its a big jump from rehabbing a mobile home to building a home.
you should get some general cost per sq ft to build in your
area, and expand from 2x4 walls to 2x6 walls
most walls are 16" on center but optimum value framing is 24 oc and uses 30% less lumber.
there are products like SIPS and ICF also.

where are you located?
what size house are you looking to build?

best of luck

We're in Oklahoma and the house will be 3300 sq feet. We live on a hill so the house will start with an unfinished walkout basement, main floor on top of that, and 2nd floor above.

I tried to find technical or engineering details on using staggered studs but couldn't find anything definitive to show that they are as strong as even a single 2x4 wall. In a 2x4 wall, both sides get sheathed. In staggered studs, only one side of each stud gets sheathed. That leaves a lot of room for flex or twist hidden inside the wall.

So I am planning on double 2x4 walls (2x6 on the walk out side of the basement since it supports two floors above) spaced 1.5 inch apart with draft blocks (2x on the flat side) every 8 feet as a fire protection measure.

But first, I have to get that darn footing trench dug, huh? The back hoe will be here in a couple weeks.

So I'll post my footing questions in new threads.

Any comments on the wall framing choice?

double 2x4 walls (2x6 on the walk out side of the basement since it supports two floors above) spaced 1.5 inch apart

That's a lotta wood. If you meant 1.5 feet apart, that's sure a novel spacing.

Are there no Codes, plans or permits required in the Sooner State?

first of all, how can you go from saying you need to start to figure out plans, to digging a trench in a few weeks?

it sounds like you have so much more planning to do and estimates, bids, etc before you even consider digging. I could be wrong, maybe you have already done so...it just did not appear that way.

For the stud wall, I think you are mixing up/confusing some things. First off, don't even THINK of considering 2x4 standard walls for construction in OK. You need far more strength and energy values then what they offer.

I am not sure what you mean by "2x4 walls are sheathed on both sides". If you are going for a staggered wall, one option would be to consider 2x4 staggered at 24" centers, on a 2x8 bottom and top plate. This would place a stud every 12" structurally for the roof system. This also gives you a near thermally broken shell system and 7.25" of insulated space. I would also encourage you to add exterior XPS sheathing to the design as well to get a tighter house.

You may also consider ICF for your area. I would think in OK it would be a no brainer. You can DIY ICF, however it is not as easy and forgivable as wood framing of course. My experience is vertical forms are slightly easier DIY then horizontal blocks as they do not require quite as much bracing.

This guy built a house for $60k and it appraised for $120k when he was finished.He made an information blog about how he did it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Make my own house

Are there no Codes...in the Sooner State?

Indeed, there are. It's the 2006 International Building Code, available gratis on line. See link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Oklahoma Building Code

Well, I have an original plan that I had prepared years ago. It is the basis of our design. Now we are just thinking of how to update it to use less heating and cooling. So we know the foundation requirements and where to put it. We're just looking at a minor tweak in the plans regarding the exterior walls.

As for the 1.5 inches apart, I am going to make 2 walls with 16" spacing on the studs. The two walls will be parallel with a 1.5" space between them. It's a common sound and insulation practice. The gap between the two walls completely breaks the thermal connection from outside to inside.

Lzerarc, the thing you suggest, staggered 2x4s on a 2x6 plate is the topic of my original post in the thread. I asked for information on how big the plate can be. Can it be 2x8 or even 2x10? And you are right, it is a "near" thermal break. The two complete walls are a complete thermal break except for the window sill. 2x4 studs alone are completely safe and meet code for supporting a one floor above and a roof. You need 2x6 studs to support two floors and a roof - the condition in the front side of my walkout basement. The purpose of my post here was about how to keep a safe wall and provide additional insulation - either the staggered, and how far can I separate the ends of the staggered walls, or the choice I have made for at least today, just building two parallel walls.

I still have not been able to find any engineering data on using staggered stud walls for load bearing walls. Originally that is what I was hoping to find here. I would still like to find that if I can because it could change my mind again but the dual, parallel, walls fit the bill without question, both structurally and thermally.

