Needed... 10' 2x4s (preferably quartersawn)

[scott vroom]

Good Vertical grain Doug fir is as expensive or more around here as QSWO. It's not framing material. There is a grade similar to what you describe that mostly gets sent to Japan, costs a lot more, not for sale here.

Out here in Calif. clear vert grain KD DF costs less than QSWO on a board foot basis. Still, as I pointed out, it would be wasteful to use for wall framing. Straight air dry structural #1 DF is plentiful in my area at reasonable pricing.

I've never worked with metal studs but agree if stability trumps all else then they might be a better choice for the OP.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I've never worked with metal studs but agree if stability trumps all else then they might be a better choice for the OP.

I've always live in A+C / bungalow style houses, from the mid 20's.

I am unfamiliar with the concept of straight / square / plumb walls, especially in the basement workshops.

Are they worthwhile?

[Peter Quinn]

Vertical grain is the same as qtrswn, for the record. And in softwood dimensional/framing lumber, no mill that I have ever heard of mills for qtrswn/vertical. If you find about 20% that way in the lumber yard racks, that seems about right - flat sawing logs will yield a % as qtrswn.

Also - there are companies that do qtrsaw SYP. But - they are using the best-of-the-best logs, the grads start at C&Btr and go up from there, and it is, in fact, used for export - in that case, Europe is a big market.

If the OP wants no-foolin stability, then the steel studs are definitely the way to go: fire-and-forget.

For the record softwoods are always referred to as "Vertical grain", not quarter sawn. Thats a hardwood designation. Right from national manufacturers association grading handbooks.

[Chris Padilla]

Buy larger wood (2x6, 2x8, etc.) and rip out the bad stuff.

[Peter Quinn]

Out here in Calif. clear vert grain KD DF costs less than QSWO on a board foot basis. Still, as I pointed out, it would be wasteful to use for wall framing. Straight air dry structural #1 DF is plentiful in my area at reasonable pricing.

I've never worked with metal studs but agree if stability trumps all else then they might be a better choice for the OP.

Her in CT a few local yards carry 8/4 Doug fir in a clear grade, pretty fantastic perfect vertical grain, its sold in widths like dimensioned lumber and priced by the LF, but it works out to be more than QSWO for me by the BF. Maybe its a regional thing? White oak grows in my back yard....DF not so much. I can get SYP flooring in a good clear grade, and PT, but not easily get SYP framing lumber in New England, its all DF. Go a few hundred miles south, maybe that changes? Lumber market is a funny thing. I priced material for a window job 8 years back and was supposed to find clear grade vertical grain EWP, which grows every where here, was more than African mahogany pattern grade. Go figure.

[lowell holmes]

I Googled lumber yards in Glenelg Maryland and came up with at least two yards that service builders. Also, 84 Lumber has a store there. I used to buy some good lumber from 84.

You don't have to go to the box stores.

[Myk Rian]

Build a wall with the 8'ers and then a 2' box on top of it to fill the space.

[Larry Frank]

Make your own stock from 3/4" plywood.

You might try somewhere the salvage old beams and have them cut into your sizes.

No matter what you do it will be costly. Good Luck

I have a dream of finding the perfect 2x4...... I have spent my entire life and still looking.

[Wade Lippman]

When you call for delivery, they will bring what's left that has already been picked through.

My Lowes always has a good stock, and it is about 50% good. They must discard the junk because it doesn't accumulate. I once reluctantly had a delivery and found everything they sent out was good. They even delivered the load to my backyard. I don't expect to ever have to do it again, but would if necessary.

I heard about a Grossmans that never disposed of the junk so it built up to the point where they didn't need to reorder; and obviously no one shopped there since there was no useable stock. They effectively put themselves out of business for a few months.

[Art Mann]

Where I live, there are maybe two small time band sawmills that might cut and kiln dry premium grade quarter sawn pine but that is about the only place I could get it. It would be special order and might take 3 months to get it. These guys sell mostly to hobby woodworkers in small quantities and their prices will reflect that. Last summer, I ordered a dozen or so #1 SYP pressure treated and kiln dried 2 X 4's for a special project requiring appearance grade lumber. The material I got was almost flawless (but not quarter sawn) except for being a little higher moisture content than I wanted. I stickered and dried the lumber in a hot shop loft for a month and it worked very well with no waste due to defects or warpage. I suggest you special order premium grade lumber from a first class lumber yard if you can find one. You will probably pay twice the price of common lumber for it but at least for me, it was well worth the price.

[Peter Kelly]

A full service lumber yard or a drywall supply house will have them. Installation is easy, they just go together with tek screws. Electrical boxes meant for steel studs also install with tek screws so thats easy too. As for cabinets, the best thing is to put wood blocking in wherever you want to mount them.

You'll want to frame the doors out with wood as well. Also - if you're running baseboard around the room or trimming any windows out, you'll want to frame those areas with wood as well.

[Phil Thien]

You'll want to frame the doors out with wood as well. Also - if you're running baseboard around the room or trimming any windows out, you'll want to frame those areas with wood as well.

The advantage of the metal studs is evaporating.

[Dan Hintz]

As for cabinets, the best thing is to put wood blocking in wherever you want to mount them.

The advantage of the metal studs is evaporating.

That's what I was thinking... if I need 10' 2x4s to block the metal studs just so I can hang cabinets, it has way more than doubled the cost for that wall (not to mention the trouble).

I'm starting to appreciate my older, short-ceilinged house more and more... :-/

Maybe my next step is to go to one of the local sawmills, tell them my needs and concerns, then see what they say. If I don't like the reply, I can keep researching. I would just really love to have a shop again so I don't have to keep telling my customers "I'm not sure when I'll be back up and running..." Not good for business.

[Kent A Bathurst]

For the record softwoods are always referred to as "Vertical grain", not quarter sawn. Thats a hardwood designation. Right from national manufacturers association grading handbooks.

Correct.

I think that comes down to a semantics issue for our purposes. They are the same cut, same grain structure.

I was speaking from a pragmatic standpoint. You are correct in terms of the grading handbooks.

[Kent A Bathurst]

... if I need 10' 2x4s to block the metal studs.....

Dan - nope. In walls, the term "blocking" generally refers to chunks of wood running horizontally between the studs. It gives you a solid structure to attach stuff to. Cabinets, toilet paper holders, handicap rails, etc., etc. Any grade material - scrap, end cuts, and so forth.