Scott,

I too am curious as to where the 16" standard began.  When I was in
Honduras last summer, I saw a few wood frame buildings and they were built
using techniques more like timber frame construction. Standard framing
timbers (which are not standard and are milled on site) are more in the 4x4
size and are spaced closer to 3 feet apart. Also, they used interlocking
horizontal framing members every 3 feet or so. To this framing, they attach
the siding which is roughly 4/4 boards oriented vertically simply nailed
side by side. They don't bother with overlaps to allow for expansion and
contraction.  The wood is wet when the building is built (did I mention the
timber is milled on site from trees taken from the site) so I guess they
aren't worried that it will expand. Also, they don't do much to seal
buildings. Considering how humid and wet it gets there, I suppose maximum
ventilation is good in order to prevent mold and mildew growth. However, it
messes with your personal modesty when the walls of the room you might be
sleeping in have 1" wide gaps between the boards on the wall.  What I did
not mention, is how they mill the timber. They mill it with a chain saw.
Not a chain saw mill, but a chainsaw free hand. They use a string that has
been pulled through old dirty engine oil to mark a straight line down the
length of the log and then they follow that line with a chain saw. It's
amazing to me how accurately they cut the lumber using this method.   As
for actual construction tools, lots of hand tools are used because there
isn't electricity in many if the areas where we were working.

Doc

On Thursday, April 17, 2014, Scott Garrison  wrote:

> As Doc said: "In construction framing (at least here in the USA) standard
> spacing of wall
> studs, floor joists, as well as some other things is 16" on center. "
>
> But never having thought about it  - only built many structures to this
> requirement - it begs the question where did 16" come from? Why not 12"? I
> understand that railroad tracks in 2014 are sized to Roman chariots of
> likely 500 BC - so that's where that standard came from. But if we framed
> to 12, 18, or 24 inch all engineered beams and calculations would have
> easily accommodated - spans et al would simply be different and plywood
> might be sized differently though 48 x 96 is still easily and completely
> divisible by all but 18.
>
> Completely useless question but I find myself intrigued nonetheless by the
> answer. And it isn't just "Because"
>
> Scott in Duluth
>
>
>
>

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John Holladay
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