Locating ceiling joists for partition wall
#1
11-21-14, 08:46 AM
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Locating ceiling joists for partition wall
Hi,
I am going to put in a partition wall in my garage to create a workshop. I'm having some issues locating the ceiling joists so that I can anchor the top plate of the wall because there appear to be furring strips over them for the drywall. What's the best way to find the joists? And/Or is it OK to anchor the top plate to the furring strips?
If there's already a thread on this, a pointer would be very helpful.
Thanks,
Rob
I am going to put in a partition wall in my garage to create a workshop. I'm having some issues locating the ceiling joists so that I can anchor the top plate of the wall because there appear to be furring strips over them for the drywall. What's the best way to find the joists? And/Or is it OK to anchor the top plate to the furring strips?
If there's already a thread on this, a pointer would be very helpful.
Thanks,
Rob
#3
11-22-14, 08:49 AM
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Hi,
I made a "joist finder" by gluing a handle on some old molding and placing a bunch of magnets with felt strips in between them to allow me to run them over the ceiling and I think I found the joists.
Just a little more background, the garage has a single bay facing north (which will become my workshop) and a double-bay facing west. There is a short concrete wall (6" high by 8+" wide with a 35 3/4" opening) between the single and double bays. I've attached a text file with a simple diagram.
If I'm correct about where the joist is, then I would need to widen the current 2x6 base (it's two 2x6s nailed together face side "down") on the concrete divider (it's flush with the "wrong" side of the concrete divider) by nailing a 2x4 into the west side of it.
Since the wall isn't load-bearing and the top plate is only going to attach the wall to the ceiling (shouldn't be any downward pull), could I get away with just the furring strips? Or would it be better to widen the base so that one side of the wall can be under the joist? I would still have to attach one side of the of the 2x6 top plate to the furring strips.
Thanks,
Rob
I made a "joist finder" by gluing a handle on some old molding and placing a bunch of magnets with felt strips in between them to allow me to run them over the ceiling and I think I found the joists.
Just a little more background, the garage has a single bay facing north (which will become my workshop) and a double-bay facing west. There is a short concrete wall (6" high by 8+" wide with a 35 3/4" opening) between the single and double bays. I've attached a text file with a simple diagram.
If I'm correct about where the joist is, then I would need to widen the current 2x6 base (it's two 2x6s nailed together face side "down") on the concrete divider (it's flush with the "wrong" side of the concrete divider) by nailing a 2x4 into the west side of it.
Since the wall isn't load-bearing and the top plate is only going to attach the wall to the ceiling (shouldn't be any downward pull), could I get away with just the furring strips? Or would it be better to widen the base so that one side of the wall can be under the joist? I would still have to attach one side of the of the 2x6 top plate to the furring strips.
Thanks,
Rob
#4
11-22-14, 12:39 PM
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OK, so I followed your suggestion and put in an "exploratory" (big enough for my phone) hole because poking around with a nail where the screws appeared to be was not helping me locate the joist. After taking a picture I found the joist where I had originally expected to find it, i.e. above the 2x6 base on the "east" (toward the single bay) side. So the screws I found were NOT holding the furring strips to the joist but holding the sheetrock to the strips...
Anyway, onward and upward :-)
Thanks for the help,
Rob
Anyway, onward and upward :-)
Thanks for the help,
Rob
#5
11-23-14, 09:52 AM
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Hi,
So now that I know the location of the joist, how do I determine the outer edge so that I can put a chalk line on the ceiling so that I can align the outer edge of the top plate with the outer edge of the joist? I just didn't know if there's a better way than simply driving nails in hoping to be right next to the joist.
Thanks,
Rob
So now that I know the location of the joist, how do I determine the outer edge so that I can put a chalk line on the ceiling so that I can align the outer edge of the top plate with the outer edge of the joist? I just didn't know if there's a better way than simply driving nails in hoping to be right next to the joist.
Thanks,
Rob
#6
11-23-14, 10:16 AM
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I'm getting into this really late. I'm wondering if there's any need to secure top plate to joists?
I take it you don't have access to the attic area, or your job of finding joists would have been a lot easier.
My point: If there is a roof above, and it's pitched, you may have trusses. You do not want to secure wall top plate to trusses.
I take it you don't have access to the attic area, or your job of finding joists would have been a lot easier.
My point: If there is a roof above, and it's pitched, you may have trusses. You do not want to secure wall top plate to trusses.
#7
11-23-14, 08:41 PM
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Hi,
There is an apartment above the garage. That's why I can't get into the "attic" area, i.e. it isn't an attic. So the ceiling joists in the garage are the floor joists for the apartment. If the joist is where I think it is, I'll just have to poke around a bit so that I have a couple of nails for my chalk line...
Rob
There is an apartment above the garage. That's why I can't get into the "attic" area, i.e. it isn't an attic. So the ceiling joists in the garage are the floor joists for the apartment. If the joist is where I think it is, I'll just have to poke around a bit so that I have a couple of nails for my chalk line...
Rob
