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Basement stud wall falls between joists?

jjc155 | Posted in Construction Techniques on March 26, 2008 04:23am

I’m finishing my basement and I have run into a small problem. One of my walls that makes up one wall of a short hall to the bath, runs parallel to the floor joist above.

The layout for this wall puts it almost exactly between two joist so I have nothing to nail the top plate too. The joists are engineered “i-beam” type joists. I figure I could just nail up some 2x to the bottom “flange” of the joist perpendicular to their run, so that I could nail the top plate to the 2x then. BUTTTTT this is what I am thinking of doing, so that I have more wiggle room for my drop ceiling install.

Could I cut 2x’s just slightly narrower than the spacing of the joists and then lay them ontop of the bottom flange. Then nail from the side through the web (OSB) part  of the i-beam joist into the end of the 2x’s? this would gain me a couple of inches as the top plate would be above the bottom of the bottom flange (if that makes sense).

Would I run into any problems with this. Unfourtunately I can not bump the wall either way as it is matching up on one end with a corner of my poured basement wall. Is there a way to post a pic in this forum,which I could do if needed (and I can figure out how to).

Any help/ideas/suggestions would be appreciated.

J-

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Replies

  1. User avater
    EricPaulson | Mar 26, 2008 04:31am | #1

    It's getting late in the day...........and this will bump your message up.

    [email protected]

     

     

     

     

  2. MikeSmith | Mar 26, 2008 04:42am | #2

    you can do anything you want...3 or 4 cats should be plenty

    Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
  3. RedfordHenry | Mar 26, 2008 04:47am | #3

    I'd nail the blocking flush with the undersides of the joists then attach the top plate to those blocks.  One every couple of feet should be fine.  I don't see anything wrong with what you suggested, just don't see any advantage since the bottom of the joists will still dictate the height of the finished ceiling, no?

    1. jjc155 | Mar 26, 2008 05:14am | #4

      OK cool thank for the reply. I guess there really is no advantage to going the way that I wanted to go. Some how I was thinking about it in a  wierd way and figured I would gain some ceiling height, not sure why I thought of it that way. Must be the 12 hr shifts at my regular job and then coming home and working in the basement for several hours finally starting to get to me LOL.

      Thanks again for the info.

       

      J-

  4. mike4244 | Mar 26, 2008 05:22am | #5

    Certainly, I do this all the time.You need a cat every 4'-0" or so. Usually cats not needed at each end as you fasten to adjoining walls.I generally screw the cats instead of nailing. I predrill from the cat side so I know where to start the screws.I once shot a nail straight thru a web when I missed the lumber. No harm done, but I used screws in situations like that from then on.

    mike

    1. Riversong | Mar 26, 2008 06:04am | #9

      I do this all the time.You need a cat every 4'-0" or so.

      Really?  What's the advantage of cats over dogs?

      Here's how to "nail" a cat:

      View Image

       

      Riversong HouseWright

      Design *  * Build *  * Renovate *  * ConsultSolar & Super-Insulated Healthy Homes

      Edited 3/25/2008 11:12 pm ET by Riversong

      1. mike4244 | Mar 27, 2008 03:03am | #11

        My wife has a plaque in the kitchen " Dogs have masters, cats have staff".

        mike

    2. SaraJ106 | Mar 27, 2008 03:30am | #12

      good answer

  5. Jim_Allen | Mar 26, 2008 05:31am | #6

    Your idea is safer than driving a lot of spikes through the wood chords.

    Bob's next test date: 12/10/07

  6. jjc155 | Mar 26, 2008 05:56am | #7

    cool thanks for the additional info guys. I really like this site! There are so many knowledgeable people willing to share their brains!

    Thanks

    J-

  7. Riversong | Mar 26, 2008 06:03am | #8

    Could I cut 2x's just slightly narrower than the spacing of the joists and then lay them ontop of the bottom flange.

    No, you'd have to cut the 2xs longer than the joist spacing.

     
    Riversong HouseWright
    Design *  * Build *  * Renovate *  * Consult
    Solar & Super-Insulated Healthy Homes
    1. jjc155 | Mar 26, 2008 06:09am | #10

      yeah that is what I meant, poor writen communication on my part

      Thanks

      J-

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