DIYbanter - View Single Post - Basement framing advice

wrote:
1) My building code requires pressure treated lumber for a baseplate.
Assuming I use a non-arsenic lumber like ACQ, are there any special
safety precautions I should take? Specifically, does it matter whether
I cut the lumber inside (where I can vacuum up the sawdust, but some of
it may get in my house) or outside (where the sawdust will stay mostly
outside my house, but get in my lawn, and where I will be very cold)?

They require PT lumber because pretty much nothing will eat it or grow on it.
Poison, y'know? Why would you want the dust in your house? Wear a dust mask
and cut outdoors. Unless you're planning on eating your lawn, I wouldn't worry
about a bit of it on the grass.

2) I can't decide between spacing the studs 16" OC or 24" OC. As far
as I can tell, (a) 24" is quicker and cheaper; (b) 16" is better for
hanging wall cabinets; (c) 16" is more tolerant of errors and will make
hanging drywall easier; (d) but if I hang the drywall horizontally
instead of vertically, 24" is probably fine. Am I missing anything?

Unless you're getting paid by the hour or are on a r-e-a-l-l-y tight budget, go
16" centers -- the material cost difference is relatively small, and the wall is
that much more solid. Beats trying to add studs after the drywall is up ;-)