Hey guys Brad the Builder here, I hope you all enjoy today's episode! Stay tuned for more videos, and I'll see you on the next job site! Follow along on Instagram: bit.ly/BradtheBuilderIG
Many years ago, I framed a house for another builder. He had started using Advantech for his sub-floors. I immediately switch to Advantech and never looked back. Hands down, the best sub-floor material on the market.
Awesome work!! Thank you. And these comments about 3/4 roof ply and all rafters at 16s… not sure why they do that. Maybe high snow zones? Usually people have regional experience. We should all be studying and appreciating each others work. To me you are a real builder. I won’t argue with you. I can’t. So thanks for the video.
Thanks so much for watching and reaching out! In any profession, I believe we never stop learning, and if we think we know it all, that’s when troubles begin, and the wheels start to come off😜
All very high quality tips! I began framing exactly as you described in the early 1970's. All builders/homeowners should demand attention to all of the things you pointed out, unfortunately many don't. Excellent video, well done!!!
I was building my cabin years ago (I'm sitting in it now). Used Adventech subflooring. We halted construction for about 2 years. The subfloor held up really well despite being open to the elements. It has a few wavy spots but I was impressed. We ran out of money for a while but living in it now.
My first house was built in 1963. I gutted the garage down to the studs. During the remodel I stuffed R-30 unfaced insulation in each wall cavity, top to bottom and on the ceiling and installed an insulated garage door. My drywall guy wasn't happy but he got it done. That was the best insulated room in the house!
Hopefully your wall cavity was 10" thick, otherwise squeezing r30 into a thinner cavity reduces the insulation value to much less than the value of insulation intended for that wall thickness.
@@bannockchief they were actual 4". But, regardless, as I told you, my garage was THE BEST insulated room in the house! -20f outside, it was around 45 inside (garage wasn't heated). On 85-90 degree days, if I didn't open the garage door, by the time the sun set (in middle of summer) it would still be around upper 70's or real low 80's. You can 'feel' the pressure when you open and close the doors and the sound acoustics were excellent despite having an unfinished concrete slab.
I used 2x4 wall construction with Zip R-12 sheathing, which outperforms 2x6 construction with uninsulated sheathing by reducing thermal bridging. Closed cell spray all exterior walls 3". 2" of foam sprayed on top of ceiling drywall and blown fiberglass for total r-60 for roof. Plywood subfloor instead of Avantech because it holds wood floor staples better than coated OSB. My blower door test was 75% lower than code but would have been better if I had noticed a couple of uncapped vents, like a 6" stove exhaust. I used laminated studs in long hallways and in kitchen for dead straight walls and for hanging cabinets. Those also help base trim maintain contact at all points to wall with no unsightly gaps or wavey trim. If I ever build again, I'd check every vertical stud opening for plumbness after framing and check all window/door jambs for proper overlay to studs for drywall. I had three large windows where drywall needed to be cut away so casings laid flat across jambs and drywall. Much easier to get out the cordless planer to address problem areas before drywall goes up. I live in zone 6 with very long and cold winters.
I like what you’re saying… There are several ways to build a home, and sometimes people don’t want to spend extra money! Unless it is there last and final home, then it should be an option ( or up for discussion ) but typically people move every 7 years… so they don’t want to overbilled and overspend
@@BradtheBuilderAmericans build houses for not themselves but a next buyer just to give away all equity they earned in house to real estate agents. This stupid habit is broken now with 7 percent mortgage rate
From the UK, love learning new skills and listening to how others build etc. Very well explained. Oh and btw, old school here, so refreshing to deal in ft and “‘s again 😉👍🇬🇧🇺🇸
A clean job site is a safe job site. I twisted my knee on a dirty job site all my fault, I hobbled for a year afterwords. I agree with you on the sheeting. Here in the PNW we get rain all the time and OSB will fatten up and you'll see it on the finished product.
There’s way too many opportunities of a twisted knee on this job site, materials scattered around way too much. As a framer myself a neat jobsite is a top priority of mine. The homeowners always appreciate a clean and neat home even under construction. The word of quality and cleanliness always makes it’s way around and normally outweighs expense when your business is considered for a upcoming job.
