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This is my fireplace stripped to bare minimum and I asked a question on how to cover with drywall in this Frame drywall around brick fireplace

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However, after I bought a metal stud and tested to install horizontally, I felt it's a bit odd.

I mounted using two drywall screws on each side. It's about 73.5" long:

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The guy at Home Improvement Store told me to just use drywall screw for this but look closely on how the metal is "bend"

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Is this "wrong"? I tend to just ignore it as it's not load bearing and there will be drywall on top anyways. But is there a different screw or technique I should use?

Thanks

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Trying to use a metal stud in this way is not suitable. First off a metal stud is not used flat like that. Normally the metal studs are used on edge such that the drywall would screw to the narrow face of the stud. Then ends of the metal stud are meant to have each narrow face screwed to a U-shaped channel.

A metal stud used flat has next to no strength as compared to using them properly. Keep in mind that metal studs are just thin folded sheet metal, not some strong support girder.

If you must use it in the manner shown in your picture, even though not recommended, you should cut a piece of wood to fit inside the end of the metal stud so that screws do not bend the thing like you have experienced.

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  • The reason for using metal studs like this is due to airgap clearance from the fireplace bricks. I think your recommendation of using a piece of wood inside to avoid bend makes sense. There is only one metal stud while all the above horizontal support will be wood instead because the fireplace "lean back" a bit, creating enough gap on top area.
    – HP.
    Commented Oct 22, 2018 at 7:31
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This is WAY OLD, but want to point out the metal stud appears to be installed upside-down. The 'flat' part should be touching the fireplace, not the two edges.

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