Stud partition wall advice please?

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Crash'n'Bern

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Hi All,


I want to put a downstairs wall back in that has previously been taken out, to fill the 2.4m x 2.4m alcove space. After a bit of exploration and chipping out of plaster, I've found that the wall on one side is brick, the other is timber, the ceiling is a steel lintel, and the floor is concrete. I'd like to use 100x47mm timbers (I guess that's 4 by 2s in new money...) to create a stud wall. I know that I need to fix the 'head and sole plate' timbers in first, then build from there, but I've got some questions that I hope someone could help me with...?


a) I've taken up the laminate and have found that the concrete floor is sloping and a bit broken. Can I level the horizontal timber by wedging it firmly and then drilling and plugging into firmer looking points in the concrete in about 6 places...? (Please tell me if this is a poor approach / too few fixings, etc!)


b) I've tried drilling into the steel lintel & it's seeming like a nightmare. (I'm also struggling to find out what the most appropriate size / make of (self-tappping) screws are for this.) Someone suggested hiring a Hilti DX460 cartridge gun for a day instead and firing a dozen 72mm nails through the timber into it. Any chance this might impede the strength of the lintel in any way? (I guess I could use the same for fixing the sole plate too...?)


c) Rather than hiring this tool, I've been told that I could instead use strong building adhesive to stick the head plate to the plaster above, and basically use the outermost studs to clamp it tightly to the ceiling. Is this method the bodge job that it strikes me as being, or is this common/acceptable?!


Any comments really are gratefully received; I know I'm a novice, but I really fancy giving this a go...and I can take a ribbing! ;o)


Cheers,


Bern.
 
Crash'n'Bern said:
a) I've taken up the laminate and have found that the concrete floor is sloping and a bit broken. Can I level the horizontal timber by wedging it firmly and then drilling and plugging into firmer looking points in the concrete in about 6 places...?
Click to expand...

It doesn't need to be perfectly horizontal.
 
Thanks Endecotp :-)
As I can't even see the lintel as it's hidden behind thick layers of plaster, I've no idea how to consider assessing that! What do you think about the gluing or nailing ideas as an alternative?
 
Crash'n'Bern said:
Thanks Endecotp :)
As I can't even see the lintel as it's hidden behind thick layers of plaster, I've no idea how to consider assessing that! What do you think about the gluing or nailing ideas as an alternative?
Click to expand...

The sole plate need not be level. Just cut the uprights to suit.

Use CT1 to fix the header. Have your (snug fitting) wall uprights cut ready to wedge it up. Make sure you cut the middle fella and wedge the centre of the header. Once you have fixed the side uprights and have skew screwed into the header, it should not swim about. Just make sure you align your uprights in way that means when you tap 'em in place that you are not hammering against the header, as the un-set glue will allow the header to slide.
 
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That's brilliant, thanks Noseall as well :)
OK, I'll get some CT1 ordered then... Just watched the video on YouTube, looks like amazing stuff! (I take it you're thinking that the nail gun option isn't a good plan with regards to compromising the lintel then...?!)

I take your point about the soleplate not needing to be level. As it'll be on a fair slant though, it'll protrude further than I want it to, which will make screwing the plasterboards to problematic... So, is it best to wedge it to keep the soleplate level when I fix it to the floor, or am I better off cutting it to provide a level fixing?
 
What do you mean, "protrude"?
Oh I think I know what you mean - the floor slopes in the direction of the thickness of the wall, not in the direction of its width.
Not sure what's best; I might be tempted to plane off the protrusions just before fitting the plasterboard.
 
Yes Endecotp, you've sussed it correctly; can't believe i hadn't thought to make that clear! The floor does slope along the walls width into what will be one of the rooms. Planing off would work, good idea... It'll just make cutting the vertical studs more difficult though, which is why I was wondering if wedging was a viable option.
If not, planing it is!!

Any other comments or opinions?

Thank you guys.
 
I would build the frame flat on the floor, about 3mm too low. Then on final assemblely rotate it upright and hold it up by hammering wedges under the sole plate with fixings into the concrete between the up rights. So first off all cut an upright to what you think your finished height will be, check that you can rotate it. Once you have worked out the height of the highest one, cut it down so you can do the same at the lowest point. Now you have your height measurements. build the frame* and try it out, plane up wedges to go under the sole plate at each stud position. Drill for the floor fixings. Swing frame of the vertical and apply foaming polyurethane glue to top of header, swing frame vertical. coat wedges with the glue and hammer into place. Put it floor fixings and noggins. Could be a bit belt and braces to mix up a little dryish mortar and fill the gap under the sole late.
Frank
* As you have a slope along the length of the frame , mark with chalk the stud "number", so you have an even taper along the frame and not a bulge, because the positions of the studs have got mixed up.
 
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