Is it better to use wood braces or metal straps when framing residentail homes?
Question:In a new house is it better to use the wood barces between the celing floor joits or is it better to use the metal straps?
Answers:
I can't tell the difference after the the sub-floor is down. If you have drops from the joists after cutting, why not use them instead of throwing them away.If you don't have drops, straps are cheaper and faster over all.
wood braces are much more stable.
Hi,
Wood is strong and stable but metal has a bit of flex to it.
As long as they are galvanized or stainless straps I would say they are better in the long term.
Skip
most inspectors will require the metal straps, because that is what they are used to seeing, and their knowledge of building is limited. The straps are engineered to be as strong or stronger than wood bracing.
woodstuds r better.straps r uesd to hold donw a roof or to tie concrete blocks in corners but metal STUDS might be a different story if that what u r refering to
You are referring to 'blocking'. Blocking will significantly increase the strength of a floor, ceiling, or wall. It prevents deflection, and distributes loads.
Personally, I prefer wood blocking, but the metal straps installed properly work very well. Wood blocking can be installed with a common framing nail gun, while the metal straps require special nails that are usually hand driven, (or driven with a palm nailer). It is easier to straighten bowed joists, and studs with the wood blocking, by beating them in place.
As a contractor I use wood braces. Although metal straps seem strong and supportive when the house settles in 10-15 years those straps bend and you dont know what that bend could do. For example if it bends it could cut your electric wires. But you might want to look into you areas building code some places might require wood, were others want metal.
More Related Questions & Answers...