Demolishing a half-built house - GIF

[Frank S]

Someone failed to read up on shear forces. Wow look at all that wood - at today's prices, each 2 x 4 x 8 is at least $6

the worst problem with lumber is it does not even make good fire wood unless you stack it so air can flow around it for a couple years letting it season with age

[mbshop]

I have always wondered why houses are built with shall we say wet wood. When I use wood, I let it air dry for at least a week. I return all bent wood. Amazing how a straight looking piece curves or twists so much when dry.

[Moldyjim]

I have always wondered why houses are built with shall we say wet wood. When I use wood, I let it air dry for at least a week. I return all bent wood. Amazing how a straight looking piece curves or twists so much when dry.

Years ago I was restoring our 1890 era home, adding a new "2x4" to one of the existing studs.
Hammering in the nail, it went in like butter until it hit the old douglas fir stud, then it was like nailing into hard oak.
That was when I noticed the nail was dripping water from the wood.
The nail was squeezing water out of the 2x4 as it went in?
Say what?

[mbshop]

My house is old and built with real 2x4s. You really see and feel the differance. And yes, they are harder than our now so called 2x4s.

[jdurand]

Our former place in California was built in 1959 and the walls are 2x3, not 2x4. Found out when trying to install electrical boxes in the walls and they don't fit.

Of course the new house walls are all brick and block so a whole new problem installing new boxes.

[stillldoinit]

Several years ago there was a very frugal plumber contractor near where I lived in northern Illinois and he saved every nail he could pickup from job sites. Would have his wife straighten the bent ones. He started building a house about the same size as this one and got about as far before a big storm blew it down. Apparently he didn’t have enough bracing in the proper places and with used nails that the sinker coating rubbed off from previous use and even rusty ones caught up with him. Felt bad for the guy but at the same thought it was funny as hell that he cheaped out.