Easy question - Framing a stud wall
 

Hi All - I'm starting the framing on my basement walls. The first wall runs parrallel with the floor joists and is about 42ft long. I cant frame the wall on the floor and then stand it up because there is a drain line that I have to avoid. I'll have to stick frame as I go and box frame around a couple things. Here's my question: how long should the 2x4's for my bottom plate be? 12ft? 10ft? 8ft? Do I stagger the joints on the top and bottom plate or line them up? Or, doesn't it matter?

The longer the better on the plates and yes, stagger the joints.

Thanks! It's the details that separate a good job from an "OK" job. I know some of the basics but I'll have to learn some of the other details by my mistakes I think.

It won't matter if you stagger them or not. Find straight material as long as you can get. Sometimes in a basement, 16 footers can be hard to maneuver. Make sure you crown all the studs in the same direction too.

And make sure the bottom plate is pressure treated lumber.

Yep. PT for the bottom plate and crown the studs. That I do remember :)

Basement walls are built on the floor with the top of the wall near the foundation--then 'dragged' up the foundation wall.

Stick building in place is not necessary.

applying mathematics to construction
 

Because of the drain pipe, your choosing to stick frame instead of box frame - that's fine if you are using a nail gun but If at all possible - box frame all that you can first. And yes, it is necessary to stagger wall plates on all two or more story structures.

use the longest straightest stock possible for your top and bottom plates. for the bottom plate you dont HAVE to use pt, you can have either plastic or sil gasket under hte plate to stop from moisture wicking up.. if the slab is damp the pt will still soak up water and then into the studs. definitely crown the studs the same way so your wall isnt wavey

for the wall thats parallel to the joists if the wall lands in nomans land... meaning between joists run your ceiling strapping long so you have something to nail the plate to.. just dont cut your studs dead snug on this wall so it forces the strapping up and creates a wavey ceiling

As you are in the States (from your first location post), #3 may pertain: http://publicecodes.citation.com/ico...9_3_sec017.htm

There is some confusion here. "Drain line in the way" would suggest a new- inside the existing concrete- wood wall, non-bearing----- is that the case here?

Gary

I am in MI and the drain line runs parallel to the wall I'm constructing. In the attached photo you can see the white drain line above the pink foam board. The top of the foam board is the 8' level. I intend to run the top of the wall just under this drain line. This top 12" of wall is above grade. There is a portion ( not in the photo) of the drain line that drops about a foot lower were the line penetrates the wall and connects outside to the septic tank. This is the part I'll have to box around.

I think I'm going to anchor the top of this section of wall with concrete anchors, tapcons, to the foundation wall. Either that or cut boards on an angle an attach to the floor joists.

As a side note, the basement slab is insulated bottom and sides and is heated with radiant tubes ( hydronic ). So moisture permeation with direct contact bottom plates shouldn't be an issue. However I will still use PT lumber for the bottom plate.

Correction. The wall runs perpendicular to the floor joists and parrel to the drain line. Sorry for the confusion.

Around here, we can get borate treated plates and use regular nails. Not as heavy, wet, or crooked either.

"...the basement slab is insulated bottom and sides and is heated with radiant tubes ( hydronic )"
Careful where you nail/screw.

Why not place the wall in front of the drain line to give yourself more height?

Yes. I'll be gluing the bottom plate!!
I hadn't thought about bringing the wall inside of the drain line but, I already have 8' of height where it is now and I don't want to sacrifice the additional floor space.