First Time Framing
As I mentioned in a previous post, my current project involves adding a wall along my open basement stairs, more for child safety than anything else. At this point, I have no plans of finishing this space, ceillings are really low and we get water in the back. I am also interested in learning how to frame a wall.
Lack of space and an uneven floor caused me to try to stick frame.
First, I snapped a string line and laid the bottom plate, inserting with a hammer drill and tapcon screws. I used a plumb bob to try to find where I should place the top plate.
In the picture above, only the first stud on the left is nailed, and only at the bottom. I toenailed it and am thinking I might use a drill for the other studs since I struggled keeping the stud in place when hammering.
Although I used the 4' level repeatedly to finish my last project, a small garden wall, I didn't feel confident when using it to check for plumb. I did manage to get the level bubble in the middle, it seemed like this could have just been due to my hand moving a bit, a problem I didn't face with the wall since I would just sit the level down and check it. Do I just hold the level up against the wood, like I did in the photo? I thought about tying it to the stud with a belt to remove my shakey hand.
Also, I think I read you should check for plumb on two adjacent sides of the stud. Is that correct?
And finally, I noticed that even when the level said the studs were plumb, when I checked the distance between two studs it varied as I moved toward the ceiling. Does this mean the wood I selected isn't that straight?
Thanks for all of your help!