The coronavirus’s impact looks set to last for years, with many of us expected to be working from home more regularly. And the economic impact has meant homeowners have shelved plans to upsize or move due to uncertainty. If your family is growing and you need an extra bedroom, or home working commitments mean you need dedicated office space, then it’s time to look at ways of adapting your current home to match your new requirements. One way to do that is by building a partition known as a stud wall to create a new room. A stud wall is far simpler and more cost-effective than moving home or getting an extension and can provide the additional space you need while also adding value to your property.
What is a stud wall?
A stud wall is made by constructing a timber frame secured to the floor, ceiling, and walls, which are then covered with sheets of drywall. Once you decorate the stud wall, it will just become part of your home and will not stand out as a new addition.
Before you start
Don’t forget to consider lighting, heating, and plumbing on both sides of your stud wall before you begin. You’ll also need to ensure it conforms to current building regulations for health and safety. And before you decide where to place your partition, you must use an electronic detector to locate existing joists, cables, and pipes. Failure to do this can be a costly error.
Stud wall fixings
The sawn timber frame is connected to the ceiling via ceiling plates, which are attached to the joists for stability, and floor plates that secure them to the floor. It’s also recommended that you use short horizontal pieces of wood known as ‘noggins’ between the vertical wall studs. The noggins are screwed or nailed into the studs, so they should be staggered to add extra strength and make them easier to fix in place. As a stud wall is not load-bearing, you can choose to put your door or opening anywhere you want, but the preferred placing is at one end against a stud so that it has maximum support. Remember to buy a door and frame equal to the combined thickness of the timber and drywall you’re using.
Where to place a stud wall
You can decide to run your stud wall directly on the joists or between them, but it’s essential to know which method you are choosing as this will impact your starting point. If your partition is to run between joists, your ceiling plate can be attached directly to the joists. If the wall is to run between joists, it’s best to remove the floorboards above and below and install 4″ x 2″ timbers at right angles between two joists at 3′ 4″ intervals to support the partition.
Marking it out
Once you know where your stud wall will be positioned and have prepared the supports if necessary, make a mark on the baseboard where one end of your new wall will be. This will be where the edge of your ceiling plate is positioned. Then, using a plumb line, make a corresponding mark on the ceiling/wall junction for the ceiling plate. Hammer a nail into your ceiling mark and use a piece of string and a spirit level to mark out the length of the ceiling plate to reach the opposite ceiling/wall junction. Using your plum line again, make a final mark where the floor plate will be for this side of your stud wall.
Constructing a stud wall
Now, it’s time to cut your timber to size. It can’t be stated strongly enough that you should measure the area at least twice before you even touch your saw. Even the slightest miscalculation can cause problems. Your ceiling plates should be secured first before measuring and remeasuring how long your wall studs ought to be. You should have already measured this when doing your initial planning, but now you need to be precise. When cutting your end wall studs, don’t forget to allow for the baseboard. Your first fixings should be around 4″ up from the floor and down from the ceiling. Once the end studs are securely in place, mark the floor plate at 3′ intervals to show your wall stud spacing, remembering to mark out where your door frame will be. You can then lightly attach your door frame to the appropriate wall stud to work out where the door frame header should be positioned. Mark out the door frame header, then remove the frame, secure the door frame header, and finally, fix the door frame in place as you would in any other wall.
Next, fix your vertical studs to the floor plate with 4″ nails hammered in at an angle from both sides of the wall stud. Do the same to attach them to the ceiling plate before securing the noggins in place. Once your stud wall frame is in place, you’ll need to connect the drywall panels. Again, make sure you measure and remeasure the space to ensure you cut the drywall to the correct size, and attach it to the studs using nails.
Should I attempt a stud wall myself?
A stud wall is a relatively simple job for somebody confident with DIY, but if you are not satisfied with your construction skills, you should get a professional to do the job. What seems like a relatively major DIY job for you is bread and butter to a builder, and he will probably have the job done in a day so it should not be too expensive. You’ll also need to plaster over the drywall to complete the job and prepare the wall for decorating, and this is a highly skilled trade that should only be carried out by a professional. It’s better to get someone in to do the job from scratch than to get them to come and undo your mistakes before they get on with the work. So, if you have any doubts about whether you have the skills, knowledge, or tools to the job properly, start by getting a quote from a tradesperson. You might be surprised at just how inexpensive it is.
The post Improve, don’t move – make better use of your space with a stud wall appeared first on ChoreRelief.
source https://chorerelief.com/improve-dont-move-make-better-use-of-your-space-with-a-stud-wall/
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