Hot answers tagged framing
18
Do you have any high powered magnets? like the rare earth neodynium magnets? If so you can probably rub one around the wall until it attaches to one of the nails in the studs. Or you can try thumping on the wall, a stud will sound alot less hollow versus empty drywall. That's how I've searched around in the past.
16
It sounds like you need a screw primer.
Strength is of very little importance here. There will be no serious loads on these screws. So anything that goes through the 2x4 into the existing framing. Since 2x4 stock is only 1.5 inches thick, you need a screw at least 1/2 inch longer than that. A really long screw is a detriment here, since it takes longer to ...
15
A variation to the "educated guess exploratory hole method" is to use a small finish nail (longer than the drywall thinkness) and "explore" by nailing that in near the floor boads. If it moves free after hitting it in, you are not in the stud, move 1.5" to the left or right and try again. After you find the stuf, use a level or plumb bob to trace up the ...
15
The 2x4 refers to the rough-cut green wood: it shrinks during drying, then the dried wood is planed smooth, so the finished lumber is supposed to end up at 1.5"x3.5". While it doesn't really shrink that much, the mills get more usable finished 2x4's from a given tree if they cut them slightly smaller to begin with.
Here's the Wikipedia article about it.
15
Yes, but not just for rigidity.
Cement board is made of, well, cement - and cement is brittle.
When you screw the cement board in you create a pressure point or stress point. Even though the board is screwed in with lots and lots of screws, each screw hole is a stress point prone to breakage.
By gluing the board as well as screwing, you ensure that a ...
13
The reason that joists are sistered using the same height of wood is simply space; generally there's no extra room. If you've got nothing below and there's space then there's no reason you can't use a taller piece of wood. Things to keep in mind:
Spanning as much distance as you can so you transfer the load as evenly across the original joist. If it's too ...
11
If you were framing this opening from the start, figure 1 is the way it would be done. I would go that direction so it will make sense to anyone working in this area of your home in the future.
Did you consider the possibility of centering the new window horizontally in the existing opening? That may result in a better proportion. In that case I would still ...
11
If the 2X stock is part of the supporting structure such as a wrap or beam attached to a post, it must be secured by a threaded device, not nails unless it is held by a metal support. Local codes vary a lot on this type of connection, but IRC simply calls for a threaded device in applications like this. A through bolt is always a good choice, but sometimes ...
11
If this is a load-bearing wall you'll want to frame the pet door in, just like you would a window. This will allow you to properly carry the load down, and around the pet door.
The king studs should go all the way from the top plate, down to the bottom plate. The header will be made up of 1/2" plywood/OSB, sandwiched between two 2x4s.
If you don't want ...
10
Roofing nails are a bad choice for attaching sheathing. The wire gauge is too small and the hardness of the nail shank is much less than a framing nail. I personally like to use 6d or 8d ring shank nails for OSB. 8d common nails are Ok as well. Ring nails won't loosen or back out over time as wood dries and shrinks. The heads of the roofing nails can easily ...
9
Framing is typically build on top of the subfloor. The finish flooring runs to within about 1/2" of the framing, then the gap is covered by baseboard. The gap is supposed to allow for expansion and contraction of the flooring with changes in temperature and humidity; without the gap, if the wood swells, the only way for it to go is up, i.e. pulling away ...
8
You should always nail your joists to the joist hangers, using the type and quantity of nails recommended by the hanger manufacturer for the type of hangers you're using. Double-shear hangers, the most common type, will have special nail holes designed to direct the joist nails at an angle through the joist and into the ledger or header. Typically you'll ...
8
I'd strongly encourage you to consider metal studs instead of wood for a basement finishing project. There are many reasons. I've outlined my conclusion in this question:
Should I use steel or wood studs for basement exterior walls?
Either way, though, yes, you want to separate the base plate from the bare concrete. With wood, you want something ...
7
Around here they are generally only used in commercial construction or in buildings where flamable building materials like wood are not allowed. Wood is just much easier to work with generally.
Some advantages of metal over wood:
They don't burn.
They are always straight.
Easier to run electrical through (come with holes, so no drilling needed).
And ...
7
Yes it is. If all your studs are oriented the same way, you'll have a gentle bow to the wall (either in or out) that is more or less consistent across the width of a wall.
On the other hand, if you have them so that one stud curves in and the next curves out, you're going to have irregularities in your wall that are the twice the size of the curvature of ...
