I have a room which I would like to turn into a hallway and a room.
The problem is that if I stud out a wall the room, with the minimum
width hallway, will be just less than the magical six feet wide. Would
I be violating any codes if I made the wall out of a piece of 0.5 inch
CDX or OSB held in place by 1x3 molding at the the top and set into a
groove 3/4" deep routed into the floor at the bottom? I would then
panel both sides with the paneling edges staggering the CDX edges and
use surface mount electrical. I could even use tongue and groove
plywood.

Is there any proper way to make a THIN wall?

Thanks.


Room currently:
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Room with hallway:
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" wrote in message
oups.com...

I have a room which I would like to turn into a hallway and a room.
The problem is that if I stud out a wall the room, with the minimum
width hallway, will be just less than the magical six feet wide. Would
I be violating any codes if I made the wall out of a piece of 0.5 inch
CDX or OSB held in place by 1x3 molding at the the top and set into a
groove 3/4" deep routed into the floor at the bottom? I would then
panel both sides with the paneling edges staggering the CDX edges and
use surface mount electrical. I could even use tongue and groove
plywood.

Is there any proper way to make a THIN wall?

A wall structured as you describe would look cheap, and have a negative
effect on resale value. If the floor is hardwood, routing a slot in it would
be a sin.

I'd look into doing a cabinetry style wall. Think Japanese sliding panels,
except not sliding, or like in a divided-up government office. Hard to make
specific recommendations w/o seeing the space, and knowing what the new room
is to be used for. Home office? Additional bedroom? If it may ever need to
be converted back, a jam-fit wall made up of 2x2 (or edgewise 2x4) studs and
horizontal pieces, with lots of cross pieces, skinned on both sides with
glued paneling, may be stiff enough. You would have to have a thick frame
around the door, probably with a skinny jackpost from floor to ceiling right
there, to keep the door square. The rest of the wall could just be basted
into place with a few easily patchable nails or long screws. Electric could
be surface mount on the non-public side, fed from ceiling light, or even fed
through wall from a discreet hole in ceiling, hooked up in attic- shallow
boxes are easy to find. I've seen temporary walls done this way many times
in office and home situations. With a little artistry and luck to match
adjoining wall coverings and trim style, they blended right in, and when no
longer required (like when the kid moved out) were easy to reverse and
reclaim the space for the original use.

aem sends...

wrote:
I have a room which I would like to turn into a hallway and a room.
The problem is that if I stud out a wall the room, with the minimum
width hallway, will be just less than the magical six feet wide. Would
I be violating any codes if I made the wall out of a piece of 0.5 inch
CDX or OSB held in place by 1x3 molding at the the top and set into a
groove 3/4" deep routed into the floor at the bottom? I would then
panel both sides with the paneling edges staggering the CDX edges and
use surface mount electrical. I could even use tongue and groove
plywood.

Is there any proper way to make a THIN wall?

Thanks.


Room currently:
|-------------|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|-------------|


Room with hallway:
|-------------|
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|-------------|

Mobile home walls are made with 2x2’s skinned on both sides with
plywood. The resulting wall is about 2” thick.

Walls a single plank thick (as you suggested) were used a long time ago
and are found in historical buildings. I think it would look OK; I
don't know how rigid it would be; noise would be a consideration. I
would not cut a groove in the floor. You could cut grooves 2x4’s and
use them top and bottom, although that seems unnecessarily complex.

You can make a wall out of strands beads; they were popular in the 60’s.
The walls are thin and you needn’t worry about doors and such.

If the space is inhabitable and you put up a wall, you will have to meet
code requirements such as electrical outlets every six feet. Also the
HVAC system and fire safety must be considered. It is simpler if the
space is storage like a closet.

I doubt a small room like you suggested would be desirable by future
occupants. I would look at a temporary partition. There is a wide
variety used in offices; some even look like real walls. Look around;
there might be something satisfactory to you. Offices come and go and
you could possibly snag used materials from the office outfitters or a
building super.

