I've actually done something similar to what you're suggesting—using engineered studs in strategic spots—and it worked out pretty well. Last summer, I was framing out a small addition and wanted to keep it budget-friendly, but the lumber I got was... let's just say it wasn't exactly premium quality. I ended up using LVLs just around the window and door openings, and at the corners, since those areas seem to have the most issues with twisting or bowing over time.
It definitely helped keep things straight without blowing the budget completely. Honestly, I was skeptical at first that mixing lumber types would make a noticeable difference, but after drywall went up, those walls were noticeably straighter than the ones I'd built before with regular lumber alone. Still, I think diagonal bracing is key—especially when you're working with cheaper stuff. If you skip that step, even engineered studs won't fully save you from headaches later on.
Interesting approach with the LVLs—I can see how that'd help around openings. But honestly, when I built my first custom home last year, I found that even engineered lumber wasn't a silver bullet. I had this romantic idea that engineered studs would magically solve all my framing woes, but reality hit pretty quick. Sure, they stayed straighter than regular lumber, but I still had some minor bowing issues pop up later on.
What really made a difference for me was spending extra time sorting through lumber piles at the yard. Yeah, it was tedious (and the guys at the lumberyard probably thought I was nuts), but hand-picking the straightest boards saved me a ton of headaches down the road. Also, I learned the hard way that humidity control during construction matters more than you'd think—keeping lumber dry and covered until installation helped a lot.
So, engineered studs are great, but they're not foolproof. Sometimes the old-school methods—like careful selection and proper storage—can be just as effective.
Yeah, totally get what you're saying about engineered lumber. I went through something similar when framing my garage last summer. Thought I'd be clever and splurge on engineered studs, but still ended up with a couple walls slightly out of whack. Honestly, the biggest improvement came from just slowing down and double-checking alignment as I went—tedious, sure, but worth it. And you're spot-on about humidity... learned that lesson after leaving a stack uncovered overnight. Rookie mistake, haha.
Interesting you mention engineered lumber—I get why people lean towards it, but honestly, I've found traditional dimensional lumber easier to manage in some cases. A couple years back, I was helping a buddy frame out his guesthouse, and we decided to give engineered studs a shot. Everything looked great at first, but as soon as we started nailing things together, we noticed some slight twists and bows creeping in. It wasn't terrible, but enough to make us pause and reconsider.
We ended up swapping out a few studs for regular kiln-dried lumber, and weirdly enough, those walls turned out straighter. Maybe it's just familiarity talking, but I feel like dimensional lumber gives me a bit more flexibility to correct small issues on the fly. Engineered stuff is great for spans and strength, sure—but for basic framing? I'm still not totally sold. Humidity definitely matters either way though... learned that the hard way myself after leaving a stack of 2x4s outside during a rainy weekend. Talk about frustration come Monday morning...
I totally get where you're coming from on the engineered lumber thing. A while back, we built a small rental cabin and decided to use engineered studs thinking we'd save time and headaches. Well, it turned into a bit of a headache itself... nothing major, but just enough bowing to throw off our drywall guys later on.
"Maybe it's just familiarity talking, but I feel like dimensional lumber gives me a bit more flexibility to correct small issues on the fly."
Exactly my experience too. Dimensional lumber seems easier to tweak and adjust when you're dealing with minor imperfections. Engineered stuff is great in theory, but sometimes old-school just works better in practice.