7
I thought this would be a fun thing to do (and perhaps set a precedent on diy.stackexchange.com)- post a picture with the results of my question.
Thanks to the tips here on this question, as well as another I asked, I have completed my deck project. I ended up with what was described above- a ground-level deck, mostly on the slab. I took Shirlock's ...
7
An easy way to complete a wall like you describe is to build it flat on the floor. That way you can screw or nail the studs to the plates through the plates. I recommend installing a separate plate on the floor or across the upper joists first. Floor usually works best. Then simply measure the shortest dimension from the floor plate you just installed to ...
7
If you have a reciprocating saw (aka "Sawzall") with a metal or demolition blade it should make short work of the nails. Make your cuts at both ends of the vertical studs, between the stud and the header/footer. Once the nails are cut the vertical studs should come right out. You can probably just use a pry bar to pull off the header.
7
Bifold rough openings: to the hinge (pivot ) side add 3/4", to the other other side, 1/4"
So for single 24" wide door, a 25" RO (which is really a finished opening for bifolds) is needed.
You need a bit more clearance on the pivot side, because the pivot is inboard a bit and it needs clearance to swing through (pivot around) the thickness of the door. ...
6
You didn't say where you are located, but i figured in a cold area like me in Maine. First of all, 12 inch joist spacing a a waste of time and money. 16 inches will be fine especially if you plan to use 5/4 decking of any type. If you are in a non ground freeze area, just use simple blocking to support the additional 4 foot off the concrete. Assuming you ...
6
I'd use 2 1/2" No. 8 screws for this (assuming you are screwing through the 2" dimension of the new wood.
It will make life easier if you drill pilot holes, but it's not essential if you are using a powered screwdriver.
As for the type I've found that deck or chipboard screws seem to have the sharpest thread and so drive quite easily through wood.
6
Removing plaster can make tremendous amounts of dust, isolate the area with plastic to cut down on the spread, and get yourself a dust mask and a helmet is a good idea. Cover any cold air returns and heating vents. Once you're prepared, taking plaster walls down is pretty easy, whack it with a hammer to bust a hole, then you can usually get a shovel or ...
6
Your plan sounds fine.
If it were me, I would likely do the temporary support from beneath (a temporary stud extending from the floor below, intersecting the ceiling at the intersection of B and P). Either way, I think you will be fine.
A reciprocating saw is the right tool for this job. It will allow you to cut the nails holding the existing cross ...
6
The only info you need to order a new door is the actual door measurement. 36"X81" for example. The term rough opening refers to the actual stud frame opening which you cannot see or measure with the existing door jams and trim installed. If you are concerned if your rough opening is large enough, you will need to remove the interior trim to see exactly ...
6
I see from your other question, that you are rehabing an industrial space. Personally, I'd use steel studs in this application. You can build them to 16 ft, no problem. You will need to install horizontal stiffeners as Mike mentions, unless you go wider that the 4 inches of wall thickness. It is very difficult to build and handle a wood framed wall of that ...
6
You'd need to get an engineer to look at it first. The biggest problems I can think of are structural -- even if the house is pier and beam, you'd need to move piers out. If it's not, you would need to dig out a new foundation. Then you have to figure out if the overhang is actually appropriate as a roof over indoor space, that moving the wall won't ...
6
Jay's plan to use beam pockets in the front wall will work fine. Dbl. top plates with no additional structure supporting a roof over a SIX foot span (as per Tester101's first suggestion) is entirely inadequate. Whether a 2x beam on edge is adequate, and how deep it is, depends on what the roof snowload is, if any.
There are also hardware beam hangers ...
6
Look where the joists meet the ridge beam where you're going to put the door.
Get some dimensional lumber about 4 feet long, at least as thick as the existing beam. Nailing a couple of 2x6's together would probably suffice in the short term.
Give yourself enough room to work, and using a jack post and this 4 foot beam segment, support the joists in the ...
6
There should be no problem adding a partition wall under trusses or floor joists. The only connection you will need is some nails or screws holding the upper plate of your wall to the joists. This will simply hold your wall up and plumb. There are no structural or load considerations in this simple wall addition.
6
The most important question here is, 'do you have a building plan?" Building a structure with 13 to 14 foot walls and a 12 foot door is quite a reach for an inexperienced DIYer. You should start by selecting a set of building plans at your local lumber yard or maybe online. There are a lot more considerations than what size studs you should be using. You are ...
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