Follow-up question on my garage conversion project.

I am converting my garage into a family room. Existing garage has a
2x4 frame. Existing foundation sticks out several inches further than
existing frame. Wife doesn't want a shelf or ledge on a particular
side. She wants the drywall to run continuous floor to ceiling.

To make up this distance between the existing frame and the
foundation, I want to "sister" a 2x4 onto the existing 2x4 joice, thus
making a 2x8.

What is the correct method for "sistering" 2x4's together like this?
How would I nail them together?

Thanks,

Chris

I want to "sister" a 2x4 onto the existing 2x4 joice, thus
making a 2x8.

I meant wall stud, not joist.

If I sister a 2x6 next to the existing 2x4 frame (nailing into the 2"
overlap), then won't my 16"OC be messed up?

Thanks

wrldruler wrote:
Follow-up question on my garage conversion project.

I am converting my garage into a family room. Existing garage has a
2x4 frame. Existing foundation sticks out several inches further than
existing frame. Wife doesn't want a shelf or ledge on a particular
side. She wants the drywall to run continuous floor to ceiling.

To make up this distance between the existing frame and the
foundation, I want to "sister" a 2x4 onto the existing 2x4 joice, thus
making a 2x8.

What is the correct method for "sistering" 2x4's together like this?
How would I nail them together?

Thanks,

Chris
WITH A HAMMER

On 8/24/2008 4:20 PM wrldruler spake thus:

Follow-up question on my garage conversion project.

I am converting my garage into a family room. Existing garage has a
2x4 frame. Existing foundation sticks out several inches further than
existing frame. Wife doesn't want a shelf or ledge on a particular
side. She wants the drywall to run continuous floor to ceiling.

To make up this distance between the existing frame and the
foundation, I want to "sister" a 2x4 onto the existing 2x4 joice, thus
making a 2x8.

What is the correct method for "sistering" 2x4's together like this?
How would I nail them together?

Rather than a "joice" (I assume you meant to type "joist"), sounds like
you're talking about the wall studs and the bottom and top plates, right?

Normally when sistering, you double the *thickness* of the framing
member, not the width. For instance, with 2x4s, you'd nail new 2x4s onto
the flat side, making 4x4s. Sounds like you're talking about making a
double wall. I suppose this could be done, but it seems you'd need to
connect the two sets of 2x4s together to make a (virtual) 2x8, and I'm
not sure whether this can be done legally, or how one would do it.


--
"In 1964 Barry Goldwater declared: 'Elect me president, and I
will bomb the cities of Vietnam, defoliate the jungles, herd the
population into concentration camps and turn the country into a
wasteland.' But Lyndon Johnson said: 'No! No! No! Don't you dare do
that. Let ME do it.'"

- Characterization (paraphrased) of the 1964 Goldwater/Johnson
presidential race by Professor Irwin Corey, "The World's Foremost
Authority".

"wrldruler" wrote in message
...
Follow-up question on my garage conversion project.

I am converting my garage into a family room. Existing garage has a
2x4 frame. Existing foundation sticks out several inches further than
existing frame. Wife doesn't want a shelf or ledge on a particular
side. She wants the drywall to run continuous floor to ceiling.

To make up this distance between the existing frame and the
foundation, I want to "sister" a 2x4 onto the existing 2x4 joice, thus
making a 2x8.

What is the correct method for "sistering" 2x4's together like this?
How would I nail them together?

Thanks,

Chris



Just build another 2" x 4" wall in front of the existing. You can tie the
two walls together with small blocks (2" x 4" x 7") from stud to stud. The
new wall will not be load bearing. It will only need to support the weight
of the drywall. You could use metal studs for this.

"John Grabowski" wrote in message
...

"wrldruler" wrote in message
...
Follow-up question on my garage conversion project.

I am converting my garage into a family room. Existing garage has a
2x4 frame. Existing foundation sticks out several inches further than
existing frame. Wife doesn't want a shelf or ledge on a particular
side. She wants the drywall to run continuous floor to ceiling.

To make up this distance between the existing frame and the
foundation, I want to "sister" a 2x4 onto the existing 2x4 joice, thus
making a 2x8.

What is the correct method for "sistering" 2x4's together like this?
How would I nail them together?

Thanks,

Chris



Just build another 2" x 4" wall in front of the existing. You can tie the
two walls together with small blocks (2" x 4" x 7") from stud to stud.
The new wall will not be load bearing. It will only need to support the
weight of the drywall. You could use metal studs for this.

John has given you the correct answer. This really isn't sistering.

If you live in a really cold climate consider not aligning the studs and
insulate the exterior portion with unfaced insulation before you build the
new wall. Then used faced insulation on the new stud wall. This will allow
you to have have something like R-25 in the exterior walls with no direct
wood in contact with the outside sheathing. Many house were built that way
in the last "energy crisis".

It also allows you to correct any OC problems for the interior finish.

Colbyt

"wrldruler" wrote

I am converting my garage into a family room. Existing garage has a
2x4 frame. Existing foundation sticks out several inches further than
existing frame. Wife doesn't want a shelf or ledge on a particular
side. She wants the drywall to run continuous floor to ceiling.

Hehe tell her to help make it then. (evil grin). Yeah I know, she's not
gonna right?

To make up this distance between the existing frame and the
foundation, I want to "sister" a 2x4 onto the existing 2x4 joice, thus
making a 2x8.

