[cbaur88]

So I built a pony wall, half wall, not 100% sure of correct terminology and posted some photo's on another thread as I was having some trouble securing it, but figured it out. Anyways I will be sheet rocking and putting on the top ledge or whatever you want to call it. I intend to just use Poplar for the top ledge and going to rout the edges with a simple router bit and paint it all white. While the wall is open I intended to secure the top ledge by drilling screws inside the wall up through the 2x4 into the bottom of the top ledge. Obviously being careful not to come through the top.

So my question is should I secure this way or am I shooting myself in the foot should I ever want to replace the top ledge down the line? Should I secure from the top and fill the holes? What' the recommended way? Thanks in advance for help and time!

 

[joecaption]

That's up to you but I would not worry about replacing it in the future. You can always just go right over it and just add some edge moulding to hide it.
I would add some constrution adhesive under it instead of just counting on the screws.
I also would use lamininated shevling board instead of a soild piece of wood so there's less chance of it cupping. Lowes has it up to 12" wide.

 

[cbaur88]

That's up to you but I would not worry about replacing it in the future. You can always just go right over it and just add some edge moulding to hide it.
I would add some constrution adhesive under it instead of just counting on the screws.
I also would use lamininated shevling board instead of a soild piece of wood so there's less chance of it cupping. Lowes has it up to 12" wide.

Thanks Joe for the info. I'll look into the laminated shelving board, never thought of the possible cupping issue. I really wanted to round out the edges and make it look nice. I don't suppose some type of sealing it or something would prevent that? I planned on using some wood glue or adhesive under it as well. Thanks for info!

 

[DannyT]

normally the wall wouldn't be capped until the drywall is done and the walls painted. brad nailer and fill the holes.

 

[cbaur88]

normally the wall wouldn't be capped until the drywall is done and the walls painted. brad nailer and fill the holes.

Thanks Danny, any recommendations on which type of wood to cap it with or what to cap it with? Thanks!

 

[joecaption]

Lamininated shelving is real wood and can be routed.
For a better look you can even use something like door stop moulding on the outside edges to make the top look thicker.

 

[cbaur88]

Lamininated shelving is real wood and can be routed.
For a better look you can even use something like door stop moulding on the outside edges to make the top look thicker.

Thanks Joe, I will head to my local Lowes and Home Depot and see what I can find. Can I paint it too? Thanks again!

 

[joecaption]

It's real wood, stain it and seal it, paint it whatever you want to.

 

[cbaur88]

It's real wood, stain it and seal it, paint it whatever you want to.

Awesome Joe, thanks! I am thinking of something else can't really find the proper name of it but it's a shelf sold in different lengths but has sort of a plastic finish to it. Some type of particle wood at the core but trimmed with something plasticish.

 

[joecaption]

Formica.
For what your doing it would be called a bar top. It's rounded on both sides.
Instead of a back splash.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=formica+bar+tops&qpvt=formica+bar+tops&FORM=IGRE
to bad you do not live closer my local Habitat for Humanity store has a bunch of it for $2.00 a ft.

 

[cbaur88]

Formica.
For what your doing it would be called a bar top. It's rounded on both sides.
Instead of a back splash.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=formica+bar+tops&qpvt=formica+bar+tops&FORM=IGRE
to bad you do not live closer my local Habitat for Humanity store has a bunch of it for $2.00 a ft.

I can see some plain pieces in this search that I could paint and rout, but some of the others are what I was talking about that cannot be painted or routed. I'll check HD, thanks again!

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...lamininated+shevling+board&sc=0-14&sp=-1&sk=#

 

[hand drive]

a way that is popular is to drywall and then cap the top with 1x and then put on base cap turned up side down that rests to the underside of the cap against the drywall. this covers the space between drywall and underside of cap. wall is 3 1/2" thick with 1" of drywall- base cap about 3/4" thick- so the cap needs to be 1x8. a standard poplar should suffice if you can find a 1x8 or if painted just use a 1x8 pvc board, 8' is about $25 I think and will never worry about warp at all...

 

[Jason34]

When I finished my basement my wife wanted me to have a half wall at the one section instead of a full wall. So with my I beam support poles that I boxed in, I wound up have a 4' length and a 9' length of halfwalls. What I did was just like you would on a full wall. Bottom plate got bolted to the concrete floor. Ran my studs and double plated the top off setting the joints on the 9' wall to prevent swaying. Added studs at the ends to fasten into the boxed in beams. Sheet rocked those walls. For my top ledge I used 5/4X10 red oak which I bullnosed both sides. Drilled holes and screwed it fast to the top plate. I used regular plugs which I sanded flush and stained it. I think it turned out nice. If I never need to remove it I simply just drill out the plugs to get to the screws.

 

[cbaur88]

When I finished my basement my wife wanted me to have a half wall at the one section instead of a full wall. So with my I beam support poles that I boxed in, I wound up have a 4' length and a 9' length of halfwalls. What I did was just like you would on a full wall. Bottom plate got bolted to the concrete floor. Ran my studs and double plated the top off setting the joints on the 9' wall to prevent swaying. Added studs at the ends to fasten into the boxed in beams. Sheet rocked those walls. For my top ledge I used 5/4X10 red oak which I bullnosed both sides. Drilled holes and screwed it fast to the top plate. I used regular plugs which I sanded flush and stained it. I think it turned out nice. If I never need to remove it I simply just drill out the plugs to get to the screws.

Thanks Fella's since I was just going to paint this cap to mach the fireplace mantle trim I just used a piece of primed MDF, routed the edges, screwed from inside the wall before through the drywall and through the bottom with some adhesive on the bottome of MDF. Came out pretty nice and cap isn't going anywhere. I need to seal the MDF with primer and paint and should be good to go. Thanks all advice and information I truly enjoy this forum for tips and help. Take care!