There are 10 basic types of exterior wall: poured concrete, masonry (brick or stone), stucco, synthetic or artificial stucco, wood (shingles, shakes or planks) , metal (steel or aluminum), vinyl, asphalt shingles, tile (slate or clay) or fiber cement (planks or panels).
What are the outside walls of a house made of?
Exterior walls are covered with sheathing, usually plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) . Sheathing gives stud walls rigidity—without it, walls could collapse along their length. Older houses might have sheathing made of boards, often run at an angle to create rigidity through triangular bracing.
What is the outside walls of a house called?
Siding is the term for the exterior walls of the home. The most common types are vinyl, aluminum, and brick.
What is the outside wall?
External Wall means an outer wall of a building even though adjoining to a wall of another building and also means a wall abutting on an interior open space of a building.
Do old homes have studs?
In older homes, studs may be 24 inches apart, or spaced irregularly . Youcan purchase an electronic or magnetic stud finding device, like those picturedat right, or try these tips on locatingwall studs. Studs are located next to a window or door edge.
What wood is used for walls?
Light structural lumber is mainly used in the residential construction of single family homes. This timber is milled from softwood trees ( spruce, fir and pine ) that are sawn and machine-planed to standard dimensions (2×4′′, 2×6′′, 2×8′′, etc.).
What can I use for exterior walls?
Five common structural exterior sheathing options include wood-based, gypsum, glass mat, cement board, and Barricade® Thermo-Brace® . Plywood sheathing is made from whole sheets of wood that are cross-laminated, which give the boards strength and stiffness. This helps with expansion and contraction.
What is the most common exterior finish?
Vinyl Siding
Vinyl is the most popular type of exterior finish because it is readily available, often in stock at your local hardware store – or can be ordered quickly – and is easy to install.
What is the main function of an outdoor wall?
An exterior wall typically forms part of a building envelope, separating the accommodation inside from that outside. Its functions include: Environmental control – mediating between indoor and outdoor conditions .
How thick are outside walls?
External walls are generally 10 to 12 inches wide. Homes that are built with rammed earth or heavy exterior masonry will have thicker walls. There is no limit to how thick an exterior wall can be .
How far away are studs in an old house?
Before starting, there are a few things you need to know about walls: Typical stud spacing is 16 inches on center and even on older houses is rarely more than 24 inches on center ; the majority of electrical boxes for switches and outlets are attached to a stud on one side; studs are on either side of a window; most ...
How do you find a stud in a old house?
Electrical boxes for outlets and light switches are supposed to be attached to studs. Though there may be an occasional free floating box in an old home, you have an excellent chance of finding a stud on one side of the box . To see which side the stud is on, take the switch plate cover off and take a peak inside.
Can house have no studs?
Can a wall not have studs? The answer is no —a wall must have studs to ensure structural support. However, there are some variations in how a wall can be framed and where you will locate studs.
What is the most expensive wood?
African Blackwood is one of the hardest and densest wood in the world and is mostly used for musical instruments. It is considered as the most expensive wood in the world because not only it is challenging to work with hand or machine tools, its trees are already near-threatened.
What is half wall paneling called?
Wainscoting is any style of wood paneling that is on the lower one-half to one-third of a wall, usually around the entire room perimeter.
What wood is used for framing a house?
The most popular softwoods are cedar, fir, pine and spruce . Softwoods are faster growing and have straighter grain, making them good for framing, construction and outdoor projects. Lumber is available in a variety of sizes and products.
