Long Knee-Wall Basement Wall
#1
11-10-05, 09:45 PM
Basement Framing (Knee-Wall)
Hello, I would like to first thank everyone on this forum for their help.
I am in the process of finishing my basement. I am now to the point where I have to frame up my 47 foot look-out basement concrete knee wall. (Only 38 inches high) Normally, I would create multiple 12 foot length sections and individually attach them to the wall one after the other. (14+ treated and non-treated 2x4s at Home Depot are too warped. That place sucks) The problem is that the floor, over the length of the basement, is somewhat uneven. So, when I attach my 12 foot sections individually to each other against the poured concrete wall, I have small lips on the top part of my studded wall where they meet due to the uneveness of my floor. My guess is that when I sheetrock it will be quit ugly and uneven as well. If I try shimming the bottom of the frame, my PL and concrete nails won't be as effective plus I would be putting non-treated shims between my treated wall bottom and floor. My last chance is to try attaching all my "small" walls together and raising it up as one. Unfortunately, I would be trying to raise it myself since my wife will be upstairs with my 2 year old. Plus, I want to say I did it all myself. "A man's pride is in the way"
Anyway, thanks all for the help. Any input would be appreciated as to other's techniques with this. (All my other walls are short and easy to raise and keep even)
I am in the process of finishing my basement. I am now to the point where I have to frame up my 47 foot look-out basement concrete knee wall. (Only 38 inches high) Normally, I would create multiple 12 foot length sections and individually attach them to the wall one after the other. (14+ treated and non-treated 2x4s at Home Depot are too warped. That place sucks) The problem is that the floor, over the length of the basement, is somewhat uneven. So, when I attach my 12 foot sections individually to each other against the poured concrete wall, I have small lips on the top part of my studded wall where they meet due to the uneveness of my floor. My guess is that when I sheetrock it will be quit ugly and uneven as well. If I try shimming the bottom of the frame, my PL and concrete nails won't be as effective plus I would be putting non-treated shims between my treated wall bottom and floor. My last chance is to try attaching all my "small" walls together and raising it up as one. Unfortunately, I would be trying to raise it myself since my wife will be upstairs with my 2 year old. Plus, I want to say I did it all myself. "A man's pride is in the way"
Anyway, thanks all for the help. Any input would be appreciated as to other's techniques with this. (All my other walls are short and easy to raise and keep even)
Last edited by pat2005; 11-10-05 at 10:07 PM.
#2
11-15-05, 06:25 AM
Install the walls as you described, but instead of shimming on the bottom, shim on the top.
After installing the walls, place another 2x12 over top of your wall, but shim it so that it is level. You could use 3" screws to secure it through the shims and the top plate of the knee wall. Try to overlap the top 2x12s with the joints of the top plate of your wall...it will make it strong and uniform.
After installing the walls, place another 2x12 over top of your wall, but shim it so that it is level. You could use 3" screws to secure it through the shims and the top plate of the knee wall. Try to overlap the top 2x12s with the joints of the top plate of your wall...it will make it strong and uniform.
#3
11-28-05, 10:30 AM
Knee wall
Pat2005,
I just got done constructing my knee wall in 12 ft sections. The distance from the concrete ledge to to floor varied by as much as 1" throughout the 45 lineal feet of section. My section also included a 90 degree turn. I remington nailed my treated 2 X 4's to the floor without shims. I then rested my top and bottom standard 2 x 4 x 12's on top of their treated base board. I laid a wide board of the same length on top of the concrete ledge and measured the length (from the underside of the board resting on the ledge to top of header + footer which were resting on the treated base) for every stud throughout the length of each section. Each stud varied a little bit in length across each 12' section. I numbered each stud, then layed out and assembled each section in the flat on the floor. I then raised my knee wall and attached each section to it's base. To attach them to the wall, I liquid nailed and remington nailed a treated 2 x 4 x 12" pc of treated wood to the wall, several inches below the ledge and next to every other stud. I have 1/2" pink foam between the new wall and cement foundation, so I cut out the foam wherever a treated block went in order to get a solid hold. I then liquid nailed and screwed a 2 x 4 x 12" pc of standard stock on top of the treated block, making sure the whole block was tight up against a stud. Trued up each section with a level, then screwed through the stud into the anchored block. My wall is rock solid.
By the way, Jack Russell Terriers and Remington nailers don't mix.
I just got done constructing my knee wall in 12 ft sections. The distance from the concrete ledge to to floor varied by as much as 1" throughout the 45 lineal feet of section. My section also included a 90 degree turn. I remington nailed my treated 2 X 4's to the floor without shims. I then rested my top and bottom standard 2 x 4 x 12's on top of their treated base board. I laid a wide board of the same length on top of the concrete ledge and measured the length (from the underside of the board resting on the ledge to top of header + footer which were resting on the treated base) for every stud throughout the length of each section. Each stud varied a little bit in length across each 12' section. I numbered each stud, then layed out and assembled each section in the flat on the floor. I then raised my knee wall and attached each section to it's base. To attach them to the wall, I liquid nailed and remington nailed a treated 2 x 4 x 12" pc of treated wood to the wall, several inches below the ledge and next to every other stud. I have 1/2" pink foam between the new wall and cement foundation, so I cut out the foam wherever a treated block went in order to get a solid hold. I then liquid nailed and screwed a 2 x 4 x 12" pc of standard stock on top of the treated block, making sure the whole block was tight up against a stud. Trued up each section with a level, then screwed through the stud into the anchored block. My wall is rock solid.
By the way, Jack Russell Terriers and Remington nailers don't mix.
