My house (in central Missouri) was built in 1983.  Passive solar was the big
thing back then, and the desire to increase insulation R value on the walls was
rampant.

Outside walls were framed with 2x6 on 24" centers.  Too lazy right now to
calculate the total wood consumption difference, and don't have the engineering
background to determine the relative stiffness of the two options.  2x6 allowed
thicker batts of fiberglass insulation in the walls.  Probably reduced labor
costs also since fewer framing elements needed to be assembled.

--Scott

On Apr 17, 2014, at 7:24 AM, Milt the Clamp Guy  wrote:

> Like a lot of things, it's a compromise.
> 
> 12" would produce more strength and rigidity, but use lots more wood.
> 24" would make the wood go further, but would lack the stiffness usually
desired in house construction.
> 
> Other intervals make for messy arithmetic.
> 
> There's a book somewheres that discusses the transition to balloon framing
from post and beam construction, and it apparently took a while for the industry
to settle on the current practice, but of course I've forgotten the name of the
book, and whether or not I still have a copy.  These senior moments seem to last
longer and longer.
> 
> Milt, the Clamp Guy
> 
> 
> At  4/17/2014 07:55 AM, 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
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------