From: "Richard" 
Newsgroups: alt.building.construction alt.home.repair alt.mobilehome misc.consumers.house rec.woodworking
Subject: Re: Wooden Stud's Last Stand
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 10:43:17 -0600
FL-Build: Fidolook 2002 (SL) 6.0.2600.78 - 24/10/2002 21:18:29

 Nehmo Sergheyev wrote:

 > I never liked site-built stick framing for houses.

 > Building on-site is inefficient. Although a house is a physically large
 > product, it's still easier to move the product through the manufacturing
 > process than it is to move the manufacturing process to the site.
 > Manufacturing the entire home, or at least large sections of it, on an
 > assembly line is cheaper, safer, and yields a better quality product.

 > Stick framing, that is, wood framing using studs and plates to form
 > walls, is too labor intensive and intricate. For residential
 > construction, Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) systems appear to be the
 > most competitive alternative - at least for exterior walls. And for
 > interior partitions, light-gauge steel-stud & -plate systems aren't such
 > a bad alternative.

 > Here's an article that discusses the inadequacies of stick framing:
 > (When evaluating US System author Eric Hunting comments, you should take
 > into account that he is commercially advocating his own alternative,
 > which uses aluminum structural members and SIPs. Nonetheless, his
 > arguments against wood stud framing are persuasive.)
 > http://www.ussystem-exhibit.com/architectureproject/overlooked.html )

 > SIP Manufactured Housing (or something like MH) seems to be the way of
 > the future. Concept 2000 is a prototype
 > http://buildingamerica.pnl.gov/SIPShouse.htm .

 > In a way it thinking, it's a pity. Framing with wood studs and nails
 > will become a lost art that perhaps only some old guys will know. It'll
 > be like blacksmithing.

 > But for my part, I'll be glad to see the studs disappear into scrap pile
 > of history.

Here's my idea for building a home and it apparently works quite well as it
has been featured on shows like Bob Villa and  "home time".
Start with your basic foundation. On top of the foundation lay a sill of a
4x4 6x6 or what ever your needs are.
Using proper 2x's you take two OSB panels uncut.
The front board is attached to the outside of the house, and the back board
to the inside.

Knowing how far to set your base horizontal  board in between the two boards
will be done with experiments and knowledge.
Now make a sandwich affair using upright 2x's square everything off with the
outer boards.
Add in your other support boards according to the center desired. 12 or 16
inch.
Holes can be drilled through the upright boards easily for plumbing and
wiring before being erected.
You have a gap of no osb between the top of the board and existing outer
osb. So now you cut pieces to fit.
Assume you create 4'x8' panels.
Each panel can be constructed indoors anywhere it's convenient and shipped
easily to the site.
Insualtion can be added during construction.

At the site, you can easily erect the wall panels using as few as 2 people.
Join the sections by slipping inside the two panels, a foot wide piece and
staple together.
You could also join the sections using screws or bolts with the butting
uprights.

Since you know the panel construction is already squared, all you need to do
is to ensure the walls are plumb.

Your house is built in shorter time with less manpower.