Just framed some soffits around basement ductwork last week. The frames are just 2×2’s but are sheathed on the topside with 1/4″ baltic birch plywood.
The frames are quite light but were also strong and straight.
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Nice. Would 5.2mm luan have done the job, rather than the BB? My guess is that the luan would have been quite a savings.
Why the skin at all?
The 5mm 5-ply birch was $12/sheet and much stiffer than the 3-ply luan which is about the same price here (but a 4x8 vs the smaller 4x5 birch).Some of these soffits are 42" spans and the 2x2 stock is so goofy that I wanted to add strength and keep things straight. It worked well enough that I'll use this method again.
I'm scratching my bean trying to figure out why? If you needed the stability to keep things straight, there are cheaper plywoods.
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I probably spent an extra $40 on the underlayment grade birch (10 sheets) vs. luan. I just thought the extra stiffness was good...maybe overkill though.
Why did you put the ply on the soffit joists rather than the studs? That would provide some strength to the floor above.
Troy Sprout
Square, Level & Plumb Renovations
Hi there, I like using steel studs for framing soffits. There cheap and will not warp. Sorry about the picture size.
Bruce
I`m on dialup.....just thinking about opening that pic is slowing my computer. (LOL)
I prefer metal studs as well. Quick, cheap,strong, straight, lightweight, easy.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
now I've seen pics of your handiwork basswood, but hack in a #### now has you beat .. and is in serious need of a life!!
Life? Customer's attic is over those trusses. He also hates "bouncy" anything. Big loads need Big support.
He wanted soffits in the master bedroom. He asked if I could find a way to add support to the floor above without adding loads over the old 2x8 window headers on each side of the room.
I proposed this and he accepted. Then he paid "time". Everyone's happy! Good for Life.
BTW All the webbing is salvage from the teardown.
Troy Sprout
Square, Level & Plumb Renovations
I did not need to stiffen the floor. I just wanted to get straighter stronger soffits (SSS). The skin on top will both keep the 2x2's in line and keep the weight of drywall from causing a saggy soffit, even at 42".Your soffits look both sturdy and well done.
Not to hijack this thread but I have a question for all you folks who build soffits to hide plumbing-heating runs.
Does you inspector require you to fire block the soffit? From the couple of sets of pictures on this thread it does not look like they are fire blocked. I had an inspector out and we talked about my plan to build a soffit around the plumbing run and he said something like, 'Ya have to fire block that you know....' My question is how would I fireblock a soffit with a 3" abs drain line, a 6" round heating duct and misc romex running inside it?
Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
Stuff it with the green fire stop insulation?
Stuff it with the green fire stop insulation?
Ok, I'm game. That's a new one to me. What is is, who makes it?
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Seriously? Here in MA we have to stuff any floor penetrations with it that are too big to close with firestopping caulk or mortar. So when the plumber cuts out half a sheet of plywood to fit his tub drain, the hole gets stuffed with the green insulation.
There's many different manufacturers. It's not slag wool or rock wool, but it replaced those products so some guys still call it by those names. I just hear it referred to as "fire stopping insulation... you know, the green stuff". It comes in bundles or batts and has a "chunkier" consistency than the pink. Don't know what it's made of but it makes me itchier than heck.
Funny you should ask. I just had to buy some today. I actually bought some mineral wool insulation. I needed about three handfuls of course its only sold in bales and not handfuls. The stuff I got is about 2'x4'x2" sheets that can be broken up or used as they come.
Its very itchy seems worse than fiberglas. I found it at a insulation supply house the big boxes dont carry it.
LOL. I've got a big azz bale of it in the basement with about three handfuls missing. It'll probably be there until I die. Slowly getting smaller..... about three handfuls at a time.
What's the brand name of the stuff you got.
Cant remember the brand name. It was to cold to read while I tossed it in the truck. Its gray if that helps you at all. It looked pretty generic.
Edited 12/2/2005 10:48 pm ET by MSA1
I've done this many times. But I've found using simple 1/2" CDX seems to work well, although I usually don't span more than 24". The problem with 1/4" ply is that you can't really screw your drywall into it. And I'm not sure about using steel studs, unless you've got lots of headroom. 2X2's and plywood can limit this headroom loss to an absolute minimum, if planned carefully.
BruceM