Here's my 2¢. I live in New England so it's cold and a good R Factor is important. A 2"x6" wall is great for several reasons. 1. More room to install plumbing and electrical. 2. Greater strength. 3. You can put in thicker insulation. If you squeeze your insulation into a 2"x4" wall you've defeated the R Factor. Don't compress the insulation. I've built log homes to. Tom Dutkiewicz
Tom- you are right on with every point… It’s amazing how people think that if you stuff the insulation and they’re tight that you’re getting benefits but you don’t
@@JOHNSmith-pn6fj Yes you can for 2"x4" but your "R Factor" gets worse especially if that insulation is crushed by PVC pipes, outlets and wiring in that space. In the US a 2"x4" is actually 1.5"x3.5". 3.5 inches isn't really enough. A 2"x6" outer wall at least gives you 5.5 inches of space. Thomas Dutkiewicz USA
@@alberteinstein9176 If your existing home is framed with 2X4s . Which many homes in New England are I was simply pointing out that you can purchase the correct insulation for those walls rather that stuffing the wrong insulation. In General plumbing goes in interior walls, unless it is for heating. And people have been dealing with insulation, pipes, wiring and electrical boxes since the big push for insulation started in WWII. Of course you could always opt to pad out the 2X4 into 2X6 for the greater R factor then move everything Accordingly for the thicker wall electrical. Boxes, Jamb extensions, etc, etc, etc
Thanks for sharing your framing secrets with us ! I'm sure Flair and the rest of your customers appreciate your attention to all the details in building a top-notch home.
First of all, CONGRATULATIONS on surpassing 25K subscribers Brad. That is amazing. I know of channels that have been up for years before they pass that milestone! You've done it in 11 videos, so well done! Great tips, Brad. Living just outside of Edmonton, Alberta, I had to comment on the Wayne Gretzky comment! I remember well watching the Oilers vs (I believe it was) Flyers when he got 5 goals in one game, including an empty netter with seconds to spare. It was electrifying. It was around Christmas, if I remember correctly, because we had family there and despite it being so cold outside people were outside clanging on pots and pans and whooping, etc. after the game. If memory serves, that was the same night he achieved his 50th goal in less than 40 games (I could Google all this, I guess but I'll go by my old foggy memory, lol). That was the only period in time when I truly enjoyed watching hockey (or any sport really) on TV. After this time period, I found hockey to become more of a punch-up. There is a freeway in Edmonton named Gretzky Drive. Another fun fact was the young man with Downs Syndrome, Joey Moss, who was the locker room attendant for the Oilers. He was beloved. There is a school being named after Joey, that is currently under construction. There is also a major road in Edmonton named after his linemate Mark Messier. The Oilers have made Edmonton a HUGE hockey town, especially during the Gretzky time. I believe he was here for an entire decade of his career! That's nearly unheard of. I wish I would some day be able to build a home that is disability safe and accessible, but that won't be an option, lol. Disability doesn't pay well! I am very grateful that a single mom, I was able to buy us a home pre-injury. The only issue is that after having a spine/spinal cord injury our 4 level split home is a pain in the butt 😂. I would love a ranch style/bungalow home someday. If I ever need to do any renovations to a future home, I'm so glad to have your videos to look back on, so thanks for sharing. On top of your videos being very informative, you've got a very fun way of relaying the information. It's a great channel, so please keep it up! Heather🇨🇦
Thanks for sharing the Wayne Gretzky story… He is the all-time greatest hockey player! If you need any design tips for building a barrier free ADA home I can help you with that!
@@BradtheBuilder That's very kind of you Brad. If I ever am able to do that, you'll be the first person I write, lol. The home you did for your client with MS still stands out to me how many subtle, yet game changing for a disabled person, changes you made.
My house was built in 1971 and 2x4 structure. South Louisiana has mild winters. Need to replace 11' of termite eaten garage wall at overhead door including the top plate, fortunately sill plate still in good shape. Much harder to rebuild top plate to code when the roof is already in place and can only access from one side as there's brick face on front of house.
I was a framer 25 years ago. Those poor people must be paying a fortune to heat their houses. For example wall pockets never were insulated. For headers we slapped a piece of scrap plywood between the two 2 x 10’s. 2 x 4 walls with an inch of foam on the outside. Nice to see things are improving.
Codes are getting tougher on R-Value! It’s a good thing in the long run but, the downside is the homes become so air tight they are not healthy…You need fresh air exchange!
In norway we use 2x8 on exterior walls then after damp blocker we have a 2x2 then we put the drywall or other interior panel on that leaves us with 10 inches of insulation or 25 cm
I know exactly what you mean by the doors. My house is approx 70yrs old. It has high (I think cathedral ceilings, short on the front end and high in the middleof the house) ceilings and the doors look short compared with the walls. I appreciate all the tips and tricks you can share!!
