Quonset hut build

[joshua4511111]

I'm going to erect a quonset style hut which I will be using as my residence. The question I have has to do with attaching 2 X 4's (horizontally on 16: centers) to the building (steel master building) for nailing up wallboard. The way steel master indicated that the wood would be attached was using a coupling nut, threaded rod, countersunk holes in 2X4), addition nuts, cutting off excess threaded rod etc. Bottom line, it would be VERY labor intensive and I expect will take 20 minutes to make one attachment of the wood to the metal arches...(the building will be 32 X 70) Considering that it will take AN HOUR to attach one 14 ft 2 X 4... THATS A LOT OF TIME, EFFORT AND ENERGY. Does anyone have any suggestions at to how to efficiently attach 2 X 4's (horizontally every 16 inches for attaching wallboard). Surely somebody on this forum has 'built out' or had some type of 'finished walls for these steel buildings.

 

[Zeke]

You can do this in few ways. A few ways to do and a few different ways to do what they suggest. Allthread will save you a small amount of money, but buying the right carriage bolt in bulk won't cost much more. Use multiple drill motors set up for each operation and work off a rolling stage you can pull yourself along. Shouldn't take even 5 minutes per attachment.

Now, about different ways to do this: maybe self tapping hex head sheet metal screws will penetrate the steel. Sometimes you have to pre-drill not just a pilot hole, but one almost the size of the screw. Manufacturers can give you testing resutls.

In any case, start your hole with a spade bit to get the countersink you need. You can buy stops for these bits. Use the pilot hole produced by the paddle bit to start your pre-drill hole. With self tappers, you could get by with 2 drills and an impact driver or 3 drills. I think 3 drills total will do the bolts or alltread too.

Use corded drill motors when you can except for short easy-load drilling like the countersink. Lots of torque and they run all day.

Now, the question is, how are you gonna hang that drywall? I think the firring strips are the lesser of the two jobs. Most likely you are going to go with 3/8ths slightly damp and do 2 layers. I guess you could use 1/4" for the top layer. Be sure to stagger.

For a bullet proof job, one-coat tape the first layer. Skip the screws.

 

[joshua4511111]

actually I am thinking of wetting the back of the wall board (damp NOT superwet) to facilitate bowing or bending the board. I would wet the board, suspend it between two 8 inch cinder blocks and allow it to "bow' or curve' approximately what I will need. Will nail into the 2 X 4's but not SET the holes for filling in with joint compound. After drying for day, should be able to set nail heads and tape and float.... I HOPE. wish me luck and thanks for your input on attaching the wood to metal building

 

[Garage Dog]

actually I am thinking of wetting the back of the wall board (damp NOT superwet) to facilitate bowing or bending the board. I would wet the board, suspend it between two 8 inch cinder blocks and allow it to "bow' or curve' approximately what I will need. Will nail into the 2 X 4's but not SET the holes for filling in with joint compound. After drying for day, should be able to set nail heads and tape and float.... I HOPE. wish me luck and thanks for your input on attaching the wood to metal building

I may have misunderstood about setting nail heads, but I would not be using nails to rock a curved surface. (or any other surface other than edges and corners)

Sheetrock screws have 10x the holding power after years of expansion and contraction.

 

[TurnipTruck]

I used several hundred "Z" sheetmetal brackets to space the 1x4 lath 8" in from the peaks, but I put on panelling or pegboard (or aluminum sheet over the weld bench. The lath is carriage bolted to the Z brackets.

 

[willymakeit]

Can you use tek self tappers and hat channel? Just curious.