Chose traditional lumber over engineered wood for my last framing job and got plenty of pushback from the crew

Last month on a site in Tacoma, I had to decide between using engineered I-joists or standard dimensional lumber for the floor system on a 2,400 square foot house. Everyone I talked to said go with the engineered stuff, that it's straighter and faster to install. But I went with traditional 2x12s because I know how they behave with moisture and I had a tight delivery window from a local mill. The crew grumbled about the extra weight and having to handle more pieces, but we got it done in two days without any callbacks. I saved about $1,200 on materials and didn't have to worry about the engineered joists getting wet during a rain delay. Has anyone else gone against the grain on material choices and had it work out okay?

2 comments

2 Comments

robinson.hannah15d ago

Engineered stuff is great until it gets wet, then you're just standing there watching it turn into a sponge. I've had good luck with regular lumber on a few jobs here in Portland, crew complains about the weight every time but nobody's calling me back to fix a squeaky floor either.

david56214d ago

Read a study once that said OSB soaks up moisture like crazy compared to regular plywood.