Id never use foam insulation as the off gassing is toxic. Also 10 ft ceilings may look nice but all the heat rises to the ceiling which is very inefficient for keeping humans warm at floor level. So many new houses are built for looks and efficiency goes out the window with extra high ceilings. Most people dont think about basic efficiency and how to keep it.
I was a framer for 20 years and a finish carpenter for 20 years. We only built houses for the very wealthy in Rancho Santa Fe, Ca. First of all those framing corners are trash, we call them Ca. corners. I like the subfloor, I am not familiar with that brand though. The tall doors do make a huge difference, we used interior doors that were up to 9’6” tall and 2 1/4” thick. If you really want to build a nice home, do not use trusses (track style) build a conventional roof.
Yes, the doors were solid hickory/pecan. After the doors were installed, up to 100 doors, then the painters would take over and spend about a week per door, staining and applying about 5 coats of hand rubbed polyurethane to each door. I remember 1 house that we built and the painting alone was about 500K.@@BradtheBuilder
Our framers in Missouri us insulation on those spots. We hold our headers up to top plate and cripple down in mamy cases.. Great plywood floor...Advantech....
I’m a carpenter and I lost half my left index finger last year. I miss doing carpentry and I’ve had to have a career change but this is helping me miss is a little less. Thanks Brad 👌🏼🙏
In 2:33 it shows the 2x6 outside wall framing, right from the start I would not use the framing material that is the outside portion of the tree, you can see there is nothing that the drywall installer has to fasten to, that material is useless, remember the computer picks out the material to be cut into dimensional lumber, but is not programmed for all 4 sides to be square.
In high windstorm area you can’t use CA corners or insulated headers Door or window openings that are wide often call for lvl headers with doubled jack and king studs
They are called California corners as a joke. Cause everyone knows they are a horrible way to make a corner. They are weaker and you have no where to nail siding.
@@makethingshappen8427 if you think 1/2 plywood is great to hold hardi plank siding ? OK. But I prefer a solid corner. Years of nailing hardi corner boards and siding, the nails will back out.
As a competitive frame carpenter and perfectionist LOL . . I as a framer would have not placed a stud so close to the corner .. I always back them off if it's too tight . Another is material use. With barked material or chamfered . I won't use them as T's or nailers .. I want a good face for drywall . I'll find use for them elsewhere such as cripples that are sistered to jacks or jacks sistered to kings . 2 opposing barked edges make a sharp edged king/jack ..Our saying is " Ugly In " .. One thing that makes me crazy " Many things do " is walking down a hall and seeing a 6'-8" door close to a C.O . and they have the same finish height !! . In the finish it looks like someone forgot the hinges and the door .. I'll raise the CO up 4"-6". It doesn't look welcoming ... I've had builders in the past insist on putting the header at the RO height .. I like to slam them to the top and frame down to the RO for many reasons . One it is a better load pathway with fewer intervals , It allows for head height correction if someone mistakenly frames it too low. It allows for punch out work in the dry , It allows me to harvest braces and other materials which are shorter for cripples .
I hope that since there appears to be higher ceiling in the living room, as compared to the other areas of the house, that those walls will have boxing/sheathing on the attic side. I see too many builders that leave these open with just R13 or R19 insulation toward the attic which would leave those areas under insulated.
Love the tips can I ask why that opening from the mudroom into the main with the wider walls (2×8-10) wasn't spaced further from the wall in pose of the top casing? I personally think it's distasteful to have one side clean cut to have the other full bloom. Just a thought and genuine question.
Very good info! Just found this channel. Brad - I had pretty good termite damage on my front door header and jack/king studs on each side. I was thinking about replacing the entire door frame/header b/c it wouldn't involve much woood. My front door is in a hallway so I only have about 1 foot on each side of the door. I cut the drywall back and what I have is 2x4 (exterior wall) then some kind of foam board then brick on the other side of the foam board. I cant see everything until I take the door slab and jamb out but I can see some very thin plastic flashing around the door frame. The house was built in 1990 and im sure there's been tons of changes since then as to what you can/cant use. Does code still allow the use of that really thin plastic flashing around exterior door frames or does it now require a heavier/thicker flashing like that peel n stick thats used on window frames? This is in Florida if that makes any difference.
I’m not aware of any codes that require specific types of flashing around the front doors… but if you’re removing the trim around the exterior of the front door, you can use a Tyvek Tape across the top and down the sides before you put the trim back on and then you will want to install a metal “L” flashing above the trim at the door. Does this make Sense?
