When you're shopping for a house plan, the details in the design documents matter far more than most buyers realize. Floor plan layouts and square footage tend to grab the spotlight, but the structural decisions baked into a plan — things like the size and spacing of the wall studs — have a lasting impact on how your home performs for decades to come.
At Royal Oaks Design, we make a deliberate choice that sets our plans apart: every single house plan in our collection is designed with 2x6 lumber for exterior wall framing, spaced 16 inches on center. It's a decision we've thought long and hard about, and one we stand behind completely. Here's why.
What Does "2x6 at 16" On Center" Actually Mean?
Before we dive into the why, let's quickly cover the what. When we say 2x6 exterior walls at 16" on center, we mean:
- 2x6 lumber refers to the dimensional size of each wall stud — roughly 1.5 inches thick by 5.5 inches wide (actual dimensions after milling).
- 16" on center means the studs are placed so that the center of each stud is exactly 16 inches apart from the center of the next one.
The most common alternative is 2x4 framing, which uses studs that are only 3.5 inches wide. That half-inch difference in wood depth might sound minor, but when it comes to wall performance, it changes everything.
The Pros: Why We Believe 2x6 Framing Is Worth It
1. Deeper Wall Cavities for Superior Insulation
This is the big one. A 2x6 wall gives you a 5.5-inch-deep cavity to fill with insulation — compared to just 3.5 inches with a 2x4 wall. That extra depth allows you to achieve significantly higher R-values (the measure of a material's resistance to heat flow).
With standard batt insulation, a 2x6 wall can reach approximately R-19 to R-21, while a 2x4 wall tops out around R-13 to R-15. For homeowners in Minnesota, where winters are long and heating costs can climb fast, that difference is not trivial.
2. Greater Energy Efficiency — and Lower Utility Bills
More insulation means less heat escaping in the winter and less cool air leaking out in the summer. Homes built on 2x6 plans simply work harder to maintain a comfortable interior temperature without running the HVAC system overtime.
Over the lifetime of a home, this translates to real savings on monthly energy bills and a reduced environmental footprint. As energy codes continue to tighten across the country — and especially here in Minnesota — 2x6 framing keeps your build ahead of the curve rather than scrambling to catch up with future requirements.
3. Higher Compressive Strength
A 2x6 stud is significantly stronger than a 2x4 under compressive load. This matters because your exterior walls aren't just keeping the weather out — they're holding up your roof, your floors, and everything in between. The increased structural capacity of 2x6 framing gives your home a stronger, more resilient skeleton.
4. Better Support for Taller Ceilings
Nine-foot and ten-foot ceilings have become a popular feature in modern home design, and for good reason — they make spaces feel open, airy, and luxurious. Taller walls, however, put greater stress on the studs, particularly when it comes to lateral (side-to-side) bending. The added depth of a 2x6 stud handles that increased span far more reliably than a 2x4, making our plans a natural fit for today's ceiling height preferences.
5. Handles Heavy Roof Materials with Confidence
If your dream home includes a standing seam metal roof, clay or concrete tile, or thick architectural shingles, the structural demands on your exterior walls go up considerably. Our 2x6 framing is designed to carry those loads without compromise, giving you the freedom to choose the roofing materials you love rather than settling for what a lighter frame can manage.
6. A Quieter, More Peaceful Home
Thicker walls don't just insulate against temperature — they also insulate against sound. Whether it's traffic noise, a loud summer storm, or the general hum of the neighborhood, the additional mass and insulation depth of a 2x6 exterior wall does a noticeably better job of keeping exterior noise where it belongs: outside.
The Cons: Let's Be Honest
We believe in being upfront with our customers. 2x6 framing does come with a couple of trade-offs worth knowing about.
1. Higher Material Costs
2x6 studs contain more wood than 2x4 studs, which makes them more expensive to purchase. When you're framing an entire house, that cost difference adds up. Depending on the size of your build and current lumber prices, you can generally expect a modest increase in framing material costs. That said, we've consistently found that the long-term savings in energy costs — and the overall value added to the home — more than offset this upfront investment.
2. Trim, Millwork, and Windows Require Adjustment
Deeper walls mean deeper window and door rough openings. This affects the window sills, casings, and interior trim details. Windows may need extended jambs, and some millwork profiles will need to be adjusted to properly finish the deeper openings. It's not a complicated issue to solve, but it's one that your builder and finish carpenter need to plan for. Our plans are drawn with these considerations in mind so your team isn't caught off guard.
3. A Small Reduction in Interior Space
A 2x6 exterior wall is two inches thicker than a 2x4 wall. When you run that around the full perimeter of a home, you do lose a small amount of interior square footage compared to the same footprint built with 2x4 framing. For most homeowners, this trade-off is barely perceptible in day-to-day living, but it's worth knowing.
Building Homes That Last — That's the Royal Oaks Standard
At Royal Oaks Design, located in West Lakeland, MN, we design house plans with a long view in mind. We want the homes built from our plans to be energy efficient, structurally sound, and comfortable to live in for generations. Choosing 2x6 exterior wall framing is one of the most impactful decisions we can make at the design stage to help ensure that outcome.
We know that every homeowner's budget, preferences, and priorities are different. But when we weigh everything — the energy savings, the structural resilience, the sound dampening, the support for modern ceiling heights and roofing materials — we firmly believe the pros far outweigh the cons. It's why 2x6 framing is a standard, not an option, in every plan we offer.
When you build with a Royal Oaks Design plan, you're not just building a house. You're building a home that's engineered to perform.
Ready to Find Your Perfect Plan?
Explore our full collection of house plans — all designed with 2x6 exterior wall framing — and find the one that fits your vision, your lot, and your lifestyle. Browse our House Plan Collection today and take the first step toward building the home you've always imagined.