Worthy: Oklahoma uses the IBC for building codes. But where I live, there is no enforcement. The only inspection required is the septic system. So it is completely up to me to make sure I follow the code and, even more, that I build a home safe to live in. Thus my questions here.

dale, for that kind of info, you need to get with an engineer to look at your plans.

"Any guidelines on staggered stud exterior wall design? "

yea its not worth the trouble.stick with conventional designs. if someone inexperienced asked me what they should do if they were determined to build their own house i would say use sips.

You need 2x6 studs to support two floors and a roof

Don't tell that to the people living in the millions of homes framed with 2x4s.

Staggered stud walls are specified to reduce sound transmission, not increase energy efficiency; they don't necessarily produce any higher R Values than you can get with much simpler single walls. XPS on sheathing or XPS structural sheathing is just as effective a thermal break as a staggered stud wall.

Here is a link that might be useful: Performance of staggered stud exterior wall

xracer: "if someone inexperienced asked me what they should do if they were determined to build their own house i would say use sips"

Well, if someone inexperienced asks you, then you should make that suggestion. I'm sure you didn't jump to any conclusions about my experience level because I asked a question that, as of yet, no one else here has been able to provide any answer to, correct? As for me, I would not suggest SIPs for someone inexperienced. They are a specialized construction, require heavy equipment and/or cranes to install, specialized knowledge and training for electrical and plumbing changes not engineered in before delivery, etc. And most manufacturers of SIPs require that the installers be trained and certified by the manufacturer in order to assemble their products. Although they make for fast dry-in, SIPs are not for inexperienced builders. They would be good for an inexperienced builder who wanted an experienced SIPs installer to dry in their home and then the inexperienced owner/builder could gain experience working with interior, non-load-bearing, walls and other interior work. I definitely would not sleep in a house built with SIPs by an amateur. I'd like to wake up with only the sheets on top of me and not the full weight of the roof. Thanks.

worthy: "Don't tell that to the people living in the millions of homes framed with 2x4s."

You were the one to question codes, inspections, and to link the IBC-based Oklahoma building code so I am sure you are familiar with IBC table 2308.9.1 that clearly and explicitly shows a 2x4 wall can never be used to support two floors and a roof. The minimum allowable is a 2x6. On the second floor of a three-floor house, the load-bearing walls only support one floor (the third floor) and the roof. Table 2308.9.1 shows that 2x4 is acceptable for such a second floor but never for the first floor of a three-story house.

Those millions of people who live in homes built with 2x4 walls generally have first floor walls that support one floor (the second floor) and a ceiling and a roof. In any case, I am sure you're aware that building two floors on top of a 2x4 load-bearing wall today will get you, according the the Oklahoma-specific modifications to the IBC, up to 200 dollars a day in fines until you replace the wall with one that meets code. How-bout-those-inspectors-now?

I appreciate the link to the jlconline thread. I had read that as well as the two referenced sites, theleapfroghouse.com and greenbuildingadvisor.com, before posting my question here. Those sites recommend using staggered studs with no exception for load-bearing walls but they don't offer any technical or engineering data to support the suggestion. I've even seen the staggered walls used on a few nationally syndicated construction shows on HGTV or similar cable networks - still with no engineering data to back up the suggestion. Thus my question here.

Robin,

You are probably closer to being correct than any post here. But building construction is an old and well-documented practice - unless you're building with new or seldom used practices.

The fact that there is no documentation or engineering data available says the most to me. For virtually any other question I may have about building, there are published engineering guidelines, the building code, or other existing documentation. I will have a soil engineer test my soil bearing capacity before forming the footings because my soil is unique to my project. But walls are not so unique; they've been built a billion times before mine. I could go to an engineer and be a ground-breaker in the field of staggered structural walls, but I don't want to do that; I'd rather follow well-documented and long-standing practices.

The difference is that if I get one engineer to design a wall for me, I have one engineer's opinion or take on it. If I use published engineering data then I am using data that has been peer reviewed by the engineering community as a whole - much more reliable than any single engineer's work. Published standards are always preferable to a single engineer when you are doing something that really does match the scenario in the standard. If you vary from the published scenario, of course, you should get your own engineering done.

