Choosing Framing Lumber

Matt and his longtime framer Bill Wood talk about different types of wood to choose for your next custom build.

[Danny-fshk]

Your videos are so informative. And thanks for always explaining and expounding on these acronyms.

[Capital]

Matt, I want to say thank you for making all these videos. I am planning on building a custom home in the next few years. The information that you have presented is making me look deeper in to the materials that I will be choosing to build my house.

[davidwood]

you're show rocks I have Been a carpenter for 35 years Majority of My career has been Remodels Been in Texas for about a month doing a project I'm very grateful To You your staff, sub contractors, you tube and to the beautiful state of Texas.
Respectively
DAVID WOOD
NORTH STAR BUILDERS

[hippo-potamus]

Matt, we would love for you to do a video on metal building homes.
-Cheers

[picassoamericano]

Hey Matt, you can pay the low guy on the totem pole to pre-drill your studs to save on labor cost. Just snap some lines or use some marking paint and tell a laborer to start drilling. Cheaper paying the new guy than an electrician.

[Tristonica]

Great quality video content Matt! Keep up the good work.

[worddunlap]

I owned a house framed in rough cut oak. All of it had proper end grains and it was flawless.

[galas]

You guys did a pretty good job making this video, why don't you do a series of video's that highlight the design, lot selection, lot prep, concrete, through building phase. It would be beneficial to watch the process using dimensional products.

[greggburke]

You have a carpenter named Bill Wood? What's your cement guys name? Jerry Mason?

[DaMediaGuyProductions]

These video are great. Really informative.

[DanA-vnzz]

Wonderful episode. Essential! Thanks, Matt.

[billfromelma]

This was really informative. Great video!

[colinrosario]

I wish my GC paid as much attention to detail and find craftsmanship as you and your subs. Our GC framed our addition while we were on vacation, and they did a generally sloppy, mediocre-quality job. Splintered wood and gaps all over the place, wall studs and door casings not perfectly plum or straight, windows not perfectly level, missing hurricane clip on one of the joists, etc.

Then they left the OSB sheathing exposed to the elements for three weeks (multiple thunderstorms and rain in the Northeast). I noticed what appeared to be water that was drying out in the corner inside the addition. I sent them your video on sealing the sheathing gaps with Siga Wigluv tape, and asked them if that was part of their process. They said, "No, it looks like someone trying to sell something, everyone has their motives." To which I thought: "Yeah, right. Matt Risinger is meticulous and I may have hired a bunch of clowns."

They finally installed the house wrap and vinyl siding after multiple delays, literally hours after a huge storm was leaking (pouring) water through the 1/8" sheathing gaps. I was up at 4:15am with a flashlight, recording video of the water pouring in, drenching the insulation, and pooling on the concrete slab of the addition. They had a crew there less than 5 hours later, locking all that moisture in with house wrap and siding. Ideally they should have installed the house wrap and siding long before three weeks passed. Alternatively, they should have water-sealed the gaps with tape. Lastly, they should have at least let the moisture dry out and evaporate before locking it in with house wrap. They did none of the above. Don't even get me started on how sloppy the insulation job was. Long-story-short, they overstuffed and crammed it all over the place, didn't cut around any wires, outlets, recessed lights, etc. I pulled all of it out, measured and cut it to size, then carefully put it all back in.

OK, I'm done venting now. Don't get me wrong, the GC I hired is a nice guy, a good communicator, and has many positive reviews, but I think they're spread too thin, and use some sloppy scrubs for certain parts of the job. He told me most of his customers don't care about the details except the finish carpentry and overall polish. As long as it looks good, they're OK with it, which is probably true for a large % of the population. I'm guessing he's regretting taking our project because I'm pestering the heck out of him and his crews. Asking a ton of questions, which (without the right diplomacy) can come across as a lack of faith in their competency and quality of their work. Most of these questions are from watching your vids and comparing it to what their process, materials and/or execution.

I really appreciate your videos. Almost everything I've learned about best practices, materials, and intelligent building, is from watching your channel. I'm a novice when it comes to all of this stuff, but it's good to know there are people out there like you who take pride in their work and are dedicated to "building science and fine craftsmanship." I'll keep coming back for more knowledge. Cheers buddy.

[amnslk]

I like Bills hat. Where can I get one? Very informative. Thank you and Bill for this.

I would only use Doug fir on a house, and nothing else. When you grow up on the west coast and watch all houses being built with fir since about 1950, it gets under your skin. There's also a cost balance factor with the different choices that a builder uses, like Lvl's. They are great but very costly so if a guy has no budget concerns, by all means, go with the Lvl's

[TheWarriorWorkshop]

I assume the lumber grade is something that is discussed in the design phase of the home build? Do you give the homebuyer a selection of options and they pick the grade? Or do you just tell them the grade you are using? Thanks for the awesome videos your doing

[questioneverything]

Crown exterior wall stud out for straighter walls, basement walls in.

[chileanc]

In Canada nobody cares about having a wall straight. I have never seen anybody ever check for trueness in framing after the carpenters are done. But then again I’ve heard on numerous occasions over my 18 years working in trades that in the US they build better homes anyway.

[Chukwudebe]

I would be interested in how much care must be made to keeping the studs strait prior to sheathing. I would think they could bow and flex laterally more than standard lumber or an LSL prior to being secured.

[seank]

Matt, can you give a % guesstimate of how much more it would cost to frame a house with LVL or other manufactured framing?