Wall studs

[chrissyoscar]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and think it's amazing and will be very useful for an amature with little skills like me.

I'm in the process of having a house built and have noticed that the wall studs are 600mm apart. I have seen a lot of houses that have them 450mm apart and i'm now a little worried that i didn't ask the builder to make them 450mm apart.
My father in-law doesn't seem to think there's a difference but i'm not sure.
What are your opinions?

Many thanks.. Oscar

[ozwinner]

The 600mm, is it internal or external walls, also what is the roof cover?

Al

[chrissyoscar]

Hi Al

External wall's from pine. The roof is pine timber with terracotta tiles

[ozwinner]

Im sure the regs allow for 600mm centres in frameing, but will wait for some chippies to comment.

Al

[ThePope]

Is usually 600 centres on non loadbearing walls. 450 on loadbearing and wet areas.

[ozwinner]

Is usually 600 centres on non loadbearing walls. 450 on loadbearing and wet areas.

Even if double plated?

Al

[ThePope]

yes...

the bible may allow for 600, just had a quick look but couldn't find it.
those spacings are what we always use around here.

[chrissyoscar]

Yeah wet areas do seem to be closer i think there's even one wall in the ensuite that are about 300mm apart.
The rest of the house is 600mm. The rules allow it but i'm not sure if it's going to give me trouble in 10 years time with cracks in plaster etc. The plaster is 10mm not 7mm so that's one good thing.

[Pulse]

G'day Oscar,
Welcome to the forum, I'm sure you'll find plenty of good advice here...
I just checked AS1684.2 - Timber framing code for non cyclonic areas, there are heaps of span tables in it. I don't think you need to worry too much about them skimping... All structural members would be taken from the span tables or based on years of experience. I'd be happy to check for you though, I just need the truss spacing, wall height, stud size and Roof Load Width (Approx half the truss span plus eaves)

for example 90x45mm studs spaced at 600mm, 2700mm high with 1200mm truss spacing will support a tiled roof with a 15m roof load width - ie one really big house!!!

Cheers
Pulse

[echnidna]

600 is ok

[Ian007]

600 is the norm and has been for years, so there is nothing to worry about.
But if your worried contact someone like the TDA to do a site inspection, for a fee of course.

Cheers Ian

[rod@plasterbrok]

10mm re plasterboard is fine for walls with studs at 600 centers. But needs to be ceiling board/span600/superceil/unispan for ceiling joists at 600 centers.

Cheers Rod Dyson

[chrissyoscar]

Thanks everyone for your replies.
It's put my mind at ease.
Rod I'm not to sure about the ceiling other that it's 13mm plaster. I'll have to check to ceiling.

[attie]

I guess you building down there and us up here in cyclone country is the difference but 450mm max centres for us, 75x50 or 100x38 studs to 2.400, 100x50 to 2.700, 100x50 @ 400 for load bearing walls of both heights using F14 grade. Not saying that this is gospel nowdays but it was when I finnished contracting. I'm sure your builder has standards to keep to so I wouldn't be to concerned. I reckon 13mm Gyp would span 600 OK on the ceiling but I'd like to see it on the walls as well if it were my home