Please don't take this wrong because I only mean that to explain why I don't take your suggestion and why I will just go with the two parallel walls instead. That path is tried, true, and well documented.

Thanks everyone.

You might get a little farther if you were more polite, I personally don't care but some do. I think the real issue is that what you are talking about is not a common construction technique so that is why there is little info on it.

In my jurisdiction (and likely yours), you don't sheath both sides of 2x4 wall. I'm sure that you know that drywall does not count as structural sheathing. It really is pretty simple to do 2x6 walls with xps sheathing. If you want more than that, then Lzerarc has a reasonable plan. Worrying about the thermal bridging of the 2x8 bottom and top plates is just misplaced. You talk of only the window sill being the thermal bridge but what about the windows? Were you planning 2 double or triple paned windows?

Do the math on the surface area of bottom and top plate, the r-value of an 8 inch thick piece of wood (with an inch of xps) and compare that to a window. You get r-16 and the equivalent area of a large window. Now tell me where you are going to find a r-16 window or door. Not that that is the point but I am just saying.

At some point, you put so much money in the walls, that you never reach payback (on $ or energy). I get that OK is cold but it is probably only getting warmer.

"And most manufacturers of SIPs require that the installers be trained and certified by the manufacturer in order to assemble their products. Although they make for fast dry-in, SIPs are not for inexperienced builders."

just plain nonsense.

I can't find a prescriptive answer as to the structural strength of staggered stud walls. My untrained thought would be that the wall would be at least as capable as one set of studs. If you can't accept the calculations of a professional engineer, you may be out of luck.

dalepres: will start with an unfinished walkout basement, main floor on top of that, and 2nd floor above....We live on a hill so the house will start with an unfinished walkout basement, main floor on top of that, and 2nd floor above.

So your home has now grown to three above-grade floors. Congratulations!

If energy conservation--or even energy self-sufficiency or more--is the goal, reducing the size of the home would be the most logical first step.

What's missing here is a list of priorities. From which then the details can be derived from the available alternatives.

But these are all to be worked out evidently in the couple of weeks before the backhoe arrives.

OTOH, my scepticism may clearly be a sign that I'm old and stuck in a rut when I take at least two-three months planning for a single new house.

"So your home has now grown to three above-grade floors. Congratulations!"

No... My home will be a walkout basement, required by the slope of the lot if I don't want an 8 foot crawl space at the front, with two floors - a first and second floor. That's two floors. And how do you figure it has grown? I've had these plans done for about 15 years. It's the same now as it was when we first had them drawn up - including architecture and engineering. If you read, you will see that in the first post I didn't describe the house; I only asked about studs (for which I obviously cannot get an answer here). In my next post, the third in the thread, I described the home in response to being asked in post 2. In that description I stated the same thing: walkout basement, two floors above. Nothing growing there. I'm sure I'll be called impolite again for pointing this out but it seems that you are really just here to stir up trouble. I guess it's the cold winter in Canada and you're just bored.

"You might get a little farther if you were more polite,"

Actually, I was not impolite. I asked a simple question and instead of answers I got (and continue to get) a lot of innuendo and critical guesses from people who could not or did not read what I wrote, referred to codes they have never read, gave answers completely unrelated to the question, and, from only one post on a forum, made inferences about my readiness to begin construction and my experience level. The only real attempt to be helpful was the suggestion to use an engineer. It is one thing to make a well-intentioned suggestion, even if it misses the mark, but it is quite another to make criticisms and judgments based on a single question posted in an online forum.

"I'm sure that you know that drywall does not count as structural sheathing"

Actually, drywall does count as structural sheathing. IBC section 2304.6 refers to table 2304.6 which specifically identifies gypsum sheathing and gypsum wallboard as acceptable sheathing. Many, me included, might infer an intention that gypsum is used as an interior sheathing, but that is not explicitly stated. But in any case, sheetrock is sheathing according to the IBC.

Although the IBC is the governing code for Oklahoma, and I don't know which jurisdiction you're in, the IRC based Canadian building code also refers to gypsum board as sheathing in Table 9.23.16.2.A.

