Why is it better to build a home with 2×6 instead of 2×4 studs?
Wood is not a good insulating material. The vertical wood members of a home are called studs and are what holds up the walls of a home. The 2×6 studs are wider, and therefore stronger, than 2×4 studs. Therefore, fewer studs can be used when building a home with 2×6 rather than 2×4 pieces of wood. This allows more insulation to be put into a wall, thereby reducing the amount of energy that can escape from a home. Incidentally, 2×6 construction conserves natural resources by reducing the overall amount of wood required to build a home.
