D.I.Y. question
- Thread starter alex52
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I think so.
For what it's worth, Mike Holmes advises never using steel studs in the basement (b/c of rust potential).
For what it's worth, Mike Holmes advises never using steel studs in the basement (b/c of rust potential).
also if you use metal studs all the penetrations for wires etc have to be insulated with plastic "grommets", unless you use "bx" (armoured cable). or conduit.. go with wood
wood is often considered easier for DIY, easier to screw drywall to, easier to nail trim to etc., wood has a tendancy to warp , thats why you always put the bow in the same direction
Steel studs are lighter to carry in, easy to cut and fasten together,stay straight, they are noisier than wood, more sound transmission thru walls etc.Electrical will copst you more because you have to use BX cable or grommets where the wiring passes thru the steel studs.
Steel studs are galvanized so rust isint an issue , unless you're in a real wet enviroment, like in a bathroom, Ive seen them pretty rusted after 20 or 25 yrs.
There is now on the market finger jointed studs for non bearing walls, they wil stay straighter than regular wood studs, not sure how cost compares.
Any work I would do in my home would be with premium grade wood studs.
Steel studs are lighter to carry in, easy to cut and fasten together,stay straight, they are noisier than wood, more sound transmission thru walls etc.Electrical will copst you more because you have to use BX cable or grommets where the wiring passes thru the steel studs.
Steel studs are galvanized so rust isint an issue , unless you're in a real wet enviroment, like in a bathroom, Ive seen them pretty rusted after 20 or 25 yrs.
There is now on the market finger jointed studs for non bearing walls, they wil stay straighter than regular wood studs, not sure how cost compares.
Any work I would do in my home would be with premium grade wood studs.
There are advantage to either and you can certainly use either. (Contrary to what Mike Holmes says.)
Wood will allow you to hang heavy pictures, plasma TV's etc wherever and whenever you want.
With steel studs, you need to KNOW where you want to hang things and install some plywood boards between studs to accept a nail or screw when you go to install something heavy at a later date. Same goes for baseboards and doors. If you want to be solid, you need a wood backer to the steel studs.
Advantage - wood
Steel is always straight and square and doesn't twist.
Wood, you bring home and it will start to twist badly in the matter of 2 days to the point where you will have to fight with it.
Advantage - steel.
Steel can corrode, but you need a very real moisture problem and if the moisture in your basement is so bad as to corrode steel, it will cause mold in the wood.
Advantage - neither.
Steel is cold, wood is warm. Steel will conduct cold, wood will not. In either case, I like the detail of putting a continuous thermal break up against the foundation wall first in the form of 2 inch thick sheets of styrofoam, then studding in front of the styrofoam. In this way, the steel studs will not conduct cold, though you need to be careful that your foundation wall is in good condition because a wall that used to be warm in the winter will now freeze and if it's poor concrete, or masonry and it freezes, you risk failing your wall. Likewise NEVER insulate old rubblestone foundation walls (pre 1940 ish) because the wall will freeze, the mortar will freeze and subsequently turn to dust, and you have a severe structural problem on your hands. Never insulate basement walls that aren't in tip top condition!!!
Advantage wood
For me, I think I'd go wood for the sole reason that it allows you to hang heavy pictures, TV's etc. from your walls. For no other reason than this.
Wood will allow you to hang heavy pictures, plasma TV's etc wherever and whenever you want.
With steel studs, you need to KNOW where you want to hang things and install some plywood boards between studs to accept a nail or screw when you go to install something heavy at a later date. Same goes for baseboards and doors. If you want to be solid, you need a wood backer to the steel studs.
Advantage - wood
Steel is always straight and square and doesn't twist.
Wood, you bring home and it will start to twist badly in the matter of 2 days to the point where you will have to fight with it.
Advantage - steel.
Steel can corrode, but you need a very real moisture problem and if the moisture in your basement is so bad as to corrode steel, it will cause mold in the wood.
Advantage - neither.
Steel is cold, wood is warm. Steel will conduct cold, wood will not. In either case, I like the detail of putting a continuous thermal break up against the foundation wall first in the form of 2 inch thick sheets of styrofoam, then studding in front of the styrofoam. In this way, the steel studs will not conduct cold, though you need to be careful that your foundation wall is in good condition because a wall that used to be warm in the winter will now freeze and if it's poor concrete, or masonry and it freezes, you risk failing your wall. Likewise NEVER insulate old rubblestone foundation walls (pre 1940 ish) because the wall will freeze, the mortar will freeze and subsequently turn to dust, and you have a severe structural problem on your hands. Never insulate basement walls that aren't in tip top condition!!!
Advantage wood
For me, I think I'd go wood for the sole reason that it allows you to hang heavy pictures, TV's etc. from your walls. For no other reason than this.
Hey, Mike doesn't say you can't use steel. He just doesn't recommend it and doesn't on his show.james t kirk said:
I think that tells you all you need to know.
I'm a fan of Holmes, but he does make mistakes.Keebler Elf said:Hey, Mike doesn't say you can't use steel. He just doesn't recommend it and doesn't on his show.
I think that tells you all you need to know.
Not the least of which is having a guy stand in an excavation adjacent to a basement wall that is 6 feet deep with no shoring.
Never mind the horseplay that occurs on his jobs.
