I want to frame my basement with 2x3 to save some space in certain
areas. I know this is fairly common, but since using pressure treated
as the baseplate is standard practice for basement work what does
everyone else use for the baseplate when framing with 2x3's??? HD or
Lowes don't have PT 2x3's. I can't imagine most people rip their own
PT 2x3 when doing this. Am I missing something?

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I want to frame my basement with 2x3 to save some space in certain
areas. I know this is fairly common, but since using pressure treated
as the baseplate is standard practice for basement work what does
everyone else use for the baseplate when framing with 2x3's??? HD or
Lowes don't have PT 2x3's. I can't imagine most people rip their own
PT 2x3 when doing this. Am I missing something?



Have you tried a lumber supply company? They usually have a bigger
selection than the home centers. If they don't have it, they can probably
rip it down for you. While there you should compare prices for all of your
lumber needs and take a look at the quality of their inventory.

I want to frame my basement with 2x3 to save some space in certain
areas. I know this is fairly common, but since using pressure treated
as the baseplate is standard practice for basement work what does
everyone else use for the baseplate when framing with 2x3's??? HD or
Lowes don't have PT 2x3's. I can't imagine most people rip their own
PT 2x3 when doing this. Am I missing something?


2x3's are carried by the HD here in VA. Very common here. Depending on how
many you need, ripping doesn't sound off the wall (no pun intended)

On 6 Mar 2007 12:51:26 -0800, wrote:

I want to frame my basement with 2x3 to save some space in certain
areas. I know this is fairly common, but since using pressure treated
as the baseplate is standard practice for basement work what does
everyone else use for the baseplate when framing with 2x3's??? HD or
Lowes don't have PT 2x3's. I can't imagine most people rip their own
PT 2x3 when doing this. Am I missing something?

Use plastic wood. (trex, or something similar.)
You don't want to rip PT lengthwise, the treatment
isn't full depth. Alternatively, you could use a regular
2x3 and paint it with timbor, or bora-care. Or regular paint,
for that matter.

Or turn everything flat so you've got 1.5" deep walls.
Note that if you do this, you'll have to armor all your wiring,
because it won't be the expected 1.5" from the wall surface.

Not entirely true. Wood that's treated to refusal is not full depth
treatment. All other PT should be, otherwise you'd never even be able
to crosscut it....

On Mar 6, 6:03 pm, Goedjn wrote:
On 6 Mar 2007 12:51:26 -0800, wrote:

You don't want to rip PT lengthwise, the treatment
isn't full depth.

On Mar 6, 7:06�pm, "Jim Conway" wrote:
Not entirely true. Wood that's treated to refusal is not full depth
treatment. All other PT should be, otherwise you'd never even be able
to crosscut it....

On Mar 6, 6:03 pm, Goedjn wrote:



On 6 Mar 2007 12:51:26 -0800, wrote:

You don't want to rip PT lengthwise, the treatment
isn't full depth. * - Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You lose insulation while gaining a inch

On 2007-03-07, Jim Conway wrote:

Not entirely true. Wood that's treated to refusal is not full depth
treatment. All other PT should be, otherwise you'd never even be
able to crosscut it....

It is entirely dependent up what the local softwood framing lumber
species is. Douglas Fir does not absorb the treatment chemicals well,
even with incising, so it is proper to treat all the cut ends.
Southern Yellow Pine, on the other hand, absorbs the chemicals so well
that it is not incised, so I believe treating the cut ends is not
needed in that case.

Cheers, Wayne

On Mar 6, 7:38 pm, Wayne Whitney wrote:
On 2007-03-07, Jim Conway wrote:

Not entirely true. Wood that's treated to refusal is not full depth
treatment. All other PT should be, otherwise you'd never even be
able to crosscut it....

It is entirely dependent up what the local softwood framing lumber
species is. Douglas Fir does not absorb the treatment chemicals well,
even with incising, so it is proper to treat all the cut ends.
Southern Yellow Pine, on the other hand, absorbs the chemicals so well
that it is not incised, so I believe treating the cut ends is not
needed in that case.

Cheers, Wayne

What about using a regular 2x3 and putting something under it like
plastic or sill foam?? Anybody know what the national code (IBC?)says?