Hello there,

I am a novice DIYer and have only done drywall once in my garage. Every time I have seen people hanging drywall it was in to wood that was typically 1 1/2 inch thick. That was how it was in my garage so it was easy to hang the drywall as the was enough space on the wood to screw in the edge of 2 connecting pieces of drywall.

In my basement however, there is something I have never seen and I am not sure about. There I have metal in place to where the more usual 2x4 wood beams would be. These beams are only 1 1/4 inch wide and very thin so I am not sure if you are supposed to screw the drywall into them, or if the basement should be framed with wood... One of my friends said I can hang the drywall right on there but it seems too thin and flimsy to support it.

Please take a look at these pictures. What is the purpose of these thin metal studs/strips? Can I drywall on them or does the basement need to be framed?

Thank you.

 

Assuming it is insulated... yes. Just use fine thread drywall screws.

 

Just how "flimsy" are they? if they push in, I'd be a little wary of hanging sheetrock on them. Are they fastened to or overlaying the studs? Can you feel the studs behind them? Brant, could they be metal studs? It appears there is a bottom track there.

 

Yes- judging by the first picture, where you can see one of the metal studs turned sideways at an outside corner. To a newbie that's never seen a steel stud before, they would seem flimsy. If you plan to attach any trim (baseboard or casing- or any cabinetry) this is the time to pull that plastic back and insert some wood "backing". Like for baseboard you'd probably want to screw some 3/4" x 4" plywood between the studs, or just insert a block of 2x3 inside them vertically and screw it tight to the front. You really need to think ahead with steel studs (hanging TV's, etc?) because you won't be able to nail or screw to anything unless you put it all in now. That's called "backing".

 

Sounds like this metal framing is more trouble than what it is worth. I wish they had just used wood and kept it simple since it sounds like I will have to reinforce it anyway...

Thanks for the responses. Any other tips for working with this setup? I do plan on hanging a TV.

 

All of the advice above about blocking etc. is right on.

There is another important trick to screwing to steel studs.
If this was done right all the studs are open on the same side, that is the "C" is the same direction. Always screw closer to the rigid side. They flex less that way and if you put a joint at a stud work so that you screw the piece on the stronger side first. The piece you put on the stronger side will stabilize the screwing surface a bit so the screws you put on the next side don't push the edge away as easily.

If these are light gauge studs and it sounds like they must be then use sharp point fine thread screws and don't apply too much pressure and push the edge of the stud away. Let the screw get a bite then run it on in.
I see this is a basement. Were I to finish a basement in my own house I would have nothing but steel studs in the basement and as little lumber as I possibly could. So far steel is still termite proof.