fifth
Well-known member
Quick framing question... I'm building 14' walls, I'm using 2x6x14's and they all measure between. 14' 1/2 to 14' 5/8... Should I cut all the studs to 14' or will the small difference is length cause problems??
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Wall stud height
- Thread starter fifth
- Start date
mldittmer
Member
Well, if you want true 14' walls, don't forget to take into account the bottom plate and the double top plate. That is an additional 4 1/2 inches in itself.
matt_i
Well-known member
I frame like a trim carpenter, so yes, I'd cut them the same. If you had a jig setup on sawhorses with a stop and a mitersaw you could make hay on this job. Couple of sheets of plywood temporarily joined together with framing underneath as the base.
with 14 footers your gonna have some crowning.
i betcha that if you turn them up on edge and measure one then flip it and measure the opposite edge you'll get two different measurements.
check each stud for crown and build your wall with the crowns all facing the same direction.
i betcha that if you turn them up on edge and measure one then flip it and measure the opposite edge you'll get two different measurements.
check each stud for crown and build your wall with the crowns all facing the same direction.
RocketScott
Well-known member
Cut them at 165"
That gives you a plate height of 14' 1-1/2", the sheeting will work out best that way*. If you can, get 10' sheets for the first course and 4x8 sheets to finish at the top. Set your plywood 3/4" up off the bottom of the sill plate. The top of plate will be 3/4" above the top of the sheet, allowing for the truss tail to run over it (If you're doing hand cut rafters that's not as important since you'll need to run sheeting higher than the top plate)
If you can't get 10' sheets the wall height will still work so you can rip sheets in half and use both pieces. I frame where there are seismic codes and all sheeting edges need to be nailed. I try to minimize the amount of edges that don't land on studs or plates. Running sheets vertically is more than acceptable, it's actually stronger that way.
Solid point about the crowning by buddyboy. Yes you should do that, I crown them out (who doesn't want more interior space?). That last part was a joke, but yes, you should crown the studs.
For cutting them it's fastest to cut them on the stack. Moving them to a miter saw and then again to a wall, or another stack then the wall, is slow. However, if you can't get good accuracy with a circular saw it might be a better option to set up a chop saw. See what works best for you. I'm pretty accurate with a worm drive saw but I've been using one for 20+ years and during the summer my forearms look like Popeye's. Also keep in mind that precut studs from a mill will vary +/- 1/8" and your concrete varies as well. It's all about tolerance. If you want to be super accurate check the foundation with a laser and cut the studs accordingly.
*in standard framing an 8' wall is actually supposed to be 8' 1-1/8" but ends up ~8' 1-1/4" in the real world.
That gives you a plate height of 14' 1-1/2", the sheeting will work out best that way*. If you can, get 10' sheets for the first course and 4x8 sheets to finish at the top. Set your plywood 3/4" up off the bottom of the sill plate. The top of plate will be 3/4" above the top of the sheet, allowing for the truss tail to run over it (If you're doing hand cut rafters that's not as important since you'll need to run sheeting higher than the top plate)
If you can't get 10' sheets the wall height will still work so you can rip sheets in half and use both pieces. I frame where there are seismic codes and all sheeting edges need to be nailed. I try to minimize the amount of edges that don't land on studs or plates. Running sheets vertically is more than acceptable, it's actually stronger that way.
Solid point about the crowning by buddyboy. Yes you should do that, I crown them out (who doesn't want more interior space?). That last part was a joke, but yes, you should crown the studs.
For cutting them it's fastest to cut them on the stack. Moving them to a miter saw and then again to a wall, or another stack then the wall, is slow. However, if you can't get good accuracy with a circular saw it might be a better option to set up a chop saw. See what works best for you. I'm pretty accurate with a worm drive saw but I've been using one for 20+ years and during the summer my forearms look like Popeye's. Also keep in mind that precut studs from a mill will vary +/- 1/8" and your concrete varies as well. It's all about tolerance. If you want to be super accurate check the foundation with a laser and cut the studs accordingly.
*in standard framing an 8' wall is actually supposed to be 8' 1-1/8" but ends up ~8' 1-1/4" in the real world.
SH7mi
Well-known member
Cut them at 165"
That gives you a plate height of 14' 1-1/2", the sheeting will work out best that way*. If you can, get 10' sheets for the first course and 4x8 sheets to finish at the top. Set your plywood 3/4" up off the bottom of the sill plate. The top of plate will be 3/4" above the top of the sheet, allowing for the truss tail to run over it (If you're doing hand cut rafters that's not as important since you'll need to run sheeting higher than the top plate)
If you can't get 10' sheets the wall height will still work so you can rip sheets in half and use both pieces. I frame where there are seismic codes and all sheeting edges need to be nailed. I try to minimize the amount of edges that don't land on studs or plates. Running sheets vertically is more than acceptable, it's actually stronger that way.