Take a framed wall with no sheathing or supports and push on it from the end side. It's coming apart. Put sheetrock on even one side and push from the end side near the sheetrock. The wall might tip but it isn't going to collapse. Push from the unsheathed side and you could pop off the sheetrock sheathing and cause the wall to collapse. Apply sheetrock to both sides of a wall and try to make the wall collapse by pushing from the end of the wall in the direction of the length of the wall. You won't be able to collapse it. Sheetrock is structural sheathing.

"If energy conservation--or even energy self-sufficiency or more--is the goal, reducing the size of the home would be the most logical first step.

What's missing here is a list of priorities. From which then the details can be derived from the available alternatives.

But these are all to be worked out evidently in the couple of weeks before the backhoe arrives. "

What list of priorities? And reduce the size of the home? Where do you get off? I didn't ask for judgment on my home, my lifestyle, or my priorities. I asked a technical question about a specific wall design in load-bearing walls. Did I ask you about, or try to analyze, your lifestyle? Maybe what kind of car you drive? If you waste fuel and burn carbon driving kids to soccer practice? Wear clothes made by child slaves?

Geeze, how do you people come up with this stuff? If you don't know the answer why even respond?

dale--I've been following along & I see your side. But do try to see how the other forum members may have taken your original post:

I'll be honest when I first started to read your post, I thought you were making a joke about even thinking of spending $30K on remodeling a 30 yr old mobile home that you yourself called "a piece of crap... wasn't worth $30K new and would probably only still be worth the 1600 it is listed on our property tax for even when we finish."

Then you stated "We're just about completely decided to build instead of remodel." 'Just about completely decided'? I would think that would be a no brainer based on the previous information you gave us. I still think you're maybe trying to be funny.

"So, my first of what will probably be many questions about building - so we can start to plan and estimate." Ok, this is where it all goes horribly wrong--'start to plan and estimate' makes it sound like you're a novice & just starting vs. having a set of plans pretty much ready to go and some building knowledge.

I think what has happened here is not enough info on the original post about how far along you are, maybe a layout posted, your background, the problem you're running into with the building code guidance in your area (or lack thereof), what area you're building in for reference purposes, why you're trying to "reinvent the wheel", your ultimate goal with asking the question (heating & cooling issues), etc. Without all this information, it is very hard for anyone to help you and provide the correct information for your needs. There are many ways to build a house and some of them depend on how skilled the builder is (i.e. "DIY mud house" vs. multi-million dollar mansion). Not to mention that some building practices will pass code in some areas, while those same practies will not pass in others. I've been on the forum for quite some time now, and from the posts I've read, the other members try very hard to ensure the advice they give is spot on. But in order for them to help you, they have to have the full picture. I am sure no one here meant any harm. Don't take responses on the forum personally. Just skip over the ones that you feel don't apply.

My advice for your question/dilemma (you can decide if it applies or not)- get in touch with an engineer, your foundation/basement contractor & your framer. Explain to them what you're after and see if they have any answers for you or other suggestions that may get you to the same end goal. This is afterall what they specialize in & do everyday for a living.

"I'll be honest when I first started to read your post, I thought you were making a joke about even thinking of spending $30K on remodeling a 30 yr old mobile home that you yourself called "a piece of crap... wasn't worth $30K new and would probably only still be worth the 1600 it is listed on our property tax for even when we finish.""

Well, I wasn't "joking". We were going to build when we first bought the property. We purchased a used mobile home to live in until we were ready to build and found we were content in it. It's just the two of us. Of course after 15 years of living in it, it has deteriorated. Now we're either going to have to remodel or build. Push has come to shove.

But folks should not assume mud house because I stated, even if I tried to be humorous or interesting when I did it, that our trailer just wasn't worth the 30K remodel. You would have thought folks would have assumed more from the fact that we had the 30K to do the remodel (or to start construction with).

I am a software architect for a Fortune 10 company (10, not 100). I can pretty much build what I want, and I can pay an engineer. By my second post here, considering that I couldn't find any published engineering data on staggered stud load-bearing walls, I had already decided to simply run two parallel walls. The next 15 posts have been about folks making judgments or just talking to hear themselves talk.

