I’m building a standalone wall that is 9′ long x 7’6″ high x 22″ deep between a living room and dining room. It will hold a woodburning fireplace and built-in entertainment unit. The ceiling is 9′. I will have to box out something between the top of the unit and the ceiling for a chimney (which is 8″ round) and a plumbing stack. The unit is currently framed, and will have plywood sheathing (covered with stone veneer), which will give it some rigidity, but my main concern is with lateral bracing. Because there is a boxed out section containing the chimney and plumbing stack (perhaps 3′ wide x 14″ deep), I can use some type of bracing to tie the unit in to the ceiling. Has anyone any suggestions or information about how best to accomplish this? Crossed metal straps bolted to the unit and the floor joists above, for example?
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Replies
If I understand your question correctly, what you're essentially building is a long, tall, narrow box (or room, if you will). If you sheet the walls with plywood, that will serve as "lateral" bracing. The only other thing I can tell you to do is to put some anchor bolts in for the sill.
If I didn't read your post right, try to post a picture.
Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
Ditto jason. Sounds like a simple problem. Sheath at least one side and one end with ply, glued and screwed, and anchor it well to the floor.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
You've got it right -- it's a long tall box. Anchor bolts sounds like a good idea, I'll try that. Thanks, Peter
Graet, and you're welcome! Let us know if it works out for ya.Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
If you can tie into the ceiling framing, a piece of steel "L", will serve as a vertical strongback and you can sneak it with whatever else you're running perhaps. I believe sole plate anchors are most effective in shear and uplift. Stress against the top of the wall (someone leaning on it) turns the wall into a lever, with the mechanical advantage against the bolts. Perhaps all threads with turnbuckles may create enough compression, through tensioning the all threads pulling the wall's toplate towards the floor, to override or at least minimize lateral leverage against the wall?