What is the correct method for "sistering" 2x4's together like this?
How would I nail them together?

Wording a wee bit wrong but I know what you mean. I'd use metal plates that
span the 2 after nailing them together. Dont get cheap with the nails of
the metal plates. You want something really solid so a metal plate every 6
inches on both sides might be a good investment. (12 would probably work
but I'd go overkill here as they are cheap).

This will have one advantage. You can make some really nice recessed
bookshelves if you want to, with this sort of wall as it will be deeper.

"cshenk" wrote in message
...
"wrldruler" wrote

I am converting my garage into a family room. Existing garage has a
2x4 frame. Existing foundation sticks out several inches further than
existing frame. Wife doesn't want a shelf or ledge on a particular
side. She wants the drywall to run continuous floor to ceiling.

Hehe tell her to help make it then. (evil grin). Yeah I know, she's not
gonna right?


Also point out that the windows will be set in a deep tunnel. She may not
like that look.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

Also point out that the windows will be set in a deep tunnel. She may not
like that look.

Andy writes:
It occurred to me that might be a good opportunity for "window
seats"
giving a "stepped" look to the increased depth.

And the recessed bookcase idea is a very good one. If you do this
when you are building, it isn't much of a problem. I did this when I
put a wall where a door used to be, and it worked out well.

Also you might consider recessed appliances, such as a TV,
microwave,
or even a Murphy bed.....

This double wall thing opens up a lot of imaginative options.......

Andy in Eureka, Texas

John,

I like your "double wall" solution. I'm guessing here that he did not
plan to install a floor but just cover up the concrete or asphalt. He
should, I think, consider a floor. The room will be much nicer with a floor
and the floor will hide the foundation shelf.

Dave M.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote
"cshenk" wrote

2x4 frame. Existing foundation sticks out several inches further than
existing frame. Wife doesn't want a shelf or ledge on a particular
side. She wants the drywall to run continuous floor to ceiling.

Hehe tell her to help make it then. (evil grin). Yeah I know, she's not
gonna right?


Also point out that the windows will be set in a deep tunnel. She may
not like that look.

Actually if I follow him right, the only windows go where the garage door is
now. That wall wont have the cinderblocking so a non-issue. Now the back
wall that gets the patio door? That I gather does and he'll have to take
that cinderblocking down so it's a level to the outside situation. They had
to do that here with the sunroom (code issue they said). A 6 inch or so
small block sill had to come out.

"Andy" wrote

It occurred to me that might be a good opportunity for "window
seats"
giving a "stepped" look to the increased depth.

He'd have to actually bring the bottom part out a fair amount to get that I
think? I dont have the origional but my impression was a 2-3 inch
differential.

And the recessed bookcase idea is a very good one. If you do this
when you are building, it isn't much of a problem. I did this when I
put a wall where a door used to be, and it worked out well.

I loved it in that one apartment!

Also you might consider recessed appliances, such as a TV,
microwave,
or even a Murphy bed.....

This double wall thing opens up a lot of imaginative options.......

True! Making it deeper with an added 2x4 means he can have a suitable shelf
depth of about 6 inches with ease. Nice little display case or smaller
paperbacks would work well. I'd sort of match them in placement much like
one would do a window (he mentioned only putting windows on the garage door
portion).

Reasonable guess is there isnt a cinderblock edge up on the side attached to
the house so it's either the long exterior wall he''s thinking to bring out
(will give him that shelf depth to make it more usable), or the back shorter
section where he's planned a patio door.

I'd be interested in his patio door plans and how he's going to deal with
the probably load bearing cinderblocks back there to get the patio door in?

"David L. Martel" wrote

I like your "double wall" solution. I'm guessing here that he did not
plan to install a floor but just cover up the concrete or asphalt. He
should, I think, consider a floor. The room will be much nicer with a
floor and the floor will hide the foundation shelf.

Actually he mentioned a floor. A 2-3 inch depth so I took it as a standard
framing then plywood and probably tile or carpet over it.

"Colbyt" wrote in message
...

"John Grabowski" wrote in message
...

"wrldruler" wrote in message
...
Follow-up question on my garage conversion project.

I am converting my garage into a family room. Existing garage has a
2x4 frame. Existing foundation sticks out several inches further than
existing frame. Wife doesn't want a shelf or ledge on a particular
side. She wants the drywall to run continuous floor to ceiling.

To make up this distance between the existing frame and the
foundation, I want to "sister" a 2x4 onto the existing 2x4 joice, thus
making a 2x8.

What is the correct method for "sistering" 2x4's together like this?
How would I nail them together?

Thanks,

Chris



Just build another 2" x 4" wall in front of the existing. You can tie
the two walls together with small blocks (2" x 4" x 7") from stud to
stud. The new wall will not be load bearing. It will only need to
support the weight of the drywall. You could use metal studs for this.

John has given you the correct answer. This really isn't sistering.

If you live in a really cold climate consider not aligning the studs and
insulate the exterior portion with unfaced insulation before you build the
new wall. Then used faced insulation on the new stud wall. This will
allow you to have have something like R-25 in the exterior walls with no
direct wood in contact with the outside sheathing. Many house were built
that way in the last "energy crisis".

It also allows you to correct any OC problems for the interior finish.

Colbyt


Building a second but separate wall inside the existing wall is also a good
method of reducing noise.