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I finally understood why my neighborhood feels different from when we moved in 8 years ago
A retired builder at the coffee shop said most of the new construction around here uses engineered lumber instead of solid wood, and now I can't stop noticing how the newer houses don't have that same creak and settle sound ours does.
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palmer.ryan4d agoMost Upvoted
most of the new construction around here uses engineered lumber" yep that's true but I actually think it's a good thing. Engineered stuff is way more stable and doesn't warp or twist over time like solid lumber does. I've seen solid wood floors buckle and old joists sag after a few decades, engineered lumber holds up way better in my experience. The creak and settle thing is nostalgia more than anything, those sounds are usually just framing drying out or nails backing out over time. Give the new houses 20 years they'll have their own character but won't be settling into a crooked mess.
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andrew74d ago
Engineered lumber is THAT much more stable? I always figured solid wood was the gold standard but @palmer.ryan makes a solid point about the sagging and warping you see in older houses around here. Guess the quiet from those newer builds is actually a good thing long term, even if it feels a little sterile right now.
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