Recycled Timber

[Conor]

Is there any building reg requirement for using new, graded timber for stud walls? We'll be demolishing an existing house with suspended timber floors and hope to reuse some of the material. Could I use the floor joists (well vented and dry, no rot) to construct new partition walls in the new house? Joists are quite small, maybe 6". I understand that walls would be a bit thicker, but it's a large house so don't mind losing 50mm here or there. Will be using concrete supporting walls, so any timber walls will be for partitioning only and not load bearing - eg. Between bedroom and dressing room.

[Mr Punter]

No issues at all with this, especially as they are non-loadbearing.

[Declan52]

You could use them but they will have a knock on effect when you come to door frames being much wider than normal studding. 

They will need to be pretty straight though. 

[Russell griffiths]

Don’t do it, for the tiny cost of stud work timber you will cost yourself more the first time you hit a nail with your circular saw blade

 

i have never found second hand timber to work out money wise. 

[Onoff]

Do it. Get an Evolution chop saw and you won't have to worry about hitting nails...

[Conor]

1 minute ago, Onoff said:

Do it. Get an Evolution chop saw and you won't have to worry about hitting nails...

Got one. Love it. 

 

I'll have a look at them properly after tlwe rip the house apart and see how they look... At least I'll have the option. But I do know much easier it would be to used planes graded timber... Worst case I'll have materials for out shed and garden office.

[Russell griffiths]

5 hours ago, Onoff said:

Do it. Get an Evolution chop saw and you won't have to worry about hitting nails...

So you put up your second hand timber and a couple (all) the studs have a bit of a bow in them

that’s ok grab your electric plane and wizz a bit of

OH DRAT AND BLAST, you found a buried nail. 

 

DONT DO IT. 

 

then you build a wall out of the old crap and your two studs short, so you go to the timber yard, unfortunately your old 6x2 is no longer sold it’s 147 x47 which when actually measured is closer to 145x47 

if you are building a new house don’t spoil it for the sake of a couple of hundred. 

[Cpd]

I use a lot of second hand timber as I get it free....,. It’s free for a good reason....... it’s usually bent or damaged. I don’t have a budget so when something is free I just accept that my time is also free and take my time, grade it, cut it, plane it...... this is my forever home and rustic is the name of the game here. If I was building a new house and had a budget I would NOT bother with anything but quality straight timber...... but I do this for fun mostly and people keep giving me interesting things to work with ! BUY NEW if you can ! 

[Onoff]

Just bought some Sawn Kiln Dried 47×47 from Wickes. £25.27 for a pack of 6 2.4m lengths.

 

Normally I'd buy 45x45 Eased Four Edge Treated Carcassing at £1.34/m + VAT from the local timber yard. Green tinge and easy to handle. Would have cost me £23.16 inclusive. I don't like that it's stored in the open and often wet. I suppose it sells so quickly?

 

This Wickes stuff came six in a pack, shrink wrapped. Nasty sharp edges , worse where you have to pick the giant splinters off. One with a kink only good for cutting down, another couple with bends I had to spring out when screwing to the wall. About one step up from firewood imo. New timber isn't always good!

 

 

[Russell griffiths]

You made a fundamental mistake @Onoff

you went to wickes 

wouldnt use wickes timber if it was free. 

[Russell griffiths]

I do agree that a lot of modern timber is rubbish 

just took a load of floor joists back, as the difference in size was 5-7 mm over a 225 width. 

 

Manager said it was two different manufacturers. 

 

 

[ProDave]

Yes having had plenty of new regularised construction timber turn to a banana, I would happily use old dry straight seasoned timber, providing it IS straight and dry, and you have enough of it to do the job you want. 

[Conor]

Cheers everybody. I'll wait until the house is down and the timber is sorted.