I've done the careful lumber selection thing, and yeah—it does save headaches later on. Couple quick thoughts from my experience:
- Definitely worth the extra 10 minutes at the yard. Straight lumber means less waste and fewer shims down the road.
- If you can swing it, engineered studs (like LSLs) are a nice alternative. They're consistent, stable, and sustainably sourced—though pricier.
- And honestly, if I have to grab-and-go, I try to avoid Mondays...seems like that's when all the weekend warriors have picked over the good stuff. Just my luck, right?
Totally agree on engineered studs—used them on a recent reno, and they're a dream to work with. If budget's tight, though, I've found even just storing regular lumber properly (flat, off the ground, covered) helps keep warping minimal...just takes some patience.
Good point about storage—makes a huge difference. I've also found that if you're stuck with lumber that's already warped slightly, strategically placing the worst pieces in less critical areas (like closets or pantry walls) can save you some headaches. And honestly, a little shimming and tweaking during drywalling goes a long way too...not ideal, but it works when budgets are tight.
Totally agree on shimming—it's saved me more times than I'd like to admit. Another trick I've found useful is to alternate the direction of any slightly warped studs when framing. It helps balance out the imperfections and keeps the wall straighter overall. And if you're really stuck with a stubborn piece, sometimes cutting it into shorter lengths can reduce the warp enough to be manageable, especially in tight spots or around doorways...just something else to keep in mind.
Alternating warped studs is a neat trick, hadn't thought of that before. But have you noticed if kiln-dried lumber makes a significant difference compared to regular framing lumber? I've heard mixed opinions—some say it's worth the extra cost for straighter walls, others not so much. I've mostly stuck with standard stuff myself and just accepted the occasional headache...curious if anyone here's had better luck going kiln-dried.
