Basement finishing sometimes requires putting up a stud wall. Tailing up the studs that will form the structural support for the new walls of your remodeling job is a highly satisfactory task. It will be accomplished quickly.
The next task when basement finishing with a stud wall is to measure along an existing wall to the point where the new partition will connect. Drive a nail into the floor at this spot. Tie one end of a chalk line onto the nail. What's a chalk line? It's a length of tough builder's twine that's been rubbed across a big lump of carpenter's chalk. If you want to get fancy, you can buy the same deal on a little reel affair that is filled with chalk dust. In either form the gadget is a very handy marking device.
Reel off enough chalk line to take you out to the end of your new partition wall. At this point, you really need an assistant to hold the line taut; sometimes basement finishing requires more than two hands. Place a large 2238carpenter's square so that one leg lines up with the old wall and the corner of the square rests up against the nail that you've just driven into the floor. Jockey your line back and forth until it is aligned perfectly with the other leg of the square. Stretch it taut, pull it up at the center and let it snap down to make a neat chalk line along the floor.
The next step in your basement finishing is to place a 2x4 flat side down on the floor and line it up carefully with the chalk stripe. This hunk of wood is called a shoe and it forms the base of your new partition wall. Fasten the wood using 16-penny nails spaced about 16 in. apart. It's a good idea to stagger them slightly in a wavy line so you don't split the timber. That's a handy tip to remember when doing other basement finishing tasks such as with the ceiling and so on.
Naturally, if you're fastening to a concrete floor, the procedure gets a little more complicated. Incidentally, don't bother cutting the shoe to allow for a door opening. Just continue right across, but don't nail at this point. Later, when you've framed in the opening for the door (and have tripped over the lumber three or four times), you can saw out the excess wood. Hopefully, there won't be too much excess if you are doing your basement finishing on a tight budget.
Next, carefully measure the distance between the top of the shoe and the ceiling. Cut a straight 2x4 to this exact length and nail to the wall where the new partition meets the existing wall. Be sure to place a level alongside the wood and jockey it back and forth until you get it absolutely straight up and down before tacking it into place. If you do your basement finishing with precision you'll get a much more satisfactory result.
Measure for the 2x4 that will form the top support of the new wall and cut it to size. This piece is called a plate. Get a friend to hang onto one end of the plate while you nail the other end to the ceiling right next to the old wall. Line it up carefully with the upright stud that you've already fastened in place. At this point the plate is only fastened at one end and it can pivot back and forth on this nail. If your friend weren't holding the other end, it would probably fall down on your head and basement finishing isn't quite as fun when you've got a bruise to worry about.
Select a nice straight 2x4. It should be long enough to reach from floor to ceiling minus about 1 in. Sight along the side of the timber to make sure that it's straight because this piece of wood is a measuring stick of sorts. Here's how to use it for your basement finishing task.
Rest the bottom end of your measuring stick against the side of the shoe. Hold it in place with your foot. The top edge of this timber rests against the side of the plate and you hold it there with your hand. With your other hand, hold a level flat against the side of the measuring stick.
Jockey the whole works back and forth until the bubble in the level is centered, then nail the loose end of the plate to the ceiling. If you've been lucky enough to locate an absolutely straight stud as a measuring stick, mark it carefully and put it aside so that you can use it for the same job later on. That'll make your basement finishing easier.
You should end up with a satisfactory stud wall.
---------------------------------------------
Planning To Set Up One Of Your Own Home Theater Screens On Your Basement Wall?
I've Got Some Perfect Advice To Help You Select The Right Home Theater Screen.
Click Here For Free Ideas: http://www.finishedbasement.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment