A second quick framing question

So far, so good on framing up my shop in my unfinished basement but here's something I can't find information on. The framing for the stairs ends right at their foot and it's about 80 inches to the opposite wall. My shop is to the right and I'm going to add a wall to the framing for the stairs to bridge that distance to the opposite wall. There will be a door in this new wall (and obviously the wall is non-load-bearing). Ideally, I'd like the door to be as close to the stairs as possible and I've thought of two options (bearing in mind, I'm a novice at this). First, use the existing stair frame as the king stud, add a jack stud and header (with cripples etc). I'm not crazy about this because I'd have to toe-nail or (or preferably screw) the jack stud into the existing stair frame rather than nail through a new king stud were I assembling this in a more standard situation and I wouldn't be able to secure the bottom of the jack stud to the floor (though if it's secured well to the existing stair framing, I guess that's not a big deal. Second, give up my hope of having the door immediately at the bottom of the stairs, locate it 10 inches or so from the stairs. I'm leaning this way because it means framing the wall pretty much standard and that works for my limited experience. I suspect after a while, I wouldn't mind the difference; I'm just accustomed to coming downstairs and turning into the shop. Yes, I'm probably overthinking this.

Any advice?

Either way would be fine. There's not much load on the jack studs for an interior door header, so no worries about just screwing it to the existing king stud. In fact, you don't really need a header for an interior door in a non-load bearing wall, just a 2x4 nailer for the cripples. There's no load on it at all except the weight of the framing and sheetrock. If you're going to be carrying materials, etc, down the stairs, make sure you have enough room to maneuver around the corner. IIWM, I'd probably move the door down the wall a bit. When it's all open, you can see someone approaching from the opposite path; with it all closed up, you might surprise someone coming the other way, and surprising someone on stairs is not a good idea. I think having a foot or two landing area at the bottom of the stairs before the door minimizes the surprise factor.

Thanks! I thought about what you said and then had a simple but unusually smart idea for me. I drew out the door on the floor in chalk. After doing that, I realized that when I step off the stairs, my foot naturally fell in front Of the door of it was framed about 10 inches from the stairs. So that’s what I’ll do.

Thanks for your quick advice.

You probably know this, but I would have the door swing into the room, not out toward the stairs. Easier to get material in and much safer for folks coming down the stair while you are opening the door.

Thanks for all the advice. I'd like to follow up with a "did I make a mistake here" question. I did a lot of reading before starting this but there's a lot of different approaches to framing, and the more research I do on specific things that come up as I go along, the more I second guess myself.

Some sites I've seen say the studs should be tight on a non-load bearing wall, other say cut them a bit short. The first section of wall I put up, I had to work with a hammer for a minute or so to get it into place. I didn't need to resort to a sledge hammer but it took a a little work. The wall runs perpendicular to the joists and about a foot from a steel I beam holding the joists. In subsequent walls, I got better about getting the height of the wall right so it took little effort getting it under the joists (and in some cases it was just a bit short in sections until attached to the joist). I did cut the studs sequentially, checking the fit as I went but when it was nailed together, there seemed to be a little change in the fit sometimes from the test fit. Should I consider taking it down, taking it a plate off and trimming the studs down a bit?

I realize I may be stirring up a hornet's nest here but I'm a little overwhelmed by the breadth of confusing and seemingly contradictory information on the internet.

For a non bearing wall you do not need a header just frame in

It's fine, don't sweat it. It sounds like you made it a little snug, but if you got it in place and plumb, you're good.

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Originally Posted by Paul F Franklin

It's fine, don't sweat it. It sounds like you made it a little snug, but if you got it in place and plumb, you're good.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jerome Stanek

For a non bearing wall you do not need a header just frame in

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2nd both of these comments. As long as it can hold up the drywall, insulation, paint - good to go.

Would there be an advantage in the space for you to put in two doors? It makes the turn much easier of you need to make it with larger/longer mat'l. Twin 2-8 doors would fit. I have gotten good deals on doors going to the building supply yards asking to look over the "mistake" doors that did not meet a spec. Not sure if you need or want a fire rated door there, but worth a thought.

Thanks for all the advice, as well as the reassurance on what I've done. As for the door, good idea to swing it inward. I thought about a sliding door, but there isn't enough room. Nor is there enough room for a double door. Normally, a double door sounds like a super idea, but unfortunately here, because of the angle at the top of the stairs, there's nothing I could get through the top of the stairs that would benefit from double doors at the bottom.

Anyway, I've wrapped up stage one of this debacle and I'm pretty happy with it. Thanks again!