Pro tip: always check the stud spacing on old houses before you buy sheets

I just lost half a day and about $80 in materials on a 1920s remodel because I assumed the studs were 16 inches on center like usual. They were all over the place, some at 14, some at 18, and I had to cut every single sheet to fit. What's the weirdest stud spacing you guys have ever run into?

3 comments

3 Comments

carr.luna16d ago

Oh man, that's the worst. Read a story once about a house from the 1800s where the spacing was literally based on the length of the builder's forearm. So you'd get these random gaps that were like 15 inches or 19 inches, whatever his reach was. Makes you realize they just used whatever scrap wood was around and eyeballed it. Your story about having to cut every sheet sounds like a total nightmare, honestly.

adam41416d ago

No kidding! @carr.luna, that forearm story is wild but totally makes sense. I've seen places where the floor joists are all different sizes, like a mix of 2x8 and 2x10 just slapped in there. You find a wall that's plumb for three feet, then it jogs out a full inch because they ran out of straight lumber. Total chaos, but it's kinda cool it's still standing.

angelamurphy16d ago

Used to think old houses were built better. Hearing about the forearm measuring thing changed my mind, it was just whatever worked that day.