Polyurethane (spray foam) is about R7/inch AT THE APPLICATION. You should verify the thermal resistance value longterm. Usually, it reduce to 80% of the initial value, therefore about R5.6/inch 1 year later. Verify the warranty. Great video. Take care.
No this is a Real Builder! Those that work for the production home companies are what I call schedulers! Because that’s all they know is to go by the schedule that the company gives them to get the home done in a certain amount of time! They don’t care about quality or craftsmanship, I think some of them don’t know which end of a hammer to use! Great looking job sir!!!
Haha! I love your term scheduler! Some superintendents are too green to spot problems, and some are so overworked they couldn't fix mistakes if they wanted to. The schedule is a steam roller, so get out of the way! The rationalization is "Well, it's not MY house."
@@stipcrane you’re right! there needs to be a balance… But more importantly, you have to have quality control to make sure subs are not building on top of other problems!
As a flooring installer i appreciate your concern about the subfloor conditions, bigger problem is usually the framing and beams, people dont realize that we have to get a floor down to an 1/8th inch in six feet, when the framers turn it into a roller coaster it takes me days to fix it all
Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. I'm often chipped by others for my attention to detail, but if you get it right the first time, then you aren't constantly going back and fixing things later, which will cost you a LOT more than 'fixing' it before it was an issue.
Amen! Fixing problems usually costs 3-4 times more…being a Builder you are consistently looking for future/ potential problems that are going to come back and bite you on the ass! With todays labor shortage you really need to be on the look out. Thanks for watching 🤠
@@BradtheBuilderhey is it ok to build a floor the oldschool way with oak hardwood over scrap lumber sub floor? I have rent houses and my strongest homes are ones with those floors if I ever build I want to go that route I have found the oak hardwood for $1 a sq foot unfinished do you have any advice about building the old way like that?
@@brainwashingdetergent4128 make sure your sub floor is strong and not spongy. If so, make sure those get replaced before you put down the old school oak floors.
I like that AdvanTech tip the most. If you're building alone, you are at the mercy of the elements. Question though: would you use the same brand for roof sheathing? Or it's not worth the money?
I do, Huber makes good products and their zip sheathing is good stuff. The cost variance isn't great but the quality of the product compared to its counterparts is vastly superior.
Hey Brad love the channel!! Whats your thought on OSB versus CDX plywood for sheathing and decking? Im not an OSB fan, I know its cheaper...Anyways thanks for the video..
I typically use OSB for sheathing because it’s more moisture resistant than the CDX, I am quick to wrap the exterior with Tyvek to protect against moisture intrusion. I have had wonderful success with this Application for many years! Please know there’s a lot of different ways a house can they built… I am always cautious when new products come out because they typically test them on the public versus in the lab!!
Thanks for the info. I’m in the process of building a home and these are very helpful. I wanted a 2x6 frame but my builder said with the options available I could also just upgrade the insulation with the 2x4 frame to help save some money. If there was a big difference structurally I would have to go with 2x6. Trying to pinch pennies where I can with todays market.
Your Builder is right! Building with 2 x 4 wall construction is OK but, I would advise spending some of your savings on Open Cell spray foam for wall insulation to increase the R-value for long-term benefits. (Prices are crazy High 🙆♂️)
WE KNOW the structural element ,saying 2x4s are weaker is IRRELAVANT.,since its been done for 200 years ,but I would go 2x6 for sure ,and im the tightest builder in the world,
A huge mistake my builder and I made on our custom home build came with our wood burning fire place. My fire box was not vented properly to the outside during framing and install. With the code requirements you mentioned Brad, our home was so air tight the fire box could not draw a draft. This led to smoke coming back into the house consistently. My builder attempted many fixes with no luck. I finally pressed on my builder hard enough to bring in a professional. They ended up having to install a chimney exhaust fan on their dime. I’m curious with Flairs fireplace, how are you working around that issue to ensure there is a constant draft? I was at the house daily checking on things and simply didn’t know better. I wish my builder would have known on the front end.
As a builder I rely on the fireplace companies to properly vent the fireplace flues, each metal fireplace or direct vent fireplaces will have very specific requirements for venting. As for a real wood-burning fireplaces, there’s a rule where the top of the chimney needs to be a minimum of 10 foot away from the closest roof Peak… this will allow the chimney to draw properly! Typically chimneys are the highest point of the roof. ( I hope this makes sense? )
why didnt you simply put a 3 inch pipe down low in your wall with a way to close it when you werent using the fireplace?Why would ypu hire someone to tell you this? You needed a leak!! THE cold this "leak" puts out is so small,exactly the amount you need to make it draft!!
