How to put up a partition wall header...
 

I am moving some partition walls in my basement. I don't know anything
about carpentry, so I will be asking a lot of questions.

I want to put one wall parallel to the joists above, but unfortunately not
exactly at one. (there is a drop ceiling with lights in it, so trying to
shorten it 1 inch so I can catch a joist would be more work than the rest of
the project) Can I put 2x4s across the adjoining joists, and then put the
header up to the 2x4s?
It looks like it ought to be as sturdy as anything, but since I don't know
anything, I could easily be over looking something basic.

Looking around my basement, I see another wall is made without a header; the
walls are nailed to the side of the joist. I couldn't quite do that either,
unless I cut the top of the 2x4s back an inch; then they would fit fine. Is
that acceptable? I can't see that the reduction is width would much matter.

Writing this made me think of a third possibility. If I made my header from
a 2x6, I would have enough width to catch the joist and be in the right
place for the wall.

So, are any of these acceptable? Are they all acceptable? Or is there
another way. (No, I mean beside hiring a carpenter. This is how I learn
things!)

How to put up a partition wall header...
 

"Toller" wrote in message
...
I am moving some partition walls in my basement. I don't know anything
about carpentry, so I will be asking a lot of questions.

I want to put one wall parallel to the joists above, but unfortunately not
exactly at one. (there is a drop ceiling with lights in it, so trying to
shorten it 1 inch so I can catch a joist would be more work than the rest
of
the project) Can I put 2x4s across the adjoining joists, and then put the
header up to the 2x4s?
It looks like it ought to be as sturdy as anything, but since I don't know
anything, I could easily be over looking something basic.

Looking around my basement, I see another wall is made without a header;
the
walls are nailed to the side of the joist. I couldn't quite do that
either,
unless I cut the top of the 2x4s back an inch; then they would fit fine.
Is
that acceptable? I can't see that the reduction is width would much
matter.

Writing this made me think of a third possibility. If I made my header
from
a 2x6, I would have enough width to catch the joist and be in the right
place for the wall.

So, are any of these acceptable? Are they all acceptable? Or is there
another way. (No, I mean beside hiring a carpenter. This is how I learn
things!)


1) yea, that is how i do it and have been a framing carpenter for 16 years
2) i dont completly understand the problem
3) ditto

by header do you mean the 2x4,6,8,10+ piece above a door?
or are you talking about the top of the wall, top plate?

How to put up a partition wall header...
 

either,
unless I cut the top of the 2x4s back an inch; then they would fit fine.
Is

Are you talking about making the studs thinner, so that the top of the
wall ends up on an even 2' boundary for the ceiling tiles?
Many people would trim the ceiling tiles to fit, but in your case,
why not use 2x3s, instead of 2x4s?

Sorry, I used the wrong word!
 

"I R Baboon" wrote in message
...
"Toller" wrote in message
...
I am moving some partition walls in my basement. I don't know anything
about carpentry, so I will be asking a lot of questions.

I want to put one wall parallel to the joists above, but unfortunately
not
exactly at one. (there is a drop ceiling with lights in it, so trying to
shorten it 1 inch so I can catch a joist would be more work than the rest
of
the project) Can I put 2x4s across the adjoining joists, and then put the
header up to the 2x4s?
It looks like it ought to be as sturdy as anything, but since I don't
know
anything, I could easily be over looking something basic.

Looking around my basement, I see another wall is made without a header;
the
walls are nailed to the side of the joist. I couldn't quite do that
either,
unless I cut the top of the 2x4s back an inch; then they would fit fine.
Is
that acceptable? I can't see that the reduction is width would much
matter.

Writing this made me think of a third possibility. If I made my header
from
a 2x6, I would have enough width to catch the joist and be in the right
place for the wall.

So, are any of these acceptable? Are they all acceptable? Or is there
another way. (No, I mean beside hiring a carpenter. This is how I learn
things!)


1) yea, that is how i do it and have been a framing carpenter for 16 years
2) i dont completly understand the problem
3) ditto

by header do you mean the 2x4,6,8,10+ piece above a door?
or are you talking about the top of the wall, top plate?

Yeh, the top plate.
I need to put the wall so it hits about 1/3rd of a joist. It has to be
there or I have to redo the remaining drop ceiling.
Does it make more sense now? Thanks.

Clarification on my problem
 

I used the wrong word; I meant top plate, not header.

I have posted a picture of the problem at
http://www.frontiernet.net/~toller/ceiling.jpg

I am moving a wall 8' into another room. I taken down two 4' rowes of
ceiling tiles. Trying to adjust the existing ceiling would be a truly major
project; so I want to build the wall to accomodate the ceiling.

The joist shown in the picture is about half over the ceiling grid, so it is
too far to let me attach a 2x4 top plate to it, but not far enough to let me
nail the studs to the side.

I can:
1) Use a 2x6 top plate, which will reach the joist, but still give me 3.5"
for the studs.
2) Cut an inch off the top of the studs so they can attach to the sides of
the joist, but still hit the ceiling grid. (a 2x3 wouldn't help, as it would
still be 1" from the ceiling grid)
3) Bridge adjacent joists with 2x4s, and attach the top plate to them.

I appreciate your patience

Clarification on my problem
 

ill take door #3 monty with #1 being my second choice

"Toller" wrote in message
...
I used the wrong word; I meant top plate, not header.

