Basement Framing Methods

pbranam

just basically seeing what everyones opinion is on framing methods do you fill frame or build on floor then set it in place.

some say building it on the floor is quicker, ive been fill framing for 7 years now in basements and thinking of trying a new style for the hell of it

woodmagman

Try metal stud track for top and bottom plates, shot to the floor then infill with wood. Fasten the studs with wall sheathing stapler....works fast.

pbranam

heard of that but never seen anyone do it

Chris Johnson

If you are with 1/2" on stud length it still works, it's the fastest

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Guisbuild

woodmagman,
good idea, i have had to put green plate down on concrete then use only metal top plate for 1/2" play in floor.

guisbuild

Dustball

Any problems with inspectors with this method? What about walls along the exterior where it's not possible to fasten the back side?

RobertCDF

We do a PT plate shot to the floor then we build walls on the floor stand them and float them 2" above the PT plate.

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nywoodwizard

I don't see any benefits in just using a metal track and wood studs, i can understand using all metal for fire related reasons. Building the walls on the floor is the easiest and quickest. The basement remodel I'm involve with now has a horrible concrete floor,up and down about an inch or so out, so its nail in top and bottom plates my sons cutting and I'm nailing.

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A W Smith

I opened this thread to suggest that exact method except I dont have a stapler. I use my makita siding nailer with coiled coolers (box nails)

which is one of the reasons you should be using track instead of wood. Are you using PT on the floor? You really oughta at least try track.

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rbsremodeling

I have found metal studs to be a much much faster framing. When we do basements. We use Pt studs on the floor and layout all the rooms and frame the metal walls on top. Wood framing 3-5 days metal studs 2-3 days. Easier to make changes to. I like metal framing harder on finish work if you are not accustom to it

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Pavola

I use tracks with metal and wood infill. Typically wood infill in walls where there's going to be unfinished storage behind so shelving can be secured better. Wood fill in doors and windows too.

I almost always put the walls together before they're stood up - quicker and the backside gets fastened.
Doing it this way, I've found no difference in speed of framing. Cut the studs a little short and then shim the top plate where you nail into the ceiling.

You guys using the stapler must be using 25ga., because I just tried it on a remodel I'm doing now, with 20ga., and it will not shoot through - ricochet city, man! I thought that would be a good idea, but I'm back to 8d nails.

Jason Whipple

Has anyone tried that new basement wall system from Owen's Corning and others?

I've seen a lot of hype on the TV about it.

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nywoodwizard

Yea I've always used pt on the floors,for the last 25 years. Considering you guys just shooting a nail thru the track into a stud only an 1 1/4" high, how secure can the stud really be? unless its pre built on the floor and shot in from the top.
I've seen some Union guy's framing some suites in the greybar building in Manhattan a few years back with metal studs and they hardly screwed anything just the stud were the drywall seams met, claimed once the drywall is all screwed the studs won't move.

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A W Smith

Thats fairly common on commercial work. although I have never done it that way. I always fasten metal studs. I have a pair of crimper's that put a deformed hole through the metal stud and track. These are partitions you are building not bearing walls. How would you fasten a steel stud to a metal track otherwise? Theres no need to nail the hell out of the stud/plate connections. This system has been used commercially for many decades. If you are traditionally residential it takes getting used to. Two different framing styles, The wood stud infill is just a hybrid .

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Tom M

AW is exactly right on. I also do as woodmagman. I will frame a wood wall perhap an inch smaller in hieght with plates attached on the floor, nail a metal track in the upper portion where I want a permanant connect then put the wall in the pocket of the track. It give you flexibility for inconsistent floors. To level out or just square up, its not bearing yet very ridgid.

McMasters

I looked into it as a product line for my salesgroup. It is sold by a small group of master distributors who train certifiy and contract their own group of sub -contractors.

To my knowledge you have to quit selling your own work to be available to work for them- conflict of interest I guess.

The product is ok if you like one color only walls, wide seams at the joint of the panels and very limited wall hanging options. Customers often have problems with the high cost to benifit ratio and therefore the salesmen tend to really play the " mold resistant features" of the product almost to creating fear of water as the primary driver for buying it. They sort of remind me of Kirby vaccum cleaner salesmen using a scripted sales pitch.

I think the strongest sell option is the speed of construction and for those HO's who don't trust their foundations to be water tight long term they can pull out the panels to patch the leak..

HallisseyDesign

I do a lot of basements in IL. I have found i like wood much better and I frame extremely fast. I knocked out a basement for a buddy in a day 1000 square foot in 9 hours. bedroom, laundry room, tv room, raised bar floor on 2x6's. I have heard of the metal idea and i tried it on a wall and it didn't fit with how i want ot build or like too. I lay my walls on the floor and then stand them up. I also build my outside walls with 2x6 top and bottom plates. then put the 2x4's to the inside of the basement. On the 2 inches i have from the 2x4's to the back of the plate i put in 2 inch insu-foam board with the button caper to insulate the walls too. Try that sometime. it is extremely fast and easy. Hope that helps.

HallisseyDesign

I saw a basement like this in IL. It shocked me for the price and the installers for owens corning are not craftsmen at all no offense. The panels make the basements look to much like an office building. If you want to try something cool, I do pine car siding 1x6 with a v-groove. It is actually cheaper then drywall and much fast to put up. It gives a nice warm look and it keeps the basements very warm. i have pictures if anybody would like to see.

TimelessQuality

Now that's an idea.....

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pappagor

we are not able to even use fiber glass insulation below grade so we use all 2'' foam. rim even has to be foam in or out.