A new stud product is promising to eliminate thermal inefficiencies in walls. How does it do it? By incorporating insulation into the stud itself. Builder Matt Risinger takes a look at the Tstud and how it works.
Standard 2 by 6 inch studs leave walls with huge inefficiencies, according to Risinger. Traditional lumber is "very strong, but about 25% of our house winds up being wood, and wood is not particularly good at insulationg," he says.
Traditional studs are "roughly R6.8, whereas the cavity in between our 16-inch studs we're going to put let's say an R19 batt in there," Risinger points out. "So compared to the center, this stud is very inefficient."
Tstud, on the other hand, is a new product that connects two 2-by-3-inch pieces of lumber with dowels and fills the gap with closed-cell spray foam insulation. "This is an R20," Risinger says of Tstud. "Can you imagine that? This is as good as that cavity with an R19 batt. Now we have no need for exterior insulation."
Risinger also explains how to install and use the Tstud product in the video above. Check it out for more information.