While getting in touch with my contractor and framer would make sense, except that I am doing both myself and have plenty of experience and resources to do both. Besides, wouldn't that be the answer to any question in these forums? Or the electrical, or plumbing, or any other technical forum? If that were the right answer, then why have forums here?

I appreciate your well-thought-out response and intentions. If more in this thread had thought before posting it might have been a much more useful and enjoyable thread. As for me, I'll just take my questions elsewhere; there's nothing to be gained asking technical questions here when there's a job to be done and a deadline to do it. Too bad, though. Until this thread, I had enjoyed reading about people's homebuilding experiences. These forums are clearly better for general discussions about experiences and dreams or plans and not for technical construction information.

Yes, indeed, what an idiot I am!

The OP considers the basement, or some part of it, to be the first of three floors, so it has to be framed in 2x6s.

I was confused by the fact that I see lots of walk-out basements and they've all included steel, formed or block posts supporting steel beams.

Oh well, back to shovelling snow while the Sooner State Bill Gates gets on with his eccentric masterpiece.

Clearly, no one here meet his high standards for free advice.

Interesting thread, both the topic matter and the illustration of human interaction gone awry.

OP, I don't consider you rude, but the initial information given wasn't salient to your question and clouded the responses with assumption.

"How thick can exterior walls be made?"

If you are living where the only code enforcement is septic, as "thick" as you want. There are diminishing returns.

IIRC, FineHomebuilding and/or Joe Lstiburek reviewed the double (aligned) 2x4 wall in a Canadian climate. It used plywood plates to tie the two together.

You're no doubt aware of the Mooney wall.

As for lack of sheathing on the interior of the double wall...
"That leaves a lot of room for flex or twist hidden inside the wall."
True, but the twisting moment has been reduced (IMO) by a large percentage. You've halved the compression loading.

I'm a fan of engineered framing that reduces material use but not of 24" centers or cantilever without a stamp.
Here's an article that seems to say staggering doesn't give great gains.

http://www.carb-swa.com/articles/carbnews%20articles/CNAug09.pdf

wow.....this thread went down fast. Interesting how the OP can throw out limited information hinting toward lack of experience with open ended questions, greatly open to interpretation and suggestions....be given advice from PROFESSIONALS on this forum, and then turn around and insult them for lack of DIRECTLY answering open ended questions, to which most could not even be close to being answered without the PREFESSIONALS required additional information to make a response!! (//end run on sentence!).
It is also interesting how a suggestion is made, but then the PROFESSIONALS are basically called and idiot for not knowing the hidden information he later discloses. How stupid can we be!
Sorry we aren't running structural load calcs, getting them published and providing you with all of this free information you should be paying an engineer for.

Dale, although your original post does not sure much experience in this area, it is clear you do have knowledge as far as construction methods and meeting code. You are correct on saying you need 2x6 at the basement, but you can still use a 2x6 staggered design and 2x4 infill on 2x8 plates. A staggered stud wall design will be stronger then 2x4 double walls because it is a continuous system with gyp board and exterior sheathing making it a more rigid frame. Twisting will not be an issue as long as you follow code established shear locations and build/detail accordingly.

Sorry this forum does not meet your requirement of instant answers to really technical data requests. Perhaps you can be more understanding and accepting of questions and suggestions we offer here. Most questions are for a reason....that is to help answer your original questions. It is clear this annoys you and you do not see it this way.
I wish you luck in finding your requested info, I really do....as I know you most likely will not. I also recommend if you post on other forums your tones and actions differ then this thread.

the twisting moment has been reduced (IMO) by a large percentage. You've halved the compression loading.

When I've used XPS as sheathing, the engineer has reluctantly specified blocking the studs at midpoint around the entire perimeter. (He preferred full OSB/ply sheathing.) Blocking could also be used on the outer ring of of a double wall.

