Exterior wall framing question

Pmatyj01

Hello, I'm new to this site and i have a question about framing exterior walls. How do you attach two straight walls to each other? I have a long wall that needs to be built and I've been reading quite a lot of DIY and construction books on framing, but non of them mention long walls. The wall is 24 feet long and will have a gable roof. I was worried that if I join two walls together and then place the roof it will bow from the point of attachment. This wall would be built using 2x6. I was thinking of a top plate, but figured this would be inadequate. .What are your thoughts? thank you.

Bob Mariani

You offset the sole plate and the top plate on the joining wall sections. Then the second top plate ties these together. The joints on the top plates should be directly centered on a wall stud and tow nailed to this stud. The plywood sheathing will add the required shear strength to the wall.

Pmatyj01

thank you for your response. How much of an offset would I need? Thanks again

Bob Mariani

at least the spacing of the studs. I use 24"

Scuba_Dave

I had several walls to build, (2) 24' & a 36' wall
The 24's I pre-built as a 16' wall & an 8' wall due to windows
The 2nd top plate does tie the walls together
I ran the 16' top plate from the 8' side towards the 16' wall side

Basically my walls were prebuilt w/studs, plywood & Tyvek & then raised up into place

Gary in WA

The more 2nd top plate you put on the wall now, the less you have to put up to finish on the other wall. Build both walls as one (studs on each end of both walls or as Bob said- splitting stud), but don't nail the tying top plate to the second wall while on the deck, just the finishing piece. I overhang second wall 4-8' with top of first.

Top Plates
Sec. 2326.11.2. Framing Details (cont.). Bearing and exterior wall studs shall be capped with double top plates installed to provide overlapping at corners and at intersections with other partitions. End joints in double top plates must be offset at least 24 inches (1219 mm).
EXCEPTION:
A single top plate may be used, provided the plate is adequately tied at joints, corners and intersecting walls by at least the equivalent of 3-inch by 6-inch (76 mm by 152 mm) by 0.036-inch-thick (0.90 mm)(20 gage) galvanized steel that is nailed to each wall or segment of wall by six 8d nails or equivalent, provided the rafters, joists or trusses are centered over the studs with tolerance of no more than 1 inch (25 mm).


When bearing studs are spaced at 24-inch (610 mm) intervals and top plates are less than two 2-inch by 6-inch (51 mm by 152 mm) or two 3-inch by 4-inch (76 mm by 102 mm) members and when the floor joists, floor trusses or roof trusses which they support are spaced at more than 16-inch (406 mm) intervals, such joists or trusses shall bear within 5 inches (127 mm) of the studs beneath or a third plate shall be installed.
Interior non-bearing walls may be capped with a single top plate installed to provide overlapping at corners and at intersections with other walls and partitions. The plate shall be continuously tied at joints by solid blocking at least 16 inches (406 mm) in length and equal in size to the plate or by 1/8-inch by 1 1/2-inch (3.2 mm by 38 mm) metal ties with spliced sections fastened with two 16d nails at each side of the joint.
Studs shall have full bearing on a plate or sill not less than 2 inches (51 mm) in thickness having a width not less than that of the wall studs.

Be safe, Gary