Solid point about the crowning by buddyboy. Yes you should do that, I crown them out (who doesn't want more interior space?). That last part was a joke, but yes, you should crown the studs.
For cutting them it's fastest to cut them on the stack. Moving them to a miter saw and then again to a wall, or another stack then the wall, is slow. However, if you can't get good accuracy with a circular saw it might be a better option to set up a chop saw. See what works best for you. I'm pretty accurate with a worm drive saw but I've been using one for 20+ years and during the summer my forearms look like Popeye's. Also keep in mind that precut studs from a mill will vary +/- 1/8" and your concrete varies as well. It's all about tolerance. If you want to be super accurate check the foundation with a laser and cut the studs accordingly.
*in standard framing an 8' wall is actually supposed to be 8' 1-1/8" but ends up ~8' 1-1/4" in the real world.
What he said +++
glentre
Well-known member
You might want to check your local code to see if 14 ft studs are allowed. The ceiling on my current build is 13ft so I specified 12 ft studs on top of a nominal 1 ft stem wall. The building dept rejected the plan, saying max stud length was 10 ft. They agreed to approve 12 footers provided we got a registered engineer to evaluate and stamp our plans using the 12 ft studs which we did. Because of the inconsistency of the stud lengths, the framers did cut every one to the proper dimension.
The engineer required all plywood sheathing edges to be nailed to studs and horizontal blocking and the sheathing to be installed vertically.
Just as a note, the inspector rejected the nailing of the sheathing to the treated bottom plate because the framers used plain steel nails. Apparently, the new type of preservative used for treated lumber attacks the steel nails fairly quickly, resulting in the loss of the building attachment to the stem wall or foundation. The framing was passed after all the sheathing was nailed to the treated plate with galvanized nails.
Glen
The engineer required all plywood sheathing edges to be nailed to studs and horizontal blocking and the sheathing to be installed vertically.
Just as a note, the inspector rejected the nailing of the sheathing to the treated bottom plate because the framers used plain steel nails. Apparently, the new type of preservative used for treated lumber attacks the steel nails fairly quickly, resulting in the loss of the building attachment to the stem wall or foundation. The framing was passed after all the sheathing was nailed to the treated plate with galvanized nails.
Glen
Falcon67
Well-known member
> Apparently, the new type of preservative used for treated lumber attacks the steel nails
>fairly quickly,
Yep, only hot dipped fasteners used in treated lumber. That's anything - screws, nails, bolts, etc.
>fairly quickly,
Yep, only hot dipped fasteners used in treated lumber. That's anything - screws, nails, bolts, etc.
ddawg16
Well-known member
I don't agree about the drywall....It' suggesting you do the sheets vert. I wouldn't do that.
The **** joint is going to be ugly and unless you do it low, it's going to be a PIA to tape and mud. And, all of your seams are being screwed on a stud....
Get 4x12 sheets...first one goes to the top...you will end up with a 2' wide strip at the bottom....much easier to mud. And if you use **** boards, you can do away with **** seams.
You didn't mention if you have a stem wall.
As for stud length....yes, cut them all exactly the same length....makes life easier in the long run. Don't forget to offset the break in the top plates.
Pictures will help
The **** joint is going to be ugly and unless you do it low, it's going to be a PIA to tape and mud. And, all of your seams are being screwed on a stud....
Get 4x12 sheets...first one goes to the top...you will end up with a 2' wide strip at the bottom....much easier to mud. And if you use **** boards, you can do away with **** seams.
You didn't mention if you have a stem wall.
As for stud length....yes, cut them all exactly the same length....makes life easier in the long run. Don't forget to offset the break in the top plates.
Pictures will help
Voi
Well-known member
You might want to check your local code to see if 14 ft studs are allowed.
I agree. I had to use LSL studs on my cabin due to a combination of the height and the large amount of windows relative to amount of structural wall in between.
They were around 4x the cost of 2x6 but I was only required to use them on that window wall so not a big expense since there were so few of them.
For a garage with long runs with less windows I'd want to check this carefully.
RocketScott
Well-known member
> Apparently, the new type of preservative used for treated lumber attacks the steel nails
>fairly quickly,
Yep, only hot dipped fasteners used in treated lumber. That's anything - screws, nails, bolts, etc.
Technically it's only certain types of treatment that require galvanized fasteners. Anything with copper, like ACQ, needs hot dipped fasteners. Borate treated wood does not. However, the inspector isn't going to take the time to figure out what type of treated wood is used so most jurisdictions have a blanket code that all fasteners going into treated need to be galvanized. I have been signed off on shear nailing with non-galvanized but I saved all the cutoffs with the lumber tags attached to show the inspector that I used sodium borate treated lumber.
The exception to this is bolts that are 1/2" or larger. Most of the anchor bolts we use around here are 5/8" and aren't galvanized. The 3" washer holding the plate down does need to be galvanized though. The lumber yard doesn't even stock non-galvanized bearing plates so it's not really an option.