2x6 wall 12" c-c spacing

[andyvh1959]

My brother had his garage construction inspected afte the framing is done. His garage is 24x28, 16'x7' OH door on the short side (11'-6" wall) and 8'x12' OH door on the tall side (14' wall). All 2x6 construction. Structural inspector says the plan required 12"c-c spacing for the studs on the 14' rall wall, but his contractor built the 14' tall wall with 2x6 studs on 16" c-c. Is 12" c-c stud spacing common on walls 14' and taller?

 

[The Cobbler]

Structural inspector says the plan required 12"c-c spacing for the studs on the 14'

if the plan called for it, it most likely has to be done .

 

[Tundra1]

If the plans show 12"oc and he goes back to the original engineer with as-built information, hopefully the engineer can give a nice reinforcement solution. Just another expense and unfortunate that the framer missed that detail.

 

[andyvh1959]

Pretty much what I told my brother last night. We discussed some alternatives to review with the structure engineer to see if it could satisfy whatever design requirement called out for 12" c-c spacing.

I'm curious what design standard calls out for 12" c-c spacing for 2x6 wall studs for a wall taller than 12'.

 

[PCustoms]

I'm curious what design standard calls out for 12" c-c spacing for 2x6 wall studs for a wall taller than 12'.

Ask the engineer who drew it.

Sounds like your area requires engineered plans, and if that's what was drawn then that's what needs to be built. Period.

Any reason your brother deviated from the plan?

 

[racecougar]

I'm curious what design standard calls out for 12" c-c spacing for 2x6 wall studs for a wall taller than 12'.

Around here (Jefferson County, MO), once you go taller than 12', it requires engineered plans. Without knowing the specifics of your brother's location, building design, etc., we can all only speculate as to why the engineered plans call for 12" O.C. wall construction.

Why wasn't the engineered plan followed? What else was missed?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Seems like overkill until you realize it's only on the tall wall with a 8' opening for the O/H door.

I would simply go back and measure/mark correct layout on the sill & top plates. Then add a stud as required and cut out the others not required, one at a time. Add blocking per plans when done.

 

[tarmy]

Welp, they are called construction/building plans for a reason. My little 1 story garage with only a 12’ garage door has 12” 2x6 spacing for studs. Seems like overkill until the snow is on it…

 

[CraigStu]

Could you just ad a stud between existing studs? Simpler than removing the existing ones. I would prefer also to avoid the potential damage of removing studs.

 

[PCustoms]

Could you just ad a stud between existing studs? Simpler than removing the existing ones. I would prefer also to avoid the potential damage of removing studs.

Simpler framing but complicates the insulation and creates more bridging

 

[CraigStu]

Good points PCustoms.

 

[PCustoms]

Good points PCustoms.

In a garage, assuming it's a short wall, I'd probably add the additional studs and use "pro grade" canned foam to fill the cavity.

OP should really have engineer review, may be a simpler path forward

 

[larry4406]

At the day job, when our framed walls get to be taller than 10' tall, our plans have them denoted as 12" OC and refer to them as "balloon framed" walls. Our house plans are engineered with red stamps.

 

[Bert_]

That's a lot of lumber. Most people here build 16' tall walls with 2x6's on 16" or 24" centers. Sometimes see 18' walls, usually with 2x8's.

 

[TRWham]

Pretty much what I told my brother last night. We discussed some alternatives to review with the structure engineer to see if it could satisfy whatever design requirement called out for 12" c-c spacing.

I'm curious what design standard calls out for 12" c-c spacing for 2x6 wall studs for a wall taller than 12'.

The International Residential Code (IRC) is the basis for most structural codes in the US. The IRC tables go to 12' tall studs with some exceptions noted. The one exception that might apply here would give you 18' for 2x6 walls, but that is limited to 25 psf snow load, and I guess Green Bay might exceed that. Plus, they only allow 6' tributary roof load, which this situation exceeds. Regardless of what might have worked, if he has plans that call for 12" spacing, that is what the inspector will require. The engineer might give you a get out of jail, free card, or a workaround, but he specified 12" originally for a reason.

 

[andyvh1959]

I figured there was a code specific to vertical loading. I told my brother it was likely due to a vertical load constraint, perhaps to not exceed a condition to cause the wal to buckle inward or outward.

 

[strutaeng]

Yeah, depends on a lot of factors such as loading (gravity and lateral), bracing, wood species, etc.

I did a residential build here for myself with roughly 17' clear height using 2x6s @ 16" o.c. supporting roof only, engineered. I watched my framer build some of that wall and it was nerve wrecking.

I worked on commercial project a few years ago were we had something like 20' tall walls. I believe we designed 2x8s @ 16" o.c. Supporting roof only. I wasn't there for the framing, but went later to look at the job after it was dried in. We also had 8' cantilevered overhangs, glulams with large clearspans and other engineered lumber. It was a pretty cool design.

 

[BobnCO]

Ask the engineer if he can just double (sister) the existing 16” o.c. studs; the likely answer is yes, and can be done in a few hours.. all stuff that has happened before.

 

[Rusted Nut]

If the plans call for 12” spacing, have the framer fix it; unless there was some agreement in writing to the contrary between bro and framer.

 

[duneslider]

As mentioned, the best course is to talk to the engineer and see what they can do. The framers that did my house missed a lot of notes and the engineer had to come out and walk it with me to find solutions. All the solutions were pretty simple and not a big deal (yes, following plan originally would have been easier).

 

[andyvh1959]

An alternative for my brother may be to build a storage loft above his truck bay. The attached pic is of the south half of his new shop, and you can see the girder truss. If he built floor joists across from the bottom chord of the girder truss over to the now 14" tall 2x6 wall it would in effect reduce the free wall height and not require him to modify the current 14' tall wall framing. Adding a loft floor would reduce the 14' wall free height by 3.5 feet. Of course, that still requires an engineering review and strutural inspector approval.

 

[PCustoms]

An alternative for my brother may be to build a storage loft above his truck bay. The attached pic is of the south half of his new shop, and you can see the girder truss. If he built floor joists across from the bottom chord of the girder truss over to the now 14" tall 2x6 wall it would in effect reduce the free wall height and not require him to modify the current 14' tall wall framing. Adding a loft floor would reduce the 14' wall free height by 3.5 feet. Of course, that still requires an engineering review and strutural inspector approval.

Has he talked to the engineer?

Is he getting this "alternative " plan stamped?