Warning: I heard a contractor say you should always use a 2x4 for framing, no matter what.

I was at the hardware store last Tuesday and overheard a guy telling his friend to never use a 2x6 for a wall, that it's just a waste of money. In my experience, that's not always true. For a bathroom I redid, I used 2x6s on the exterior wall to fit more insulation and it made a huge difference in the winter. Has anyone else found a good reason to go against the standard 2x4 advice?

3 comments

3 Comments

milesbailey3d ago

Used to think that guy was right until I helped my brother build his place up north. We did the whole outer shell with 2x6s and packed in the thick insulation. The heating bills dropped like a rock that first winter. Now I see it's not always about saving a few bucks on lumber upfront. Sometimes spending more on wood saves a ton later.

the_thea3d ago

Totally! Did the same thing and my AC barely runs now.

the_aaron3d ago

Heard a builder on a podcast say thicker walls are the new standard for energy codes, right? That extra space for insulation is a total game changer.