01-06-2010, 04:48 PM
You're right and I agree that the roof is the place primarily in need of insulation. I have an insulated metal roof on my home and I don't own a fan.
Don't get too confident in the treatment of wood though. The boric acid treatment, tested in the U.H. termite mounds on Oahu, are shown to be effective for about three years. Quality of wood has done nothing but diminish for the past hundred years and the most effective wood treatments have been banned by the EPA. My crews were complaining about the quality of framing lumber in the 1970's - it hasn't gotten better.
Now if your budget allows for importing teak (let's not talk about Indonesian rain forests) as a framing material that is another matter. But the high grade woods are mostly used as occasional trim on yachts these days... and who the heck want to own a wood boat? I do know an architect who framed with teak in Kapoho. Beautiful job. Too bad the siding cupped. Even with teak you have to know what you're doing.
I disagree with your statement: "Double wall construction was birthed from the need to insulate a home"
Stick framing, with or without an inside surface or wood, plaster or drywall, was developed in teh mid to late 1800's as a labor saving system to replace post & beam with it's intense labor and mortise and tenon methods. It took teams of men to raise the large beam house and barn frames. Stick framing with 2x3s, 2x4's or 2x6s could be built with one and two man crews. But anywhere there was poverty there were indeed single wall buildings.
Don't get too confident in the treatment of wood though. The boric acid treatment, tested in the U.H. termite mounds on Oahu, are shown to be effective for about three years. Quality of wood has done nothing but diminish for the past hundred years and the most effective wood treatments have been banned by the EPA. My crews were complaining about the quality of framing lumber in the 1970's - it hasn't gotten better.
Now if your budget allows for importing teak (let's not talk about Indonesian rain forests) as a framing material that is another matter. But the high grade woods are mostly used as occasional trim on yachts these days... and who the heck want to own a wood boat? I do know an architect who framed with teak in Kapoho. Beautiful job. Too bad the siding cupped. Even with teak you have to know what you're doing.
I disagree with your statement: "Double wall construction was birthed from the need to insulate a home"
Stick framing, with or without an inside surface or wood, plaster or drywall, was developed in teh mid to late 1800's as a labor saving system to replace post & beam with it's intense labor and mortise and tenon methods. It took teams of men to raise the large beam house and barn frames. Stick framing with 2x3s, 2x4's or 2x6s could be built with one and two man crews. But anywhere there was poverty there were indeed single wall buildings.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Punaweb moderator