cutting bottom of metal studs of free-standing wall
I’m doing an waterproofing job, digging a drain tile and sump pump on the inside of my finished music studio. But the job is complicated because in order the dig the trench i need to cut the drywall and studs about 18 inches up to access the floor. However the stud assembly is free standing, so I’m worried that cutting the studs will collapse the entire assembly, especially since there are 3 layers of 5/8 drywall hanging from those studs.
A bit more detail: This is the inside of a garage music studio, designed to isolate rock-band noise from the neighbors. The sound designer created a “room within a room” so that none of the studio’s interior walls (drywall) or their studs would be touching anything on the other side of those studs (i.e., the exterior walls/studs). The design required an 8″ inch airgap between the interior wall steel studs and the exterior wall 2×4 studs. This would ensure that minimal sound waves could travel from interior to the exterior. Becauue there could be no physical contact between the interior wall and the exterior walls or studs or rafters, etc, the interior steel stud assembly had to be free-standing. So the contractor erected steel studs around the inside perimeter, and didn’t tie them into anything. The only thing holding them in place were the bottom and top tracks. (The top track is not attached to anything either. It’s just being held up by the studs.) He then hung the 3 staggered layers of 5/8″ on to that assembly. He also built ceiling assembly this way that is totally separate from the wall assembly. The ceiling dryall is hanging off rubber isomax clips.
The waterproofer needs to cut the drywall about 18″ up, remove the bottom track and cut the bottom of the studs about 18″ up to dig the trench. Typically when he does these jobs, he cuts the lower part of the studs, but because they are tied into part of the exterior wall they don’t fall down. In my case when the studs are cut, I fear the free-standing assembly would collapse under the weight of all that remaining drywall. In fact, would the cut studs even stay up if there were zero drywall hanging from them? I’ve asked the waterproofer about this and he isn’t sure.
Many thanks,
John
Replies
You're saying you have a wall inside the perimeter of your garage that's not attached to anything and just stands on the floor with 3 layers of drywall hanging on it and you're asking if you can cut the bottom off of it and if it will stay up? Would it not just be floating in the air at that point? Do you mean will it hang off the ceiling joists along with the ceiling? What am I missing?
If the top track is attached to the ceiling joists directly it would just buckle and bend.
That's nice of you to build a sound-proof room so your neighbors don't hear you though.
Exactly. I thought perhaps the waterproofer had an alternate take on the laws of physics. Wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy. It's not attached to the ceiling joists.
Many thanks!
Not saying it would work but. If I was asked to do this job I might give this some thought.
Remove the drywall however high you need to do the below. Perhaps while still staggering your fill in later, make each layer of drywall so as I not to generate waste patching it back in. That’s if there’s any easy way to remove each layer.....
Now the studs need cut. Fasten another steel track (3-5/8 or wider) to each stud laterally and on the flat. Not a header but should allow you to cut the studs below. The drywall as “sheathing” and the flat lateral header just might hold it up. Along with this, drop some temporary kickers below that “header” to the floor moving them as he needs access to work.
Putting it back together? More thought.
Did you contact the original builder and seek advice?
If any of the advice you get here works, how slipping us a cd?