Wood

[John_C]

One of my ideas has been to use 2x8 yellow pine for the wall studs.  2x8x10' YP is a few pennies cheaper than 2x6x10' SPF.  The pile of SPF is miserable stuff.  I went through several dozen 2x6's the other day to find two worth carrying home. The YP is straighter and the piles in the lumber yard seem to stay straighter.

When I have mentioned my intent to contractor - friends they have cautioned me that it is a bad idea. The consensus is that it will twist and warp and generally create an unsatisfactory wall.  My response is that it's commonly used for long span roof rafters and I don't see any unusual warping in that application. 

Input anyone?  Comparisons to PT YP lumber are not valid.  That stuff is so wet in the bundle that it can't do anything except warp as it dries.  The choice seems to be to build with lumber that may warp or with lumber that is already warped.  Hobson's choice.

[glenn kangiser]

I use all kinds of pine mixed including bull pine, ther supposedly twistiest of them all, and have never seen a problem with it that is any worse than the stamped crap they sell at the lumber yard which is capable of twisting it's way out of a wall when drying also.

Speed in getting sheathing on could help keep them straight.

[mvk]

My last house built in 1948,49 had yellow pine trim 1x8 base board moulding on top etc. really nice. Don't know if it relates since lots of wood was better then. I think like Glen says get it sheathed guick. What's your interior wall finish going to be. Their were a lot of folks building with green wood around the north east awhile ago, native pine, hemlock that must have twisted alot. I think they just cranked up the woodstove before finishing the sheetrock?
Mike

[John_C]

This isn't green lumber.  It appears to me to be better dried than the SPF stuff.  I just got back from the big box store and the 2x12x16' YP looked much better than the stuff they were selling as studs.

I don't know what I'll do for interior wall finish.  I've generally done a lot of T&G, but I've lived in wood finished houses for 30 years and painted drywall is looking better and better.

[glenn kangiser]

You mean a layer of gypsum mud sandwiched between a layer of paper and cardboard, John?

[John_C]

Some of it doesn't have the paper....   less is more. It must be since they charge more

[glenn kangiser]

Hmm hmm ... no paper... I suppose that could be a problem in the bathroom especially.