Regards,

in buffalo ny: building codes are local to you. it depends on what the
permit or building inspector says for the use [r-1 or whatever] and
type of construction wood frame, brick, etc] of the address. don't
create any firetraps that an ambulance or rescue worker can't remove
you from on a gurney. both windows and doors of minimum sizes for rooms
are part of safe egress. you will get a faster and safer answer locally
on this project. it sounds like it will not meet your code question for
safe egress and passage between rooms. if this is a hallway to an exit,
put down your hammer. it becomes criminally worse than a building code
violation to block any exit door. i spoke to a building inspector about
unused stairwells once and he told me about one sad story about
attempted exiting during a tragic fire in the university district.
even doors to unused or even unsafe second floor outdoor porches must
get a building permit if they are to be converted or modified before
removal or conversion to a properly placed and sized window. the
altitude of the windowsill above ground level is relevant to the
emergency exiting of dropping from the second story in a fire, and
regulated by the code. it's surprising how helpful the permit office
can be to you the new permit applicant.

wrote:
I have a room which I would like to turn into a hallway and a room.
The problem is that if I stud out a wall the room, with the minimum
width hallway, will be just less than the magical six feet wide. Would
I be violating any codes if I made the wall out of a piece of 0.5 inch
CDX or OSB held in place by 1x3 molding at the the top and set into a
groove 3/4" deep routed into the floor at the bottom? I would then
panel both sides with the paneling edges staggering the CDX edges and
use surface mount electrical. I could even use tongue and groove
plywood.

Is there any proper way to make a THIN wall?

Thanks.


Room currently:
|-------------|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|-------------|


Room with hallway:
|-------------|
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|-------------|

"GeorgeD" wrote in message
news:KiIsh.733$R65.552@trnddc01...
wrote:
I have a room which I would like to turn into a hallway and a room.
The problem is that if I stud out a wall the room, with the minimum
width hallway, will be just less than the magical six feet wide. Would
I be violating any codes if I made the wall out of a piece of 0.5 inch
CDX or OSB held in place by 1x3 molding at the the top and set into a
groove 3/4" deep routed into the floor at the bottom? I would then
panel both sides with the paneling edges staggering the CDX edges and
use surface mount electrical. I could even use tongue and groove
plywood.

Is there any proper way to make a THIN wall?

Thanks.


Room currently:
|-------------|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|-------------|


Room with hallway:
|-------------|
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|-------------|

Mobile home walls are made with 2x2’s skinned on both sides with plywood.
The resulting wall is about 2” thick.

Walls a single plank thick (as you suggested) were used a long time ago
and are found in historical buildings. I think it would look OK; I don't
know how rigid it would be; noise would be a consideration. I would not
cut a groove in the floor. You could cut grooves 2x4’s and use them top
and bottom, although that seems unnecessarily complex.

You can make a wall out of strands beads; they were popular in the 60’s.
The walls are thin and you needn’t worry about doors and such.

If the space is inhabitable and you put up a wall, you will have to meet
code requirements such as electrical outlets every six feet. Also the
HVAC system and fire safety must be considered. It is simpler if the
space is storage like a closet.


Electrical outlets are not required every six feet. NEC section 210.52
requires that at no place on the wall will an outlet be more than six feet
away. For a long wall that requirement would be met with an outlet every 12
feet. Additional rules apply to short wall sections and kitchens.

Steve.

Mobile home walls are made with 2x2's skinned on both sides with
plywood. The resulting wall is about 2" thick.

Maybe in some places down south but not in Minnesota. All new mobile
homes built or sold in MN are required to have a 2x6 stud wall just
like a real house. The old ones were built with 2x2's, for sure, and
are still around. The trailer parks still have them, side by side with
the newer ones. When someone abandons one of those old ones they bring
in a trac-hoe to demolish it and haul it away in a dumpster.

wrote:
I have a room which I would like to turn into a hallway and a room.
The problem is that if I stud out a wall the room, with the minimum
width hallway, will be just less than the magical six feet wide. Would
I be violating any codes if I made the wall out of a piece of 0.5 inch
CDX or OSB held in place by 1x3 molding at the the top and set into a
groove 3/4" deep routed into the floor at the bottom? I would then
panel both sides with the paneling edges staggering the CDX edges and
use surface mount electrical. I could even use tongue and groove
plywood.

Is there any proper way to make a THIN wall?

Thanks.


