiant barrier on the inside wall surface.Keep a .75 inch dead air space.( r 59). I use commercial foam and get r75 in the walls.In the ceiling 2 layers in the ceiling plus radiant barrier gets me r100. Customers tell me with ceiling fans, they don’t need to run their AC in the summer.😁
Currently, a 2×6 stud is about $6. A 2×4 stud is about $3.50-ish. Furthermore: 2×6 studs framing is on 24″ centers, not on 16″ centers. With current prices a 2×6 wall framing (@24″o.c.) is more cost-effective than 2-2x4s on 16″ oc ., albeit with doubled-up 2x4s you could go 24″ oc. With the 2×6 wall @ 24″o.c. I’d go 5/8″ gyp. board instead of 1/2″ to reduce flex due to wider spacing, and my exterior sheating of choice would be 1/2″ cement board, not waferboard or even plywood. The cement board is stiff and doesn’t rot, and the cement board will take stucco or eifs with less problems than any wood exterior sheeting. I’d use foamed-in insulation for all the 5.5″ of wall cavity (of 2x6s), not f/g batts. In truth, ideally I’d use 2×6 galvanized steel studs @24″o.c and two layers of 1/2″ gyp board on the interior, foamed-in insulation, and of course, the 1/2″ cement board for the exterior sheating. That would make the house totally lumber-warpage, rot, and termite proof.
ONE HUGE problem with this idea!!. There is no shear wall connection to the floor diaphragm, in an earthquake situation these homes will fall apart. What is being done to mitigate this situation??? My idea would be to strong acrylic connections at those points and spray foam those areas with structural closed cell foam, 3 feet up and 3 feet down. Tell us what is going on with this.
What is the r value of spray foam? I’d love to see the total cost of this vs spray foam, r-value vs cost. No one can argue you could heat this hose with a match, but if you were paying todays labor rates, who could afford 6% more lumber cost, 100% more labor on the wall framing, 2 times the materials on 3 1/2″ batts, probably double that cost for cellulose, not to mention trying to coordinate all the trades with 3 times the work. I’m not trying to be a joy killer, but this would only make sense in the most extreme environments, and not sure we’re intended to live where it gets 40 below zero, lol. All jokes aside, I’d love a follow up article to see it finished and see the utility bills. Also another side note. How would you fare if all the extra cost went towards super sufficient heating, geothermal, solar, etc? Great functionality but would love to see the end result and compare
I liked your article and here is why. I worked some construction after high school while going to college. I’ve since built two houses for myself and agree with your concept. The first house I built with double 2 x 4 walls. The second wall was approximately 1/4 inch inside the outside wall. I off set the studs and insulated both with fiberglass insulation. Between the top plates and bottom plates I put sill seal on edge for a thermal break as well where the cripples and studs were at a door or window opening. I then framed those rough openings with 1/2 or 3/4 inch plywood for strength. My second house I was talked into building with 2 x 6 studs. I am so mad at myself for getting pursued to use 2 x 6 studs and vinyl siding. The insulation and sound barrier is terrible. If . . . I ever build again it will be a double 2 x 4 wall building. My first house heated for almost nothing I. Wisconsin. The 2 x 6 house is terrible to heat.
Did you know many states allow you to bypass building permits? If you build any dwelling under a certain cubic feet amount, it can be classified as a shed, avoiding all of the building code nonsense. So if you have to have a typical American home and mortgage, knock yourself out. Me? I have multiple smaller dwellings, each with its own kitchen and bathroom. With ZERO permits. Americans have a hard time thinking outside of the box because we think everything must be done the way YOUR NEIGHBORS DID IT.
Maybe I am missing something but, if a 2×4 is 60% cost of a 2×6, purchasing twice as many 2×4 cannot = 60% savings. For example, if 100 pcs of 2×6 = $100, then 100 pcs of 2×4 = $60. Buying 200 pcs will cost $120). I like the concept & it is a cost that can usually be added with proper planning. Too bad I did not know of this when I built my cottage in 2010. 2×4’s were acceptable but I went with 2×6 to improve structural integrity & more insulation. Thanks for the tips.
Have you priced insulation!?! It’s insane. You mentioned ‘a sweet spot’s. Okay, well your payback on all of this in terms of energy saving (and if you care about carbon footprint, yuk) is likely longer than you’ll ever own the house. It’s insane the mortgage costs etc. This thing called diminishing returns needs to be brought back into the conversation. Your dad and grandad knew something about that.. If you want to be environmentally responsible, minimize heating costs, go with a 2″x8″ stud wall with R-28 Rockwool batt insulation. The total assembly R -Value is R-24.5@16″ or R-25.4@24″. Your cavity wall will give an assembly valve in the area R-38+/-. Impressive until you take into account that there will be windows, and doors at less than R-10, plus air leakage at all seams, joints interfaces, and the heat exchanger will also bleed away heat. Consider also that heat rises, so it makes considerably more sense to invest in an R-60+ roof system than an R 38 wall system. Do the math… 2″x8″ walls are the most efficient system.
Makes no sense. As compared to a 2×4 wall with exterior foam insulation, you are wasting 6.5″ inches of wall depth. For a 30’x60′ house, that’s a 5.5% reduction in usable space. If the total house price is $2M, you are wasting $110,000 right away. If it’s a lower cost area, then the question is why bother.
OK, I think this is amazing, the only problem I can see with the blown-in type of loose insulation in a vertical application in wall cavities could be in settling from the top and pushing down to the bottom of the wall over time. loose fitting blown-in style insulation even in attics on a horizontal application settles over time. This would be my only concern.
I sure hope he’s better at math than building. When you figure costs, and you’re building a double wall inside a ICF exterior wall, as this article shows,you’re wasting money!! Depending on where you build (country wide, North, South, Mid,), an exterior ICF wall will give you anywhere from a heat/cold barrier up to 40-45. Now, knowing that, and knowing that the exterior wall will not let the cold/heat into the interior, why do you need such thick walls. And, interior walls need always be 2X6 to get the room-to-room noise level where one wants it. A 2X4 wall normally will not separate room to room sounds very well. So, build an ICF outer wall system and frame the inside with 2X6, and insulate these interior walls for sound purposes! So, if you’re gullible to let this kind of construction happen, good luck explaining it to your Loan officer!!
So you spend that extra 40% on a seconded interior wall but than sheath the out side with crap OSB? You also didn’t figure in how much more your framers are going to charge for building two walls everywhere. For that kind of money I could have a single 2×8 wall @ 24″ OC with plywood sheathing and an continuous exterior insulation like rockwool or zip R6 for my climate and of Corse a ICF foundation/basement and my exterior walls will be better insulated, stronger and the overall price difference depending were you live of maybe $1.50 to $2. a square ft. If I plan on living there for the net 20+ years even if it $3 more that would be a nominal coast when your talking about building custom house but what do I know? My forever house is being built old school. Timber framed with 9′ walls exposed post and beam with vaulted ceilings. Everything is big (except for living space lol) If you count the whole basement it’s only about 2300 sq. ft. but with no more kids one guest bedroom was all that is needed. So 2×8 walls worked out well for us with the large 12″ exposed beams with the Rockwool exterior insolation we have about R 38 walls and over R 20 on each exposed beam. With radiated floors even the coldest winter nights should stay nice and cozy inside even with the vaulted ceilings.
So if I’m hearing this correctly, your proposed wall system costs approx 40% more and I’d have to estimate at least 60% more labor to assemble and install another wall. I’m sure it’s a lot stronger and the plumber and electrician will love the chases for utility runs. Still the cost difference would be something not everyone would be up for.