using native hardwoods for framing

[ITE]

does anyone have any experience using a native hardwood such as popular instead of pine to frame a house or garage?
Are there a lot of code variences? Is this significantly more difficult than using traditional pine? Ive heard of people doing this when they have to cut trees to make room for a house. They use the lumber from the trees to build.

Thanks for any help.

[Rich]

Poplar is a much superior wood to pine or hem-fir - but you'd be surprised how many building inspectors will pull back when they see it. I would definately go an get some type of variance for it. Typically if it doesn't have some type of grade stamp it doesn't go in a building. That is if it's inspected - if you're out in the middle of the woods then go for it.

[ITE]

thanks for the info Rich,
what is the inspectors usual complaints about using something like popular?

Im not really sure what you mean by a variance though.

[Tom R]

Simply put, the 'fear of the unknown'.

[Rich]

Exactly Tom... if an inspector has never seen something before then I can guarantee that without some engineer signing off on it they'll never let it fly. To get a variance from the code - you would need to have all the documentation you could get and present it to the building department for approval. They'll sit in a round room looking at each other for 6 months and might get around to it in a year or so. :) It's not quite that bad on the timeframe - but typically does take a few months because most likely it's something they don't have a clue about so they'll need to have their own engineers look at the data and attempt to make an educated decision.

[Tom R]

LOL. :lol: That's hilarious, but so true. What some of them don't realize, is when you 'think' you know it all, it 'closes' all your doors!

[ITE]

Thanks for all of the info guys, I really appreciate it.