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Thread: Quick framing question

  1. #1

    Quick framing question

    I’m finally getting around to framing up part of my shop. It’s an unfinished basement and I’m framing a few walls to separate the storage portion of the basement as well as the furnace and hot water heater from my shop and also so I have structure for more outlets. Suffice to say, these aren’t load bearing walls. I’d like to be able to move or remove them easily if need be in the future, so I’d like to screw the bottom plates into the concrete with tapcons and the top plates into the joists above with screws. The rest of the framing will be nailed. Any reason why I shouldn’t do it this way?

    Obviously, I’m far from expert and have done a lot of research but couldn’t find this specifically addressed.

  2. #2
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    Should work fine. Since you're screwing the plates, maybe screw everything, so when you decide to move it, disassembly will be much simpler.

  3. #3
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    Why screw into concrete floor? Make it a tight fit, I had a reloading room and music room for years with no bottom fasteners. Never had any trouble at all

  4. #4
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    Consider metal studs and tracks. No nails to pull, only screws. My son and I just framed his whole 2000 sf 9 foot ceiling basement with metal. He did the top and bottom tracks, I did all of the studs. No warped wood studs to deal with. He had to glue the bottom tracks due to radiant heat. Seems quite flimsy until you attach the wall skin. And you can always sister them with a wood 2x4 if you want to hang heavy shelves.
    Last edited by Ole Anderson; 08-09-2019 at 1:09 AM.
    NOW you tell me...

  5. #5
    Thanks for the advice. I think I’ll stick with standard studs. I’m trying to keep costs as low as possible plus I have a vague idea what I’m doing with wood studs. Haven’t the foggiest with metal.

  6. #6
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    Often, when framing such a basement wall, we mark, and cut each stud individually. Cutting them all the same length to start with will leave some too short, and some pushing the floor above too hard.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post
    Often, when framing such a basement wall, we mark, and cut each stud individually. Cutting them all the same length to start with will leave some too short, and some pushing the floor above too hard.
    Measuring each stud became much easier with the advent of the laser measure. Set it on the floor, point it to the joist. Or in the case of metal studs, set it in the floor channel and aim it into the top channel.
    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-BL...20-X/206839262
    NOW you tell me...

  8. #8
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    I like the metal studs you just carry a pair of snips and trim to size as you go. I have done both commercial and residencial with them. fast and easy to move if you make a mistake. You can even splice them if you cut to short

  9. #9
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    I don't measure them. After the layout marks, one is set close to the edge, on the layout line, and marked with a sharp no.4 pencil using a combination square blade, then tilted out a bit so the combination square can register on the edge of the 2x4. I like a press fit that doesn't require a hammer. I never used carpenters pencils for anything.

  10. #10
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    I had a relative who lived in Oak Ridge Tennessee and worked on the Manhattan program. The government built a few thousand homes there. They were - - suprisingly - - put together with double headed nails. Apparently the government wanted to keep open the option of taking the houses down and re-use the materials if that ever made sense. But that was in the days before drywall screws became so popular. Tom, your idea seems reasonable. If you ever find that you need to be attached to the concrete, you could also drill and pin. If it is anchored on the top and gravity doesn't give up, it isn't going to go too far.

    One thing to keep in mind is that 2 x 4's shrink perhaps 1/8" in the width when they dry. I finished a basement and screwed the top to the joists above. When it dried there was actually a small gap at the bottom because the sill and plate had shrunk and the plate was firmly joined to the joists above. But that is something that you can take care of after the fact, if you don't drywall or cover BOTH sides. Simpson has some fasteners (1H1 ??) hurricane clips that have a slot for some vertical movement.

  11. #11
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    What you doing is pretty standard.

    The only option I would offer, is you could use ramset nails in to set the bottom plate. You can get an inexpensive unit for ~$50:

    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ramset-T...-202055966-_-N

    It will be just a lot quicker than the tapcons (way more fun too) and just as easy to remove--reciprocating saw with a metal blade run along the flow.

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