Attaching wood to metal

jmagnah

I want to build a wall in my basement. My house is modular so the joists in the basement are a heavy metal. I have no idea how to attach the wood walls to the metal joists. What tools do I need? Screws, bolts , what??

gregzoll

Pictures help. You would actually need to have someone weld brackets for mounting the wood timbers, or just build the timbers in a way that they are not attached to the units laying on the concrete walls. You basically would build a box that is only attached to the walls, not the modular living units.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button?
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: So what'll happen?
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?

mae-ling

Is this wall paralleled or perpendicular to your metal joists?
Are they metal Joists or metal beams?

scottktmrider

Self tapping screws should go thru it.The screws with a cutter end on it.

jaydevries

this is what we use sold at box stores the little wings cut slightly larger hole in wood to prevent screw jacking
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...1#.UGuCP01X3m8

__________________
be careful my advice only comes from general knowledge i know about the 4 rules it takes to plumb and they are
1 poop needs to flow down hill. 2 hot on left cold on right
3 i get a pay check on Mondays 4 do not chew finger nails at or after work.

rustyjames

Fastening wood to steel is done often in commercial construction using powder actuated equipment such as Hilti or Ramset.

Obn2012_Aus

How thick is the metal? If it's thin you can easily drill and screw the wood for framing, then you can attached the board for the wall.

jmagnah

Since it is a modular the undercarriage is heavy duty metal beams. The wheels are removed then the home is placed on the basement but the beams stay. Regular stick built homes have wood joists (I'm not sure "joist" is the correct term) in the ceiling of the basement but in modulars they are metal beams. The wall would be attached to the metal beams in the ceiling just as you would in any regular basement, I just don't know what to use since obviously regular screws or nails will not work.

mae-ling

You can use the self tapping screws as stated above, although you may need to drill smaller pilot holes anyways.
Or metal screws that you will need to predrill for.

Go into a reputable hardware or lumber store and they can help you. Usually not a big box store.

Jackofall1

This would be a good one to post pictures of, it would certainly give us an idea of exactly what you are trying to connect to.

Mark

__________________
When its all said and done there is usually more said than done
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

mae-ling

Usually like this, wood joists run front to back on top of it.

Jackofall1

Thats kinda like I was invisioning, what I was trying to picture is whether they would be fastening on the horizontal (bottom flange) or on the vertical (web). Need to answer that question to best determine a means of fastening.

Mark

__________________
When its all said and done there is usually more said than done
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.