How should I fur for drywall, along a concrete stairwell

Buffalo4

Greetings,

I saw a few posts that touched on furring concrete for drywall, and a few about drywall along stairs, but nothing that hit my specific questions.

ref: picture below. I have basement stairs, most of which but against a concrete wall, the upper few stairs against an interior first floor wall.

What size lumber should I use to fur, and what width drywall should I use to achieve the best finish along the stairs?

If I fur with 1x, I would think that would end up with an awkward overhang of drywall over the stringer, then how would I finish the stairs (specifically the exposed stringer)? Or, I could fur out using 2x to match the width of my stringer, but then I would end up needing to cut drywall to match the steps, which sounds painful.

Any suggestions are welcome, thanks in advance!

Cheers,
Patrick

Kyle Keever

Why not attach your drywall directly to the concrete with glue then trim out with base at the skirt board or flat tape the bottom of the drywall to the skirt.

Buffalo4

Everything I have read said to fur out the walls, and attach to them. Attaching directly to the concrete slab would definitely be [seem] easier.

Is that an option? If so, can you give specifics? What type of adhesive, or do I use anchors? What thickness of drywall?



Cheers,
Patrick

Kyle Keever

Your picture looks like the drywall above the concrete wall is proud of the concrete (framing flush?). If that's the case I would use the same thickness drywall so they plain out. You should also consider whether you expect moisture through that concrete. If you do have moisture concerns you would want to coat it with thoroseal or similar and use "green" board (drywall for wet locations). You can use "liquid nails" to adhere the drywall to the concrete. Just need to make sure the concrete wall is clean etc for good adhesion. You can either shoot the drywall on with a powder actuated gun to hold until the glue dries or use some lumber and brace it back to the other wall until it dries. Then its just a regular garden variety messy drywall mud tape and paint project after that.

Buffalo4

Kyle,

The drywall above the concrete wall is in fact a framed wall. The overhang is roughly 1/4". So I could use 1/4" drywall! In truth, I did not know drywall came so thin, until your reply, and my subsequent googl'ing.

I've done some searches, directed by your response, and based on what I have found, I can seal the wall with a water barrier paint. Use 1/4" drywall, adhered via "liquid nails" or some other appropriate glue, brace to the opposing wall till it sets, and mud/tape/finish as it were any other drywalled wall. I would expect the horizontal joint where the existing drywall and the new drywall but to not be perfectly flush, but nothing a nice piece of trim couldn't hide.

Anything I am missing?

Thanks much for your help!

Cheers,
Patrick

Kyle Keever

With a good mud and tape job you shouldn't need any trim at the joint. I don't know if I would use 1/4" drywall as it will be hard to get to lie flat on the wall since its so flimsy. You would probably be better served using 1/2" and then overlaying the drywall above with 1/4" to make it flush out.

Gary in WA

The overhang you measured looks to be the tapered edge of 1/2" or 5/8". I would use 1/2" or ? pressure treated plywood, just to be safe, and protect against any future moisture. If an exterior wall, tape a 2' square of poly on the concrete for 2 days checking for condensation. What looks like dry concrete floor or wall is constantly being air-dried so you never see moisture. The poly check only tells you the moisture in concrete at that particular time of year, not throughout. But it helps....

Be safe, Gary

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Kyle Keever

good call Gary with the poly moisture check.