We are building our own home. After a few rains and a spell of very hot weather, some of the jack (trim) studs in our rough openings have cupped so badly, that it would be difficult to properly install the windows or doors. We’ve tried using clamps and extra nails to straighten them out, but no luck.
Anyone have suggestions for correcting this – or how to prevent it from happening next time? (We’ve got a couple more walls to go.)
I hate to totally tear apart the rough openings, if it’s not necessary. Some of the openings are slightly cupped, but not bad enough to prevent putting in the vinyl windows. Though I’m concerned about how difficult it might be to install the interior window jamb trim on cupped wood.
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If they are bad enough to concern you I would replace them. I would wait until the roof is on and dried in before doing anything though.
I'm not quite sure how to replace them after everything has been nailed together with the sheathing. And would this involve replacing the entire jack, which I think would also involve temporarily removing the sill and cripples? Or can we just cut the jack just above the sill and replace only that upper portion?
Use a cat's paw to pull the nails, pull it off the plate nails, cut them off or bend them over and nail a new jack in. It's really not a big job at all. By the time you finish a house you should be adept users of cat's paws!
Florida is correct, but you can salvage those that are not too bad with a small block plane. remember that your windows and doors will all have to be shimmed into perfect square and plumb anyway. do not forget to use window and door foam between the jambs and studding!
Just how much is the cup? It would take a lot to matter much. That's if the trimmers were well nailed, a pair of nails per foot or so. If they are nailed only in the center, well that's a problem.
We had originally nailed the trim studs every foot, in a W pattern, to try to secure both sides. But that did not prevent the lumber from badly cupping.
We had created the recommended size for the rough openings, which allowed 1/2" extra in the width of the opening for properly shimming the windows in place. But with the cupping, the openings barely had 1/4" extra space available (in total width, not for each side) - which is not enough for proper shimming.
I'd wait until after the roof is on and this dries out otherwise you're wasting time. Concentrate on that. I had a home being built in Texas gulf coast and it rained a lot during construction. I had to drill holes in the subfloor upstairs to let water out (was going to be carpeted anyway. It dried out didn't' have issues besides the tract home quality work product but wasn't from getting wet. As was mentioned you can remove the offending boards as needed and replace. Or if only one end a sawsall to remove some of the stud to fit the doors. But you're getting ahead of yourself if the roof isn't on.