Basement Sole Plates
#1
01-20-07, 01:43 PM
Basement Sole Plates
I'm building a home theater type room (23'x13') in our basement. I know I needed to use treated lumber for the sole plate but I ran into a situation where I had two 10' sections of walls were the studs were too short. So I put the treated 2x4s and powder nailed them to the concrete floor. I next built my section of wall with normal 2x4 studs with a top plate and sole plate and then raised the wall in place on top of the treated sole plate and nailed it down. So I now have a wall with two sole plates, bottom one treated & one not treated. Will the building inspector have a problem with this type of carpentry? i.e. is it to code?
FYI. On their web site they have 1 page of information to include on my building plans titled: Specifications For Finished Basements
#3. "Sole plates for partition walls must be treated wood."
Second question is related to non-load bearing walls in basements. I had some PVC pipes that were right above my new walls so a couple of sections of walls I had to make the new walls shorter than the height of the basement ceiling floor joist (8' 9"). I plan to build a trey 2'Wx1'D drop drywall ceiling along the perimeter of this room. I was going to attach 2"x2"x8' on the ceiling and nail 7/16" OSB sheathing to it along with horizontal scrap 2"x4"x2' boards attached to my new wall to form the trey shell shape. About 20' of my 2x4 walls don't reach the ceiling but are anchored via the trey will these sections be considered a fire hazard and not to code?
If not to code could I first insulate floor joist ceiling (R19) around the 2' perimeter of the room & attach 7/16" OSB panels + 1/2" gypsum drywall on ceiling before framing the trey drop ceiling. I would think this would provide a fire barrier. Can I do this before rough electrical & framing inspection? Or should I just wait to see what the local B.I. guy/gal says? WDYT??
I live in KY near CVG airport, Boone County. I couldn't find their building code online but I doubt if it would address either of these two questions. Thanks.
FYI. On their web site they have 1 page of information to include on my building plans titled: Specifications For Finished Basements
#3. "Sole plates for partition walls must be treated wood."
Second question is related to non-load bearing walls in basements. I had some PVC pipes that were right above my new walls so a couple of sections of walls I had to make the new walls shorter than the height of the basement ceiling floor joist (8' 9"). I plan to build a trey 2'Wx1'D drop drywall ceiling along the perimeter of this room. I was going to attach 2"x2"x8' on the ceiling and nail 7/16" OSB sheathing to it along with horizontal scrap 2"x4"x2' boards attached to my new wall to form the trey shell shape. About 20' of my 2x4 walls don't reach the ceiling but are anchored via the trey will these sections be considered a fire hazard and not to code?
If not to code could I first insulate floor joist ceiling (R19) around the 2' perimeter of the room & attach 7/16" OSB panels + 1/2" gypsum drywall on ceiling before framing the trey drop ceiling. I would think this would provide a fire barrier. Can I do this before rough electrical & framing inspection? Or should I just wait to see what the local B.I. guy/gal says? WDYT??
I live in KY near CVG airport, Boone County. I couldn't find their building code online but I doubt if it would address either of these two questions. Thanks.
#2
01-20-07, 02:26 PM
Member
Basement Sole Plates
You have complied with the code by using a PT sole plate nailed to the floor. The fact you added an extra sole plate (untreated) is not a factor. You are allowed to have non-treated wood (studs or second sole plate) in contact with PT.
Just make sure you use the proper fasteners (rated for PT) to attach the non-treated wood to the treated. This usually applies to both studs and extra sole plates nailed to PT lumber. - If you don't, you will lose the fasteners.
Dick
Just make sure you use the proper fasteners (rated for PT) to attach the non-treated wood to the treated. This usually applies to both studs and extra sole plates nailed to PT lumber. - If you don't, you will lose the fasteners.
Dick
#3
01-20-07, 03:21 PM
Hopefully it's not an issue.. but.... In my last domocile (Northern Colorado) - Code required that I build a floating wall above my treated sole plate. This was done due to the potential of ground upheavel in the region. It consisted of another floor plate raised above the treated floor plate by a minimum of 1.5 inches - done by using large spikes between the two plates. Ever since I ran into that one.... I always check the regional codes before doing basement work. Hopefully it's not an issue where you live.
