Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 26, 2000 02:54am | #1

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   Hate to tell you this, Steve, but unless you've discovered that elusive tool, the board stretcher/straightener, the easiest way is going to be to replace the studs.

   Second choice would be to get out your tablesaw and run firring strips through it to get the different size strips you will need to face the old studs with.

   Third choice: Maybe put a whole new wall up against the existing one. You'll lose an extra 2 1/2 inches from the room.

   That's a lot of trouble and probably not worth it. I would just use a few shims to get the worst of it out, and to get the drywall to hang right.

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 26, 2000 03:08am | #2

   *interior walls, string and block them at the midpoint..cut any offending studs at the maximum point of curvature, straighten them and nail a scab on the side to keep them there...exterior walls.. string and block them at the mid-point.. and rip shims to bring them out ... or mark the offending bow with a straight edge and rip it off with a skill saw..or get your plasterere in and show him and ask him which one he wants shimmed or can he guage it with his skim coat? not using skim-coat plaster? shim and get it as straight as possible..or don't look at the walls... or make sure your lighting is not a "wall-washer " type because this is the light that shows all the imperfections.

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 26, 2000 04:04am | #3

   *LOL Your methods and mine are more often than not almost identical. Sometimes I don't even bother responding to a post because you have already said what I would've. This time it's different. It looks like you've fixed a lot more bowed/skewed/warped walls than I have. That's alright tho, that is experience I am glad to be without. hahaha

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 26, 2000 04:08am | #4

   *it's the hat , Luka, we're in synch, 'cept when you get up on the wrong side a the bed and get yours on backwards...when that happens , you got two choices...go thru the day backwards....or go back to bed and start over.....

2. 
   Tim_Brennan | Mar 26, 2000 04:20am | #5

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   What's the best tool to use to cut lally columns? Would it be better to rent or to buy this tool?

3. 
   Guest_ | Mar 26, 2000 04:25am | #6

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   My .02 cents worth, to get a nice straight wall, remove any blocking between your studs, sister new studs (2x6 preferrably) to the old, string line them and be done with it. This is also a nice solution because you can go from an R11 to R19 insulation. Remember to install new blocking and between studs against the sheathing and possibly nail through the blocking into exterior sheathing to secure it in place. The buildings I am used to renovating are usually 1xrandom width rough sawn planks for the sheathing, interior and exterior. Dont know if this helps, but it works for me :)

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 26, 2000 04:35am | #7

   *Tim, the best tool is a 4" pipe cutter...want to rent mine?

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 26, 2000 05:55am | #8

   *Steve,I'm assuming that your going to use drywall otherwise why bother right? Duh.We straighten out studs in new construction with a straight edge and a hand held power plane. Just lay the straight edge horizontal against the wall, find the high spots and plane them down. If the studs are so bad that this method won't solve the problem, then you may have to replace some of them.Good luck, (and watch out for nails)Ed. Williams

4. 
   Carl_Pfeiffer | Mar 26, 2000 06:07am | #9

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   Steve, If you are working on an exterior wall and don't have much difference between the studs(1/2" or so)you can use cardboard shims available at drywall suppliers. When I straightened one of my walls I ran string lines at the bottom, middle and top of the wall and shimmed the studs to the strings. Be sure to use fastners that will get through your wall covering and the shims.

5. 
   Guest_ | Mar 26, 2000 10:49am | #10

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   Steve, you have already received a good bit of advice. I'm a cut and nail type guy (depending on load conditions) too.

   Keep in mind Steve, that when you "hang" the drywall, that a good quality (most) adhesive will bfidge 3/8". So, on the low spots, make sure you have a good three inch dollop, and don't pound (or screw) the drywall tight. After the adhesive sets up, you will have a fundamentally sound, straight wall, without being too picky.

   blue

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 26, 2000 02:23pm | #11

   *When I added a closet in our old house, I faced the same problem. On the studs that were bowed b out,I marked a line and planed them down. (Basically what Steve already said) On the studs that were bowedin,I figured out where I was going to place the drywall screws first. Then I used door shims and/or wood blocks to build the studs out to where they should be in those locations. Not a lot of fun, but it got the job done.

