I am framing 2x4 walls in my basement. The top plate and bottom plates are attached to the ceiling joists and conrete floor, respectively. Is it necessary to install 14 1/2 " blocking between the studs? If so, is the only reason for doing this to straighten out any warped studs so that there is a consistent 16" o.c. spacing between the studs, or is there a strutural purpose? Furthermore, if I do install the blocks, and I want to insulate the walls with fiberglass batts, won't the insulation suffer because there won't be one continuous batt from ceiling to floor, but rather, two batts separated by a 2x4?

Anyone have any hints or know of any Web sites that show detail of framing around basement windows. I'm using steel studs. I've found some info about working with steel studs here; http://www.bmp-group.com/ Thanks