Interior Studs on Designer Homes

[KEVIN & JOSIE]

Are interior studs on new designer homes wood or steel? Thanks

[retiredguy123]

That is a trick question. Some are wood and some are metal. I understand that they often use metal studs for high walls to prevent the drywall from being wavy.

[Kenswing]

Are interior studs on new designer homes wood or steel? Thanks
Both. Ours is under construction right now. With steel I believe they can go 24" on center instead of 16".

[BernieJr]

Load bearing walls are wood studs 16” on center and non-load bearing walls are metal studs 24” on center.

[Cupcake57]

Are interior studs on new designer homes wood or steel? Thanks

Looks like you are going to get differing answers. My designer was built in 2019; I called warranty who had me call builder who referred me to framer who said... wood on exterior/block walls and steel on interior walls. Good luck.

[villagetinker]

If you need the info for your specific home, contact Sumter County Building department and get your house plans, about 6 pages there will be some info in these. I have found the best way to determine the stud type is to use a small drill 1/16 inch or smaller, and drill into the stud. If it stop after 5/8 inch, you have a metal stud, if it continues in, you have wood. NOTE: you use light pressure on the drill when doing this.

[Tmarkwald]

If you need the info for your specific home, contact Sumter County Building department and get your house plans, about 6 pages there will be some info in these. I have found the best way to determine the stud type is to use a small drill 1/16 inch or smaller, and drill into the stud. If it stop after 5/8 inch, you have a metal stud, if it continues in, you have wood. NOTE: you use light pressure on the drill when doing this.

Another way to find if there is steel studs is use a magnet. I have one from an old hard drive, and it will easily stick to the wall if there is a steel stud.

I used to do commercial construction - electrician - and the steel studs I see in the photos are not load bearing steel studs. There is a much thicker steel stud that is used for load bearing and it is not 'shiny', it is a duller metal. Well, it was way back in the 80's/90's. I think, as others said in the comments, that TV uses wood for load bearing.

It also made depend on the age of your home.

Now, I'm going go check mine!!! Never though of it since I haven't done any modifications.

[thevillages2013]

Are interior studs on new designer homes wood or steel? Thanks

Why do you want to know? What are you trying to accomplish? That little bit of info would allow someone who knows what they are talking about to answer your question

[M2inOR]

Much more complicated, and not specific.

In our Sunday walks in Marsh Bend, we venture into homes under construction, and see quite a variety - mixed use of steel and wood on interior walls. Mostly wood, with a few steel studs.

We have a spec Iris, so it was completed when we purchased it, so we don't know what is behind our drywall. We did venture into other Iris homes while under construction. Each one we went into was slightly different in the framing.

I did not see much consistency, so I would say it depended on the builder and the crew.

Construction drawings are available at the etrakit.com county website, but you won't find specifics for use of wood or steel studs.

A magnetic stud finder will help.

The good news? Just a handful of steel studs in most new homes, varying by model. None are 100% wood. And from what I saw, all are on 16" centers.

[retiredguy123]

Load bearing walls are wood studs 16” on center and non-load bearing walls are metal studs 24” on center.
Sometimes, but not always.

[b0bd0herty]

Are interior studs on new designer homes wood or steel? Thanks

LIke people have said, there is a combination of both steel and wood. First and foremost:
- Buy lots of Spackle and watch a few views on how to use it. Great for fixing up your walls after moving pictures.
Then
- If you're building a designer home, ensure you take photos or video while it is being constructed and use references (such as outlet/switch boxes) to know where they are after the dry wall is up.
- If you've bought one already built, go to the new villages being built down south and find the same model being built. Distances may not be exact but, am sure the plans have the steel studs being placed in the same place. The Villages uses Henry Ford's assembly line technique!
- Research and buy the best stud finder you can then use a previous persons comment about a tiny drill bit and drill in the approximate space. When you get to the stud, you will be able to tell if it is metal or wood.
- Repair any holes you've made and repaint that area if necessary

[jbrown132]

Another way to find if there is steel studs is use a magnet. I have one from an old hard drive, and it will easily stick to the wall if there is a steel stud.

I used to do commercial construction - electrician - and the steel studs I see in the photos are not load bearing steel studs. There is a much thicker steel stud that is used for load bearing and it is not 'shiny', it is a duller metal. Well, it was way back in the 80's/90's. I think, as others said in the comments, that TV uses wood for load bearing.

It also made depend on the age of your home.

Now, I'm going go check mine!!! Never though of it since I haven't done any modifications.

This may be totally wrong but I was told by the builder that there are no load bearing walls in standard Villages designs. The loads are all dispersed through the type of roofs they build. The reason for this was so they could use the same footprint for several home designs.

[Tmarkwald]

This may be totally wrong but I was told by the builder that there are no load bearing walls in standard Villages designs. The loads are all dispersed through the type of roofs they build. The reason for this was so they could use the same footprint for several home designs.

I'd agree with that, the only caveat being that some of the 7 digit priced homes may be a bit more custom and perhaps have additions that would require it.

[Villages Kahuna]

Interior studs are steel and wider spaced than the exterior wood studs. Exterior studs are 16-inches on centers while the interior studs are 24-inches. “Load-bearing” isn’t an issue because the weight of the ceilings and roof in Villages designs is all borne by the rafters which transfer the overhead weight to the exterior walls.

Our builder explained why the different materials. It’s because the quality of wood studs has become so unreliable. He said that there have to throw away 10-15% of all the wood studs they buy, and they’re still not the quality they’d like. He said the use of steel on interior walls (except door and window frames, of course) not only saves money, but also provides much “straighter” walls. We have a Lantana and he showed me how straight and even the really long interior wall was. He said that would be impossible with the wood studs they buy.