I have posted a picture of the problem at
http://www.frontiernet.net/~toller/ceiling.jpg

I am moving a wall 8' into another room. I taken down two 4' rowes of
ceiling tiles. Trying to adjust the existing ceiling would be a truly
major
project; so I want to build the wall to accomodate the ceiling.

The joist shown in the picture is about half over the ceiling grid, so it
is
too far to let me attach a 2x4 top plate to it, but not far enough to let
me
nail the studs to the side.

I can:
1) Use a 2x6 top plate, which will reach the joist, but still give me 3.5"
for the studs.
2) Cut an inch off the top of the studs so they can attach to the sides of
the joist, but still hit the ceiling grid. (a 2x3 wouldn't help, as it
would
still be 1" from the ceiling grid)
3) Bridge adjacent joists with 2x4s, and attach the top plate to them.

I appreciate your patience

Sorry, I used the wrong word!
 

yes, you can scab in some 2x4 blocks from joist to joist and
fasten your new top plate to them. This would be normal and
preferred. I would use a scab about every 2 -3 feet.

(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Toller" wrote in message
...

"I R Baboon" wrote in message
...
"Toller" wrote in message
...
I am moving some partition walls in my basement. I don't know
anything
about carpentry, so I will be asking a lot of questions.

I want to put one wall parallel to the joists above, but
unfortunately not
exactly at one. (there is a drop ceiling with lights in it,
so trying to
shorten it 1 inch so I can catch a joist would be more work
than the rest
of
the project) Can I put 2x4s across the adjoining joists, and
then put the
header up to the 2x4s?
It looks like it ought to be as sturdy as anything, but since
I don't know
anything, I could easily be over looking something basic.

Looking around my basement, I see another wall is made without
a header;
the
walls are nailed to the side of the joist. I couldn't quite
do that
either,
unless I cut the top of the 2x4s back an inch; then they would
fit fine.
Is
that acceptable? I can't see that the reduction is width
would much
matter.

Writing this made me think of a third possibility. If I made
my header
from
a 2x6, I would have enough width to catch the joist and be in
the right
place for the wall.

So, are any of these acceptable? Are they all acceptable? Or
is there
another way. (No, I mean beside hiring a carpenter. This is
how I learn
things!)


1) yea, that is how i do it and have been a framing carpenter
for 16 years
2) i dont completly understand the problem
3) ditto

by header do you mean the 2x4,6,8,10+ piece above a door?
or are you talking about the top of the wall, top plate?

Yeh, the top plate.
I need to put the wall so it hits about 1/3rd of a joist. It
has to be there or I have to redo the remaining drop ceiling.
Does it make more sense now? Thanks.

Clarification on my problem
 

Toller wrote:
I used the wrong word; I meant top plate, not header.

I have posted a picture of the problem at
http://www.frontiernet.net/~toller/ceiling.jpg

I am moving a wall 8' into another room. I taken down two 4' rowes of
ceiling tiles. Trying to adjust the existing ceiling would be a truly major
project; so I want to build the wall to accomodate the ceiling.

The joist shown in the picture is about half over the ceiling grid, so it is
too far to let me attach a 2x4 top plate to it, but not far enough to let me
nail the studs to the side.

I can:
1) Use a 2x6 top plate, which will reach the joist, but still give me 3.5"
for the studs.
2) Cut an inch off the top of the studs so they can attach to the sides of
the joist, but still hit the ceiling grid. (a 2x3 wouldn't help, as it would
still be 1" from the ceiling grid)
3) Bridge adjacent joists with 2x4s, and attach the top plate to them.

I appreciate your patience

As Dan said. Scab 2x4 between the joists about every 2-3 ft. The wall
you are building is not a load bearing so all you need is something to
fasten the top plate to.

Clarification on my problem
 

Bridge between the joist in question and the next one with
2x3s, and attach the top plate to the bridging.

I don't understand why trimming the ceiling tiles and
the last row of supports is such a "major job", though.
You have to take that end row of stuff off anyway,
because you're building a new wall, so you're just
looking at 10 minutes extra work with a set of
tin-snips and a razor-knife, aren't you?

Clarification on my problem
 

if you can tie it into the joist with a 2x6, why waste the time bridging it?


"Harry K" wrote in message
ups.com...

Toller wrote:
I used the wrong word; I meant top plate, not header.

I have posted a picture of the problem at
http://www.frontiernet.net/~toller/ceiling.jpg

I am moving a wall 8' into another room. I taken down two 4' rowes of
ceiling tiles. Trying to adjust the existing ceiling would be a truly
major
project; so I want to build the wall to accomodate the ceiling.

The joist shown in the picture is about half over the ceiling grid, so
it is
too far to let me attach a 2x4 top plate to it, but not far enough to
let me
nail the studs to the side.

I can:
1) Use a 2x6 top plate, which will reach the joist, but still give me
3.5"
for the studs.
2) Cut an inch off the top of the studs so they can attach to the sides
of
the joist, but still hit the ceiling grid. (a 2x3 wouldn't help, as it
would
still be 1" from the ceiling grid)
3) Bridge adjacent joists with 2x4s, and attach the top plate to them.

I appreciate your patience

As Dan said. Scab 2x4 between the joists about every 2-3 ft. The wall
you are building is not a load bearing so all you need is something to
fasten the top plate to.