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 26, 2000 06:11pm | #12

   *I worked for an old timer once that had us power plane the high spots and shim the low spots with progressivly shorter strips of 15# felt, actually went a lot faster than I expected. Chuck

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 27, 2000 01:18am | #13

   *Yep, i use felt for shimming quite a lot. you can rip it with a knife into long strips the width you want, and just fold it into itself to the exact width you need each time. It is fast and easy, quiet, and obviously you can nail or screw through it without splittling!But generally for this application I'd string and block the walls or add strapping and string that off.MD

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   Guest_ | Mar 27, 2000 02:03am | #14

   *All the advice given works in various situations, but what I usually do is slice into the stud at the apex of the bow, with a jig saw, or circ saw or recpro sawb but not right through. .. then I pull it or push it enough to flex it to a straight edge or string line so I can then insert a previously sized shim into the kerf with some glue for good measure, then I nail a scab or two, depending upon bearing load, onto either side.If the stud bows away, you have to open up the front, pulling it towards you, or driving in a shim pulls it straight. .. if it bows in, you open up the back (sawzall time).Power planning is way too messy and laborious even for me!

2. 
   Guest_ | Mar 27, 2000 02:20am | #15

   *If you are talking larger areas, I like to use resilient channel ( RC channel ). It may be called sound channel by some. Comes in 12' lengths, costs about $1.65 each, and is rigid enough to show the high and low areas without needing to use any other straight edges. I've found that if you nail it tight to the high spots, you can nail it loose at the dips ( similar to how you nail off vinyl siding ) and it will give a good flat surface. Two things though, obviously the dry wall must be screwed and you have to decide how you are going to attach the trim. Either use trim screws into the metal channel or wood furring strips along the base and around windows and doors.I find this works better than trying to attach dry wall directly to the old ( and usually incredibly hard ) studs weather they are shimmed or planed.

6. 
   Scott_Chadbourne | Mar 27, 2000 03:26am | #16

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   I always use Patrick's method. Just above the saw kerf I drive a 16d sinker into the stud about 1-1/2" . As I pull down on the 16d sinker with a ripping hammer the kerf closes up and I nail the scab on the side of the stud with another hammer [or cordless driver with some 3" drywall screws already started in the scab]. This method also works [less the kerf,usually] on plates on those "rare" occations the lumberyard accidently sends less than perfect plate material.

7. 
   Guest_ | Mar 27, 2000 04:29am | #17

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   That's how I was taught to do it and I was wondering if anyone still bothered. Seems that the quality of framing lumber makes it more important than ever at the same time it is becoming more cost prohibitive. In the older homes with two coat plaster this wasn't as critical and the plaster grounds caught a lot of the problem. Skip

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 27, 2000 04:45am | #18

   *Back in the day, the old boys building the best houses used felt shims to flatten walls, and more intrusive methods where necessary.

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 30, 2000 08:01pm | #19

   *Steve,Drywall distributors also supply dense cardboard shims for leveling. I use them all the time in remodeling. They're 1/8" and I've used up the three on any given stud/joist to get out the rock and roll. Just compensate with a screw that gets 1" of bite.I do agree that, if in a cold climate, firfing out the walls w/ 2"x2"s is the way to go. Lay them across the wall horozontally and you will eliminate almost all of the thermo-bridging. Center then to work with your sheetrock and use 2"x4"s on edge for the butt joint betwwen sheets.David Taylor

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 01, 2000 03:45pm | #21

   *Haven't seen this mentioned,bbut here's what I was taught. notch the offending stud for a 2x6 block at midway. Nail a block between the two studs next to it. Nail one side,then pull the stud straight and nail the other side. You end up straightening the bad stud and slightly moving its neighbors to put a gentle bow in the wall over four feet instead of 16".

8. 
   Steve_Greenhill | Apr 01, 2000 03:45pm | #20

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   Remodeling an old house going to be removing lath and plaster. Curious on how to straighten out all of the studs faces so they are even going down the wall.