24" On Center Framing On Exterior Walls

lunapark

Remodeling 1940's home and found 24" on center framing everywhere, including exterior walls and load bearing walls. Wondering if it needs to be shored up by placing studs in the middle to make it 12" on center?

Joe Carola

Why would it need to be after 69 years? Is something wrong with the walls? They do frame 24" centers walls. It's a Regional thing. So far I haven't framed 24" center walls.

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Joe Carola

neolitic

Why would someone hire a painter
to reframe a 60 year old house?

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jhark123

If you need to ask this question, you need to hire a carpenter to do the work

wallmaxx

I bet it was angled 3/4" ship lap on the outside and or lath and plaster (with the mesh) walls on the inside too.

chris n

Interesting topic. Not being a framer, carpenter, builder, etc, but a lowley paper hanger, painter,I have a question.

I was repairing a ceiling last week where the HO was in the attic and put his foot through the ceiling into the bedroom. After opening up the hole to attach some 2 by 4's for the patch found the joists were 24 in on center and was wondering if that was normal for somewhat new construction( about 10 years old)? Just curious as all I have ever seen is 16 in on center, but I mainly deal with older homes.

KentWhitten

Yes, that's normal.

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neolitic

Especially if it's trusses.

No offense intended to you Chris.

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Warren

Bout twenty years ago, we were framing condos that had walls at 24 oc. They also had the silver foam sheathing, followed by vinyl siding. If you knew where the studs were, you could probably kick a hole right through the exterior wall. This county allowed 24 oc until just a few years ago.

UpNorth

24 on center, exterior walls and roofs, is done routinely here in the north country.

90 pounds per square foot ground snow load, about 9000 heating degree days, seismic D1 design criteria, houses built circa 1840 have bays like that and wider.

If you aren't buying the lumber, and are being paid to frame, more wood makes sense. If you are paying for the wood, and paying to heat the place, less wood makes sense.

24 on center is fine with our AHJ, our state code, and meets most all structural requirements.

When engineers get involved in design, excess weight and material starts coming out. The body steel on automobiles has gotten much thinner, when compared with what it was in, say, the 1960s.

Wait until your elected congressional reps get done with cap'n'trade, and builders all have to go way beyond LEED. We'll see 24 centers everywhere.