A house built without studs??

[DCDiva]

I just bought this house for my rental business--we are replacing the windows--here is the house
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=j3s ... 1&y=ikkuq6
My handyman stopped by and asked me did you know the house has no studs/2 x4's--What?? he said it has the outside wood paneling/vertically--wood slats/horizonally,the a thick paneling on top and is @2.5 inches thick-total from in to out side-wo the windows you can shake the wall--not with the window???--the house is old over 50 yo--would it not fall down wo studs?? DID I buy a money pit? do I have to stud all the walls,insulate,drywall,move electric to fix this or leave alone?? Is it some type of kit or a barn type construction that they made inot a house--the house next door is its twin---I paid under 20 for it but only wanted to paint inside and new windows--some things outside--this has me stumped

[lakee911]

Might be post and beam construction. Something is holding it up.

Jason

[bookish]

I just happened to see something on another board about houses built without studs with just vertical and horizontal boards similar to your description. Apparently this was a cheap building method used mainly in the rural south. They're called "box houses" according to this source. I wasn't able to find out anything else about them, but the person who knew of them felt they weren't very sturdy.

[MarleeM]

Hi ,I have a house built in 1917. It is in Key Largo, Fl. It has no studs anywhere in the house and has pocket windows. There are 4 bedrooms and 3 baths.
For those who say they aren't very sturdy, this house has gone through every hurricane since 1917 and has never had any problems, and it is right on the water. It is made of Dade County Pine and is solid as a rock.

[RalphT394]

If your wall is devoid of studs, you can use a hollow-wall anchor, which is designed to anchor to the wall in the hollow areas between the studs. Hollow-wall anchors are available in a variety of sizes and types for use on drywall, plaster, or even hollow concrete block walls.

[DevinManning]

Would you mind posting a photo of the opened wall?