Much to be said for a drafty old house . We have fireplace and a mini wood stove in our 1300 sq ft home, with 3 slight levels and some vaulted ceilings the air moves ok
Wood burning fireplace units come with very specific instructions including locations. Ignore these guidelines and you arrive at the results you described. For example "I want the fireplace over here because it looks good...". Brad correctly mentions the common issues. Hiring an unqualified laborer to "install" a device that holds avg 1500 degree fire in the place you live and sleep is risky. Chimney exhaust fans are banned in our region (for good reason).
I've never framed anything before, and I just made the mistake of framing all the walls of my 10' by 12' shed with no bottom plates under the studs. Just studs standing upright on the floor, connected at the ceiling with top plates. Whoops. The exterior will be thin sheet steel, but still a bit heavy. Should I take it all apart and redo it properly, or can I get away with it? 😅
@BradtheBuilder Awesome! I've been kinda fretting over whether to undo all my work so far. I'm grateful for the advice from someone who knows their stuff. Thank you so much! You made my day
Your headers have some insulation pluses but what about when Mrs homeowner wants to hang curtains, draperies expensive window treats around those hollows?? And please don’t say toggle bolts etc.. those so called fixes rip right out .. we need solid framing at all of those openings. Maybe a layer of plywood under the drywall or plaster board?
I have never installed exterior insulation and I don’t see other builders doing that either! Actually, our climate isn’t all that cold except for a couple of weeks during the winter it will get below 20°
Wouldn't it be better to place header more inside? So you can put heat insolation from the outside to prevent condensation inside of a wall. Simply to move dew point closer to exterior or completely of the wall.
@@andreycham4797 California Mission building. 6 foot thick earth walls. Great for insulating not so good for earthquakes. (Some missions get 100°F summer days and are damn close to the San Andreas fault.)
Brad, with the R-Value being so high nowadays, how do you ensure there is a good draft to get the right amount of insulation while still maintaining a fresh air exchange?
yeah i agree, when we frame we build a energy corner this eliminates all the problems you refer to in your video and makes it a breeze to insulate @@BradtheBuilder
You mean homes that have installed 8 foot tall doors? I order my doors about eight weeks in advance, so that they are on the job site ready for the trimmer… I usually order these just when the framing to complete it.
I swear everything is shrinking. Yeah, we use 2x6s for exterior framing to meet insulation requirements, but it feels like 2x4s have become smaller. They just aren’t what they use to be…. Or maybe I’m just old and fat now.😂
THIS COMING from the tightest of builders,ADVANTECH 3/4 floor is worth the 13 bux a sheet more,especially on slow builds!!Regular osb is really good for 2 rains a week apart and then IT RESEMBLES a book thats been wet!;;I may even use it for concrete wall forms,,,osb thats not Advantech will leave large pieces of "flakes" in the 2nd pour!!( if you use it twice)and 3/4 plywood isnt much better,.I pour my own walls sometimes and use the forms for subfloor..
It's nice that you talk about energy-efficient corners and energy-efficient headers. But yet you still have extra studs in your wall framing. It appears that when framing your RO for windows have extra “cripples” under the sill that are not on the layout - so I should not really call them cripples since they are not on any layout pattern. I am sure you will say that they are needed to hold up the sill - but you can skip all of those and just toenail the sill in place. In one window you even had them above the header. Extra framing elements cause thermal bridging and cost money. All you need is the King, the Jack, and the Cripples that are on a layout - if the cripple is not on the layout, it is not needed. Other than that, really good video.
Michael - Thank you so much for explaining that…I will look into making those corrections in my future framing! I am curious on your thoughts on increasing the width of on center for the exterior walls to minimize the thermal bridging with the studs?
@@BradtheBuilder Shifting to 24 OC with 2x6 is a great framing method for Energy Efficiency (EE) but you do have to plan for it and review point loads with your engineer.
Hopefully, it has underfloor radiant heat with 10’ ceilings. Otherwise, you lose the little energy efficiency you gained worrying about the corners and headers.
If you couldn't afford Advantech for your entire build but wanted to use it where absolutely necessary, what would that look like? Subfloor under kitchen and bath?
Framed R.O for Doors need to be a min of 2" each way, this guy is going 3" R.O on the height, that's OK, better a little to high than to low. Guy is a good builder, Job site is a mess, Stuff laying everywhere.
