Metal Stud Wall Questions??

Do you have open web steel joists in the ceiling? If so, then attach the track with a ramset to the joist and build your walls from there. Please provide pictures...

I have an existing suspended ceiling in place, I just wanted to know if I could attach metal track to ceiling grid and track to floor, once other walls are added and drywall it should be a sturdy wall addition. Right?

If its one open space and you want to divide the rooms you will have to split the grid and attach the wall with a track to the ceiling and floor if you don’t then the walls will wobble. Do it right the first time.

Also you mention that you will have 3 doors, yes you can add wood to the metal studs for your rough opening for the doors so you will have something to attach your doors to.

Ok....

Yes you can attach the walls to the grid.What kind of door frames do you have?If you are going with a wood jamb yes you will need wood studs if its a metal hollow core jamb or a metal knock down than you dont need wood jamb studs.You can attach the track with any kind of concrete ancor but the ramset is the fastest.

We would build the wall below the grid in 10' sections. Then between the sections run a wood stud from the bottom up through the tile to the top, or something like that depending on what is there to attach to above. and where you can hide the stud the best.
For doors we frames the rough opening 1.5" higher and 3" wider then put 2x4's inside on each side and on the top.

With your 10X8.5' room the walls will adequately brace the 26' wall.

If you were more then 10' before intersecting a wall You can also use double wood top plates on top of the wall to strengthen it, Have done 16' walls like this with little deflection when pushed on. Put wood top plates with bow in opposite directions.

As a commercial superintendent with tens of thousands of feet of steel stud walls under my belt, I echo what Scott says, and vociferously disagree with epson. The top track can be screwed directly to the grid ceiling, there is no need to cut the grid and attach directly to structure. You will need to attach 45* braces between the top track and structure 8"OC.

Anti-wingnut said:

As a commercial superintendent with tens of thousands of feet of steel stud walls under my belt, I echo what Scott says, and vociferously disagree with epson. The top track can be screwed directly to the grid ceiling, there is no need to cut the grid and attach directly to structure. You will need to attach 45* braces between the top track and structure 8"OC.

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I also have done miles of metal framing and we have attached walls to the grid per drawing specs.That is an architec saying that its ok to this.About the only time we dont attach to the grid if its a fire wall that has to go all the way to the deck or roof.

Thanks everyone, my instinct said attach to grid and the extra comments on bracing I appreciate, start the job Thursday, will let you know how it goes, thanks again.

I'd brace with 45's all the way up @the intersections of the 10" walls. angle away to prevent any stress that could occur after long term use of the doors.
agree with the knock-ins. There's no need for wood anywhere. Most come with clips , or you can make them yourself.

Where in Georgia are you?
I sub work from a gc who has me doing a bunch of section 8 houses. The same GC has been begging me to put together a crew to go to the Hiawasse tri-state area to frame/hang/finish various small jobs. I dont want it, but I'm sure he'd like to meet a crew down that way that would.
pm me if you're interested and I'll send you his contact info..

Instead of standing up 9' why not use 54' drywall a lot less seams just 1 factory seam down the middle also comes in 12' lengths.

mainly because its a small job and office area and I'm only hanging one side until the elec gets done, 9' dw will hang easier in this job, I stock all my 9' jobs with 54" dw but in this case standup will work better.