stud wall - 6.5m

[Jupiter01]

The rear wall for my garden room is 6.5metres long. I am building this from 4x2 studs and lining with 11mm OSB.
I fear this will be too long and heavy to build as one section. Can I split into two and bolt together? I can spread the OSB boards across the two of them so he seam is not at the join of this wall.

How would you approach this?

 

[Johnpaul Manning]

Splitting it is exactly how most of us would do it. A 6.5m panel is a pig to lift and square on your own, so build it as two frames of roughly 3.25m each, or one long and one short if that suits your window or door positions.

Put a full stud at the end of each frame so you get two studs side by side at the join. Clamp them tight, check the faces are flush, then screw or bolt through. M10 coach bolts or a few structural timber screws every 400mm or so works well. Fix them to the sole plate as normal.

The key bit is the top: once both panels are standing and plumb, run a continuous top plate (a second layer) across the join, staggered well away from it. That ties the whole wall together far better than the bolts alone.

Then sheet with the OSB spanning the joint as you planned and you will have a strong, straight wall.

 

[Jupiter01]

The key bit is the top: once both panels are standing and plumb, run a continuous top plate (a second layer) across the join, staggered well away from it. That ties the whole wall together far better than the bolts alone.

So effectively, this wall will have two header plates? That's useful to know and I will adjust the height of the upright studs accordingly.

 

[GhostIntMachine]

FYI we call that second top plate a binder. Typical approach if you are working alone or you have restricted access

 

[ree]

OP,
Given you are framing for an external wall: then there will be some load bearing.- think about how the corners will tie-in - & where any openings will be built-in.
21ft is a just about doable lift for two adults - three adults would make it easy.
The wall can be cross strapped with 1x material to prevent racking while lifting. Diagonal braces might be needed to be on hand?
Or even sheathed while on the deck - sheathing goes down 50mm beyond the bottom plate - lower than the slab surface.

With respect to the other terms - the "second" top plate is called a "double" top plate - & besides load carrying it also acts as you say, post #4, as a binder.

JohnPaulManning, with a name like that you are a must for Carpentry heaven.

 

[Jupiter01]

sheathing goes down 50mm beyond the bottom plate - lower than the slab surface.

What’s the purpose of this and presumably this relies on your base being absolutely square? There’s no room for corrections while building wall with this lip at the bottom - if I’ve understood correctly.

Also, I will line walls with OSB before they go in place. This will take care of the racking I assume.

 

[ree]

OP, my detailing was only a possibility - you have others.
The presumption is a concrete slab, & that the wall(s) will be sheathed on the outside face while they are flat on the deck.

The sheathing "lip" will take the wall cover material, starting with the wall membrane, below the bottom plate - water will then run off 50mm below the vulnerable bottom plate.

 

[Jupiter01]

OP, my detailing was only a possibility - you have others.
The presumption is a concrete slab, & that the wall(s) will be sheathed on the outside face while they are flat on the deck.

The sheathing "lip" will take the wall cover material, starting with the wall membrane, below the bottom plate - water will then run off 50mm below the vulnerable bottom plate.

If I omitted this lip, would my extended breathable membrane and the cladding extended over this vulnerable point provide adequate protection?

 

[ree]

yes, it will probably work.