The bigger question I think is whether double-walling is the most economical way to increase the energy efficiency of a real world wall, i.e., one with windows and doors. Such things as stud spaceing, placement and size of windows, overhangs, the quality of the windows and doors and their installation and air sealing should be considered too. IOW, maybe one will get a bigger payback with a different combination of elements.

I understand money needn't be the object of energy efficiency. "Saving the planet" and bragging rights figure higher for some enthusiasts. But I only figure that those goals should first be explicit.

.

"The bigger question I think is whether double-walling is the most economical way to increase the energy efficiency of a real world wall..."

Amen.

I didn't mention blocking in that instance. I have a mind-set for plywood sheathing. Maybe SOB board someday.

Lzerarc,
Could you explain? "A staggered stud wall design will be stronger then 2x4 double walls because it is a continuous system with gyp board and exterior sheathing making it a more rigid frame."

as worthy states, a single system can not be credited for the overall impact. R-40 walls are great until you have 20' of north facing glass. All the sudden your clear average is r-10. High r walls are just the small part of it. Sealing should be number one, followed by the details and construction methods fit for your climate. High r windows have some of the worse pay off in terms of dollars spent vs energy dollars saved. From my research and real world experiences, if you are after HIGH R assemblies, then double walls are your cheapest option with the easiest details to hit r-40 pretty quick. 2x6 framing with exterior insulation and spray foams ca get you there, however details become quite the issue because the exterior foam thickness has to be so thick. However XPS and urethane foams are very expensive. A well built, caulked and sealed double stud 2x4 wall with cellulose IS the cheapest way to hit a thermally broken high r assembly. However as I stated, it all needs to balance out. If you have $5k more to spend on your shell, and sealing has already been taken care of, then you have to compare wall insulation vs window insulation. However below slab as well as attics need to be addressed. Your house has 6 sides, not 4 as many people seem to focus on. All parts need to be addressed equally so one area doesn't reduce the affects of the other.
From my findings, it seems in COLD climates, after you hit mid to high r30s in walls and r50s in the attic, you hit the diminishing return of r values in walls. At that point, focus your leftover funds (ya right, that never happens!) on the windows. However design windows to enhance your house performance. Throw out E-star rated windows. Focus on placement, high SHGC on the south and low u values, possibly triple pane on the north and west. Better yet, reduce north glass. Focus the design on over hangs on the south, focus on color choices and materials selections to reflect or reduce heat gains, list goes on and on. Basically what I am saying in a very long and drawn out way is, similar to Worthy, one needs to focus on the whole to decide what is the best use of your funds. Sealing should be done regardless of your climate or r value.

Alphonse- when I say double stud, I mean 2 independent 2x4 walls, 16" oc with space in between them. Staggered refers to 2x4 on 24" oc centers (placing a structural stud at every 12") on 2x6, 8, or 10 plates. Since they are rigid connected at the top, bottom, and openings, they also have rigid exterior sheathing as well as interior sheathing of gyp all on the same frame. Double studs have sheathing on a single face, and are not connected at the sills.

Alphonse: "As for lack of sheathing on the interior of the double wall...
"That leaves a lot of room for flex or twist hidden inside the wall."
True, but the twisting moment has been reduced (IMO) by a large percentage. You've halved the compression loading. "

Perhaps the compression loading is halved - but I think that for code purposes, since the code does not talk about double walls, then the exterior wall would be considered load-bearing and the inner wall would simply be a partition wall. If I had to get a permit or inspection, it would be my bet that the inspector would require engineering certification to vary from the 2x6 requirement holding 2 floors above. But, as I said, I don't have an inspector or permit so, silly me, I came here to ask if anyone had any direct knowledge or experience and had offers to redesign my house, resize it, and refactor my life.

lzerac: " You are correct on saying you need 2x6 at the basement, but you can still use a 2x6 staggered design and 2x4 infill on 2x8 plates"

Now, finally, there is an on-topic post. That is an interesting proposition. Have you built that way?

