Adding a partition wall to a room with hardwood flooring - DIY Chatroom

Badfish740 · 12-28-2008, 11:31 AM

I'd like to add a non-structural partition wall to our living room. Right now the room is very long and open. The front entry door is located at the far end and the whole space feels somewhat stark and empty. What I'd like to do is add a partition wall in order to create a foyer so that when someone walks into the front door they aren't immediately plopped into the living room.

Of course I plan to cut away the sheetrock where the partition wall will meet the existing walls and ceiling, but what about the hardwood flooring? The flooring is 3/4" oak with plywood subfloor underneath (not sure of the thickness) on 2x10 joists. Is there any reason to cut the flooring away and attach the bottom plate directly to the subflooring, or can I simply leave the hardwood in place and use decking screws to attach it? Either way I will be putting blocking in between the joists to nail to because the wall will run parallel to the them.

iMisspell · 12-28-2008, 12:52 PM

If you do go on top and ever have to remove the hardwood (not sure why you would, but if you ever did) then it would be a bit of a pain.
If you set your circular saws depth alittle shallower then 3/4 you should not have that hard of a time cutting the oak and not the subfloor.

bjbatlanta · 12-28-2008, 01:06 PM

No reason to cut the floor out. I would put the top and bottom plates in with screws so you (or the next owner) can easily remove the wall if desired. I wouldn't worry about cutting the sheetrock back either. It's not a load bearing wall, so no need for "overkill"....

Just Bill · 12-29-2008, 08:47 AM

I agree that the floor should be cut out under the wall. Flooring expands and contracts. If some of the planks are nailed fast and some aren't, things can't move as they should. Cut back 1/4" from each side of the studs. As for the drywall, molies may be enough to hold the wall in place without cutting any drywall, above or on the sides, but I prefer to install 2x4 nailers if there is no joist to use as a nailer.

Maintenance 6 · 12-29-2008, 09:54 AM

I'd leave the hardwood in place and wall over it. If at some later time you want to open the space up again, the floor will be intact. It won't expand/contract any more than the subfloor under it.