Room currently:
|-------------|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|-------------|


Room with hallway:
|-------------|
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|-------------|

To build on the other posts a bit;;How about metal 2x2 track n studs?
You can get shallow electrical boxes if needed for switch/outlet..If
light gauge studs it wo'nt be load bearing but they are easy to work
with and used in commercial construction to build semi-easy to remove
walls below drop-tile ceilings,,the track can be screwed,,glued or
nailed in place,,if all screwed it comes apart easy later..The only bad
thing would be electrical if needed,,You need metal conduit run thru
the holes pre-cut in the studs wich can be a pain sometimes..Just an
alternative to the wood 2x2 idea..Oh yeah,,some sub-floors are only
3/4" thick,,I would'nt cut a groove in the floor either...
Dean

Dean wrote:
wrote:
I have a room which I would like to turn into a hallway and a room.
The problem is that if I stud out a wall the room, with the minimum
width hallway, will be just less than the magical six feet wide. Would
I be violating any codes if I made the wall out of a piece of 0.5 inch
CDX or OSB held in place by 1x3 molding at the the top and set into a
groove 3/4" deep routed into the floor at the bottom? I would then
panel both sides with the paneling edges staggering the CDX edges and
use surface mount electrical. I could even use tongue and groove
plywood.

Is there any proper way to make a THIN wall?

Thanks.


Room currently:
|-------------|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|-------------|


Room with hallway:
|-------------|
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|-------------|

To build on the other posts a bit;;How about metal 2x2 track n studs?
You can get shallow electrical boxes if needed for switch/outlet..If
light gauge studs it wo'nt be load bearing but they are easy to work
with and used in commercial construction to build semi-easy to remove
walls below drop-tile ceilings,,the track can be screwed,,glued or
nailed in place,,if all screwed it comes apart easy later..The only bad
thing would be electrical if needed,,You need metal conduit run thru
the holes pre-cut in the studs wich can be a pain sometimes..Just an
alternative to the wood 2x2 idea..Oh yeah,,some sub-floors are only
3/4" thick,,I would'nt cut a groove in the floor either...
Dean



Just out of curiousity, what is this new room going to be used for?
Around here a room 6 ft wide is called a closet or store room, because
it can't be used for much else. And unless code says something about
a 6 ft minimum, I don't see why the extra few inchs taken up by a wall
being 2" or 4" wide makes much difference.

Lawrence wrote:
Mobile home walls are made with 2x2's skinned on both sides with
plywood. The resulting wall is about 2" thick.

Maybe in some places down south but not in Minnesota. All new mobile
homes built or sold in MN are required to have a 2x6 stud wall just
like a real house. The old ones were built with 2x2's, for sure, and
are still around. The trailer parks still have them, side by side with
the newer ones. When someone abandons one of those old ones they bring
in a trac-hoe to demolish it and haul it away in a dumpster.

Gosh! Times have changed. I lived in a mobile home in North Dakota.
It had 2x2 walls. I was comfy, but I guess oil was cheaper then. 2x6
walls sort of eliminates what little was left of mobile in mobile home.
I bet you transport them for $0.50 a mile anymore either.

GeorgeD wrote:
Lawrence wrote:
Mobile home walls are made with 2x2's skinned on both sides with
plywood. The resulting wall is about 2" thick.

Maybe in some places down south but not in Minnesota. All new mobile
homes built or sold in MN are required to have a 2x6 stud wall just
like a real house. The old ones were built with 2x2's, for sure, and
are still around. The trailer parks still have them, side by side with
the newer ones. When someone abandons one of those old ones they bring
in a trac-hoe to demolish it and haul it away in a dumpster.

Gosh! Times have changed. I lived in a mobile home in North Dakota.
It had 2x2 walls. I was comfy, but I guess oil was cheaper then. 2x6
walls sort of eliminates what little was left of mobile in mobile home.
I bet you transport them for $0.50 a mile anymore either.

LOL, everything was cheaper then and we were younger. The MH's are not
as mobile as they used to be but they are still on wheels and have a
hitch. I had mine moved for $2.50/mile.

It is a specialty and they use a truck which is customized for that
purpose. It has a hydraulic hitch which can be adjusted up and down or
back and forth to get it underneath. Usually you only see brand new
ones being transported to their final resting place. Most in the
trailer parks will sell their house rather than move it.

I don't like my MH but was desperate when I bought it and now it is
paid for. I am thankful I was able to move mine to my 20 acre country
property and didn't get trapped in that terrible place.

The MH's and parks are about the only affordable thing left for low
income folk and there are three generations living side by side in the
trailer park. The **** that goes on with those trailer people is
unbelievable and I was lucky to just get out with my skin.