Lzerac: "be given advice from PROFESSIONALS on this forum, and then turn around and insult them for lack of DIRECTLY answering open ended questions, to which most could not even be close to being answered without the PREFESSIONALS required additional information to make a response!! (//end run on sentence!).
It is also interesting how a suggestion is made, but then the PROFESSIONALS are basically called and idiot for not knowing the hidden information he later discloses. How stupid can we be! "

Which professionals would that be? The one that answered my original post by "don't they have codes in Oklahoma?" even though the topic of staggered walls are not at all discussed in the building codes? Or the professional who said that sheetrock is not sheathing? Or the professional that said "don't tell that to the millions".... yada-yada about building a wall to support two floors, a ceiling, and a roof with 2x4's even though that is expressly forbidden by code? Or the professionals who keep talking about building codes that they clearly have never read? So what exactly would I assume anyone in this thread is a professional at? Or the professional who continues to interpret "walkout basement with two floors above" as three floors while explictly accusing me of making that incorrect inference?

You want ME to take a better attitude? When i asked a question and from a single post, people on the other end of a fiber cable can figure out that, according to their judgments, I am ignorant of construction, code, life, finances, or anything else?

worthy: "Yes, indeed, what an idiot I am!

The OP considers the basement, or some part of it, to be the first of three floors, so it has to be framed in 2x6s. "

Well, you said it, not me. I don't mean about you being an idiot, though you are the only one who said that, too. I mean about three floors. Nowhere did I say I was building a three floor house. I said I was building a house with a walkout basement with two floors. What I said, and it is correct, and you are only showing your true ignorance by continuing to argue the point, 2x4 walls cannot support two floors and a roof. So where the walkout portion of the basement is build with wood framing, the wall must be 2x6. You can't change the story now to pretend you made assumptions about the construction. You explicitly stated before that it could be done with 2x4s.

"Oh well, back to shovelling snow while the Sooner State Bill Gates gets on with his eccentric masterpiece. "

What an arrogant statement. You make judgmental comments about my house because it will be 3300 feet? I'm sorry if you can't have one that size but your pompous attacks are out of line.

You know what? I came in here new to this forum and asked a simple question. Rather than any facts or opinions on the topic, what I got was a bunch of pompous a$$'s questioning my character, my financial worthiness to build anything more than a mud shack, my intellect, and my lifestyle. Any claim to insufficient information in the original post is hogwash. The question was clear. How wide can the wall be? And it was clearly placed in the context of a staggered stud wall. Either you can answer it or not. But since almost none of you can, you chose to inject yourself into areas not at all related to the thread.

You jump me, attack me, make insulting and snide remarks, and make personal judgments after reading a few words on the Internet - and then have the nerve to try to turn it around on me to protect your "standing" (whatever standing you may or may not have) on these forums.

What a bunch of insecure insignificant a$$'s.

".... since the code does not talk about double walls, then the exterior wall would be considered load-bearing and the inner wall would simply be a partition wall."

I hear you re: arguing with AHJs. It would seem obvious that two 2x4s @ 7" have a greater column strength than one 2x6 @ 5&1/2".

We don't do life refactoring here.
Try:
"Cleaning Tips"
"Organizing the Home"
"Electrical Wiring"

I understand your beef is mainly with a single person posting in this forum, whom I honestly do not agree with some of the posts they have made toward you, as well as being incorrect. However please do not group other posts into that area.

My other post was not calling you out on knowing anything, in fact it stated the opposite. What I did say was, by the types of questions in your original post and lack of information, it eluded to some of the comments you were given.

Have I built that way? No, I have honestly not built a staggered 2x6 framed wall (2x4, yes). However I have designed with staggered studs and nearly everything else under the sun. However it will be no different structurally. You can place your stagger at 16" oc instead of 24" to achieve the same code rating. If you want double studs, then same deal. 2x6 outer and 2x3 or 2x4 inner. Just make sure to read up on shear locations and if you need shear panel interior walls with the heights you are talking about (3 levels of wall and roof) based on your plans.

Hi Dale,
I don't know if you're still looking for info but I've been looking through George Nash's book in preparation for maybe building ourselves and he says " two separate 2x4 wall frames joined by a 10 1/2- inch wide plywood plate ...2x8 plates are required for staggered stud walls so they use up less interior space ...". He's not too keen on staggering because there's more space for insulation if you don't.