3.9x2.4m 1st floor block wall built without adaquete support underneath

[oldbutnotdead]

Think you'll be doing a fair bit of crying on this project!
If this wall is going to continue to separate 2 dwellings you'll have to do a lot of work if you start playing with it. Acoustic separation is going to be rubbish if the floorboards run under the wall. Fire separation will also be rubbish.
Once you've mopped up the tears, think about a redesign rather than just correcting a bodge- sounds like the place is a blank canvas at the moment.

 

[^woody^]

Timber of yore was slow grown and so higher quality and better able to deal with initial loading without deforming, and had greater ongoing stability. So yes brick and block walls were commonly built on floorboards, and without deep or doubled joists with no problems.

Try and do that with today's timber and whilst the floor will still hold the wall up, it will bow and dip to unacceptable levels.

 

[noseall]

I've built 2 and 3 inch block walls on upper timber floors(on a timber soleplate) up to the late 70's on some sites, so it will be a common feature.

Correct

 

[Leofric]

All I can say is none of the architects, developers, housebuilders , building contractors I have worked for ever built first floor blockwork walls off timber floors . If first floor blockwork partitions did not line up with ground floor walls they were built off steelwork. Plasterboard and studding partitions yes.
As for removing lateral restraint making walls unstable , well obviously that is what lateral restraint is for !

 

[^woody^]

All I can say is none of the architects, developers, housebuilders , building contractors I have worked for ever built first floor blockwork walls off timber floors . If first floor blockwork partitions did not line up with ground floor walls they were built off steelwork. Plasterboard and studding partitions yes.
As for removing lateral restraint making walls unstable , well obviously that is what lateral restraint is for !

Have you been working for 60 years like stuart has?

 

[Leofric]

Afraid not , I only managed to work for 48 years .

 

[^woody^]

20 to go

 

[23vc]

“Swaying” is normal if it’s not tied in properly around door frames/at ceiling level.

when was ' swaying' of walls ever considered normal ? Walls should not sway !

As for removing lateral restraint making walls unstable , well obviously that is what lateral restraint is for !

Thanks for clearing that up

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Actual weight depends upon the type of block, some of them can be very lightweight indeed. Mid 1950's semi and we have a lightweight block wall built on floorboards. There is a single brick wall directly in line and below it, but that wall does not support the joists at all. In fact when the place was refurbed in the 1980's, it was completely replastered and the lath and plaster ceilings removed. That brick wall had absolutely no lateral support with ceilings removed and could be rocked sideways, until the plasterboard went in.

Trying to drill that block wall for fixings, needs nothing much more than a screwdriver, the plaster was hard than the actual blocks.

 

[Leofric]

Thanks for clearing that up

- you're welcome.

 

[Leofric]

That brick wall had absolutely no lateral support with ceilings removed and could be rocked sideways, until the plasterboard went in.

- and plasterboard ceilings should not be regarded as lateral restraint for walls

 

[Leofric]

Think you'll be doing a fair bit of crying on this project!
If this wall is going to continue to separate 2 dwellings you'll have to do a lot of work if you start playing with it. Acoustic separation is going to be rubbish if the floorboards run under the wall. Fire separation will also be rubbish.
Once you've mopped up the tears, think about a redesign rather than just correcting a bodge- sounds like the place is a blank canvas at the moment.

Quite agree , it doesn't matter if the whole building is owned by skhudy if this is a separating wall between 2 dwellings a full specification should be prepared for bldg. regs approval and no way will floorboards running continuously under the wall comply with bldg. regs relating to sound transmission between dwellings and as you say fire separation.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

- and plasterboard ceilings should not be regarded as lateral restraint for walls

I pointed it out to a 'responsible suit' who confirmed it was fine. It was how it had originally been built and is still absolutely fine and solid now.