In 2002, for this study on interior wall framing materials, 329 North American homebuilders were surveyed. In addition, two focus groups made up of homebuilders were consulted in Toronto and Boston. The purpose of this study was to determine homebuilder perceptions of selected interior wall framing materials, while focusing on finger-jointed lumber, and to assess consumer awareness of the various grades of finger-jointed studs.
In Eastern Canada, builders who shy away from lumber in interior wall framing tend to prefer steel. In Western Canada and in the Southwest United States, builders consider finger-jointed lumber to be an alternative material. Nonetheless, lumber is perceived as providing more structural integrity, being more accepted by framers and homebuyers, being more easily available, easier to install, and as having a lower installed cost than other framing materials such as finger-jointed lumber, structural composite lumber, steel studs, and prefabricated walls. Lumber is rated lowest by builders only in terms of wall straightness. However, because wall straightness is important to builders, they—particularly the larger builders—are increasingly considering alternative framing materials. The level of awareness of these alternatives varies among the North American regions studied. It is, not surprisingly, much lower in the regions where lumber use is higher. Finger-jointed lumber grades are also not very well known, although focus group participants identified stamping of the product as the main indication of reliability.
This lack of awareness suggests there is a need for information, even for solid lumber, at all levels—homebuilder, framer, and homebuyer. Essentially, builders now seem more receptive to using or at least trying products that they would never have considered just ten years ago. Accordingly, they expect building materials suppliers to provide them with sound information and supporting data on the performance of their products.