Building a stud wall - how hard can it be - help!!

[johnny2007]

I am planning to add, but keep them straight on plasterboard edges, so each piece will be secured.

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No need for double ceiling plate, the rest is fine.
Good screws and impact drivers will help a good deal.
I use reissers, but the Screwfix turbo screws are equally good and don't need pilot holes.
Also invest on a £2 plasterboard driver bit which will set screws just a touch below the surface of the plasterboard.

 

[wannadie]

Your only chance of fitting the top board as shown without breaking off the thin bit left of the door is to fit a whole sheet first, and then cut out the door opening.

I would fit boards vertically normally. How many spare hands do you have to help?

Place noggins to suit board edges, plus maybe some extras if you have left overs. No need for double top stud.

Put some acoustic insulation slabs inside the wall.

Pay attention to doorway size and straightness. Do you have a laser?

Cutting the door out after fitting board was the plan.
It is just me but I was going to screw on scrap blocks to help hold board in position.
Will add rockwall to insulate.
Have a cheap laser to help with the door.
Thanks for the help.

 

[wannadie]

If you have access for large boards you could use 3m plasterboard , far less joints.

Too late. Might have been a pain to get up the stairs!!

 

[johnny2007]

I have an assortment of sizes of turbogold screws for the frame. Would only use plasterboard screws (black) for fixing the board or is that no good?

No, wood screws for wood.
Plasterboard screws are only good for plasterboard.
And when you fix the plasterboard don't use super long screws, the 32 or 38mm are more than enough if you're using 12.5mm plasterboard.

 

[endecotp]

It is just me

Then I recommend vertical boards.

 

[RrogerD]

Thanks for the advice. I am enjoying it so far.
Have cut back some wall and working out the best exiting joists and studs to screw to.

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Looking good. At least you've pulled the carpet back and screwed direct to the floor.
I came to do some work in our house and found that the previous owners (amongst various other bodges) had fitted the sole-plate on top of the carpet!

 

[ToolboxTalks]

That looks like a solid start, Matt — your layout is already better than many first builds. Adding noggins is a good call, especially with that ceiling height; place them roughly halfway up (or at 1200mm intervals if you want extra rigidity). Staggering them slightly makes fixing easier later. And yes, still use a base plate — it helps tie the wall together and ensures everything stays square when you fix it down.

 

[wannadie]

OP,
You are merely building a partition - not a supporting wall.
Use 4" x 2" - long lengths are readily available.
Run the floor plate through in a single uncut length - use the loose floor plate to determine where you want the partition to go.
When satisfied Pin the floor plate down - & then drop plumb lines down from the ceiling to the floor plate to find the top plate position on the ceiling.
Fix the top plate (you only need a single top plate), & then fix the bottom plate.
Then fill in with the studs - leave a gap all around the rough opening for the door lining.
Have the door & lining on site - & cut the bottom plate door opening when all dimensions are good.
Use due diligence to find the fixing points in floor & ceiling joists, & avoid utilities.
Consider the door swing, & any elec. switches in the partition.
As you mentioned, Install the p/b's horizontal from the ceiling down. Always cover the opening with a single p/b - dont use cut boards or pieces of board.

Thanks, the advice for a plumb line was just what I needed. I couldn't work out how to get the laser to project a line on the ceiling.
I am lucky that I have wall studs, ceiling & floor joists to screw into. I am just wondering if I should cut away a strip of the ceiling plaster so I can build the frame directly onto the ceiling joist. Ceiling is lathe and plaster.

 

[wannadie]

Looking good. At least you've pulled the carpet back and screwed direct to the floor.
I came to do some work in our house and found that the previous owners (amongst various other bodges) had fitted the sole-plate on top of the carpet!

LOL - Is the wall solid or wobbly?

 

[wannadie]

That looks like a solid start, Matt — your layout is already better than many first builds. Adding noggins is a good call, especially with that ceiling height; place them roughly halfway up (or at 1200mm intervals if you want extra rigidity). Staggering them slightly makes fixing easier later. And yes, still use a base plate — it helps tie the wall together and ensures everything stays square when you fix it down.

If I have any wood left over, I will prob add a few more noggins as I don't have anywhere to store really.

 

[ree]

OP,
No, dont go cutting a slot in the ceiling - find the joists & screw up into the joists. Screw straight through the ceiling plaster board or plaster lath.
There may have been no need to cut into the walls but I cant see their construction detail - whatever, its how it is.

Ref the horizontal hanging of the board - before lifting you can lay the board against the studs & set two screws centred on a couple of studs - & then raise the board & drive in the screws.
Working alone, you can pin a couple of short ledgers at halfway height up the studs, and then raise and rest the board to sit on the ledgers then push it up tight to the ceiling & drive in the set screws.
Use 2400mm x 1200mm board.

 

[cdbe]

I have clamps. How does the long pilot drill help?!

Keeps everything lined up, especially if you want your noggins to be in a line rather than up and down. Also most screws are threaded most of their length so a pilot hole allows the screw to pull the two bits of wood together. The neater the frame is the less like the plasterboard is to crack.

 

[johnny2007]

Also most screws are threaded most of their length so a pilot hole allows the screw to pull the two bits of wood together.

Impact driver does that.

 

[opps]

Keeps everything lined up, especially if you want your noggins to be in a line rather than up and down. Also most screws are threaded most of their length so a pilot hole allows the screw to pull the two bits of wood together. The neater the frame is the less like the plasterboard is to crack.

Don't you mean a clearance hole rather than a pilot hole. That said, given that one is drilling at an angle, even a pilot hole will reduce the risk of the end grain splitting... On reflection, I suspect that you mean that the pilot will go all the way through to the joist and prevent the screw from pulling the nogging downwards. Yeah, makes sense.

 

[wannadie]

OP,
No, dont go cutting a slot in the ceiling - find the joists & screw up into the joists. Screw straight through the ceiling plaster board or plaster lath.
There may have been no need to cut into the walls but I cant see their construction detail - whatever, its how it is.

Ref the horizontal hanging of the board - before lifting you can lay the board against the studs & set two screws centred on a couple of studs - & then raise the board & drive in the screws.
Working alone, you can pin a couple of short ledgers at halfway height up the studs, and then raise and rest the board to sit on the ledgers then push it up tight to the ceiling & drive in the set screws.
Use 2400mm x 1200mm board.

So it is ok if my frame basically clamps to the ceiling joist via the ceiling plaster and laths?

It is quite easy to access the wall studs, so I am just going to build directly onto those.

The new room will be an office, but will be converted into a shower room one day, so I suspect all the walls & perhaps ceiling will be removed for that purpose.

Thank you for the tip re pre-positioning screws in the board and the ledger tips. I think I was vaguely aware of this, but now it is clearer in my head.

Cheers mate!