[Tmarkwald]

Interior studs are steel and wider spaced than the exterior wood studs. Exterior studs are 16-inches on centers while the interior studs are 24-inches.

Our builder explained why the different materials. It’s because the quality of wood studs has become so unreliable. He said that there have to throw away 10-15% of all the wood studs they buy, and they’re still not the quality they’d like. He said the use of steel on interior walls (except door and window frames, of course) not only saves money, but also provides much “straighter” walls. We have a Lantana and he showed me how straight and even the really long interior wall was. He said that would be impossible with the wood studs they buy.

Never noticed that - never actually even thought about it. We have a Juniper - virtually identical to the Lantana and, yeah, that is a big wall. And it is perfectly straight!

[pgettinger01]

They use aluminum studs for a reason for example walls greater than 10 feet. The cost of wood has increased a lot. Maybe more aluminum studs will be used in the future. They have some advantages for example fireproof, mold, termites...

[DAVES]

Interior studs are steel and wider spaced than the exterior wood studs. Exterior studs are 16-inches on centers while the interior studs are 24-inches. “Load-bearing” isn’t an issue because the weight of the ceilings and roof in Villages designs is all borne by the rafters which transfer the overhead weight to the exterior walls.

Our builder explained why the different materials. It’s because the quality of wood studs has become so unreliable. He said that there have to throw away 10-15% of all the wood studs they buy, and they’re still not the quality they’d like. He said the use of steel on interior walls (except door and window frames, of course) not only saves money, but also provides much “straighter” walls. We have a Lantana and he showed me how straight and even the really long interior wall was. He said that would be impossible with the wood studs they buy.


Re: lumber quality
Our previous home was built in 1948. Typical framing lumber 2x4 used to be bigger than it is now. Also, framing lumber is grown on sort of farms for fast growth. Comparing old lumber to new you will see wider spacing between the rings, showing the fast growth.
The same wood variety grown slower, narrow rings will be both harder and stronger.

A friend had a home that was framed with walnut. Whatever his home was worth as a home, it was probably worth more to take it apart and sell the lumber.

[DAVES]

They use aluminum studs for a reason for example walls greater than 10 feet. The cost of wood has increased a lot. Maybe more aluminum studs will be used in the future. They have some advantages for example fireproof, mold, termites...

For what it is worth, they are steel not aluminum. Aluminum is far more expensive than steel and it melts at a fairly low temperature.

[Tmarkwald]

For what it is worth, they are steel not aluminum. Aluminum is far more expensive than steel and it melts at a fairly low temperature.

And, aluminum is softer. The screws we use to go into the steel studs have slightly different, self-tapping tip as well.

[MandoMan]

This may be totally wrong but I was told by the builder that there are no load bearing walls in standard Villages designs. The loads are all dispersed through the type of roofs they build. The reason for this was so they could use the same footprint for several home designs.

You may mean no loadbearing INTERIOR walls. the EXTERIOR walls are ALL load bearing. They are carrying the weight of the roof trusses, which in most houses here extend from exterior wall To exterior wall. The interior walls are sort of loosely connected to the trusses so the walls don’t wobble, but the outer walls actually support the roof weight. Ideally, (and perhaps in all new construction,) the trusses are connected to the outer wall top plates not only with nails but with steel straps properly nailed in which make it much less likely that a hurricane will pull off your roof. It’s known as Wind Mitigation, and if you have proof that you have them, your house insurance will be much lower.

[airstreamingypsy]

If you have steel interior studs, how do you hang things like TVs and even pictures on the wall?

[tonycirocco@me.com]

They use aluminum studs for a reason for example walls greater than 10 feet. The cost of wood has increased a lot. Maybe more aluminum studs will be used in the future. They have some advantages for example fireproof, mold, termites...
Aluminum??

[Tmarkwald]

If you have steel interior studs, how do you hang things like TVs and even pictures on the wall?

use monkey hooks for pictures.

For TVs - here's short video for your enjoyment.

How to Wall Mount a TV to Metal Studs - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kgC7vfhnOE)

[kcwhel]

remove an electrical outlet or switch plate cover and you will be able to see or poke at the stud above or below the box.

[bilcon]

You should be as lucky as I was. I bought a 2 year old Iris and the original owner was anal. He took pictures from the day the land was cleared, every day inside and outside until the house was finished. I can see clearly where every stud is, how the pool was constructed etc. Really neat.

[sloanst]

Both, Dependent on the engineering plans, both steel and wood studs are used in most of these homes.

[nick demis]

After looking at our house that is in the framing stage, both with no rhyme or reason. When I asked the contractor this morning, he said that he is installing as per plans given to him, with a shrug.

[John_W]

...

[Jerry Leinsing]

Depends on builder and code.
Regardless of type, easy way to find where studs are is with rare earth magnet sandwiched in piece of tape. Flexs to move if close to a screw. Find one, then move up and down to find others, knowing that the screw may not be dead center of the stud. Got lots of money, go buy a stud finder that finds both kinds of studs. Just specify type to find.

[Steve Mosher]

Are interior studs on new designer homes wood or steel? Thanks
Some homes are wood, others steel. Depends on avail of wood at time of construction. Contact the sub-contracter company that built your home by calling the warranty dept.

[retiredguy123]

Almost anything can be hung on a wall using high quality drywall anchors that expand behind the drywall, even shelving. No need to attach it to a stud. A television would be an exception.

[coconutmama]

Depends on the builder. Some prefer metal. We wanted wooden studs, which we got through out. We checked on our house almost every day during the build. It was fun & educational. For example, we knew our trusses & roof went up in dry weather.

[HORNET]

I went to a new construction site and found my house model, took pictures of what studs are which.