The house was built in the 50's. I am planning to add approximately sixteen or more addition studs (beside the existing studs) in my unfinished garage. Can I or should I use treated studs to eliminate termites instead of the normal studs? After that I will cover it with dry wall and installed wall cabinets along the reinforced walls in the garage.
Please give suggestions and comments, thanks everyone in advance.
Would seem unnecessary to begin with. What do you intend to store in these cabinets that needs such extra support? If you simply want more target area to hit to make hanging them more convenient, put solid 2x4 or 2x6 blocking between the existing studs at the proper height.
If the others aren't treated and haven't been attacked, why would expect new in the same location be any different?
re: "should I use treated studs to eliminate termites"
I assume you mean to "discourage termites" as opposed to "eliminate termites". If you already have termites, I doubt they'll go away if you simply add a few treated studs.
My first question is: Why are you adding studs? Just curious...
My next question is...
If you are really concerned about termites, then are you planning to add enough new studs to support the entire building? In other words, if you do have (or get) termites, they might avoid the treated studs, but they'll eat all the non-treated studs. This, in theory, will leave your garage supported only by the treated studs, so there better be enough to support the entire structure.
On the other hand, if you will be treating the existing wood for termites anyway, use the cheaper studs and treat everything.
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And, of course, if there already is or has been infestation previously which is the need for new, then that needs to be fixed independently. Even in a garage, a treated sill plate is normally all one would expect to have--and that owing to the concrete contact.
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I'd ask your wife what kind of studs she prefers !!!! Women are always experts at choosing studs..... :)
I get it, and no harm using treated studs to "discourage" termites.
We moved into a small three BRs ranch house earlier this year with two cars attached unfinished garage. Beside the woodworking machineries in the garage, I will store as much stuffs as possible on the void ceiling when I finished remodel the garage to reduce the clutter in the garage. I will also have top and floor cabinets for hardware's and tools. I know the wall's cabinets must bear considerable weight. Therefore, reinforced the studs make good sense.
I will treat the whole house before I cover the garage with drywalls.
Thanks you.
They're holding up the roof, aren't they? :)
In compression, a 2x4 is quite strong. The only concern at all I would have is as stated above to have adequate mounting, not that the stud itself would be inadequate to hold the load. If it were really to be that heavily loaded, I'd do something like a lag-screwed French cleat as a mounting or an actual ledger underneath, anyway.
If I understand what you're planning, the bigger problem would be in reinforcing the ceiling rafters to support additional load -- they normally are _not_ designed for anything more than the ceiling and the tie function, not as a load-bearing floor.
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When we bought the house, the unfinished garage is in poor shape. I have upgrade the electrical supply from 40amps to 200amps and complete new door and tracks. I also replaced a crack (repaired) longitude beam and reinforced four other beams. I have too much tools and hardware for my woodworking hobby shop. It make sense to reinforce the studs now, before I hang the walls cabinets. Right?
The inspection report, say the house was previously infested with termites.
Yes, but one of the longitude beams was cracked and I replaced it. I also reinforced other three of the beams which was bends and the roof did sag a bit on the center.
Yes, I understand it. I inspect the foundation around the garage, it seem to be pretty sound. It should be able to support the wall cabinets. With additions studs and reinforced ceiling rafter (I call it longitude beams), I hope to store boxes and some lumber in the void space in the garage ceiling.
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