Timber framed house

[Bongodog]

I would advise anyone thinking of building with a timber frame, NOT to look at the huge building sites, using this method, a proper timber framed house, which I hope we are talking about, everything is more solid, 6x2 inch timbers, not the 4x2 used en masse, how long they will last ? A friend, who helped a removal firm, at times, help a move to a flat in London, while manoevering the 3 piece in, he tripped, and went straight through the wall, into next door flat, the dividing wall, consisted of a sheet of plasterboard each side, with a 3x2 surround, no insulation, no 'crossing' timbers just a single length of 3x2, between each sheet, and for those that doubt, I have seen the photo's.

I really find this difficult to believe, if true it will have looked awful even before anyone fell through it, plasterboard sheets are 48" wide and usually fixed to studs at 16" centres, with just studs round the circumference they would have moved all over the place when they were skimmed and would literally move in and out as you closed the door. 4" x 2" is certainly the usual standard, not really sure that 6" would acheive much apart from using more wood.

 

[som farmer]

I really find this difficult to believe, if true it will have looked awful even before anyone fell through it, plasterboard sheets are 48" wide and usually fixed to studs at 16" centres, with just studs round the circumference they would have moved all over the place when they were skimmed and would literally move in and out as you closed the door. 4" x 2" is certainly the usual standard, not really sure that 6" would acheive much apart from using more wood.

if I had not seen the photo's, nor would I , when we did our bungalow, builder thought we were overkill, when we put rockwool, in internal walls, he said, 2 sheets of plasterboard, and 1/2'' osb, would be plenty.

 

[br jones]

I really find this difficult to believe, if true it will have looked awful even before anyone fell through it, plasterboard sheets are 48" wide and usually fixed to studs at 16" centres, with just studs round the circumference they would have moved all over the place when they were skimmed and would literally move in and out as you closed the door. 4" x 2" is certainly the usual standard, not really sure that 6" would acheive much apart from using more wood.

I have visited a new david wilson site and the upstairs partions were 2x1 timber

 

[Bongodog]

I have visited a new david wilson site and the upstairs partions were 2x1 timber

2 x 1 is roofing batten !!! I've often picked a length up and had it fall in half due to a knot being 90% of the way through it. The plasterboard would be holding it up, rather than the wood holding up the plasterboard.

The general standard of new housing is appalling, the small development behind us had to have all the concrete floors dug out half way through construction as they had forgotten the DPM. One pair has had to have a temporary roof over them for months so the tiles could be replaced, as many were broken during construction and the flashings leaked everywhere. All the upstairs ceilings had to be replaced due to water damage. Local electricians and plumbers are doing heaps of work on recent builds as the fittings are all cheapo quality. and failing within a few years.

Floor joists made up from two pieces of 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" joined together by a piece of sterling board, no wonder the floors creak.
The problem is that there are now heaps of regs on insulation standards, but everything else has gone to pot.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

There's me worrying about making an extra 25mm with 75mm stud rather than 100mm stud!
Blockwork is best though as you get a nice thermal store so I mainly go for blocks.

SS