How to straighten a Timber Wall

Summary

This video tutorial outlines the Pre Sheet procedure for internal wall framing. It demonstrates how to check and ensure walls are plumb and straight using a spirit level and straight edge. The script covers methods to correct any bowing in studs, including planing and using melamine strips or 'crippling' with wedges and cleats as per the Australian Timber Framing Code. It also emphasizes the importance of adding extra noggins for support in wet areas and for fixtures like towel rails and toilet roll holders, ensuring a sturdy wall structure before sheeting.

Takeaways

• 🔧 Ensure walls are plumb and straight before sheeting internal walls.
• 📏 Use a spirit level or straight edge to check wall alignment from top plate to bottom plate.
• 🔨 Adjust studs by clamping and re-screwing if they are not plumb.
• 🔍 Check that top and bottom plates are straight using a straight edge or string line with blocks.
• 🪚 Use an electric plane to plane the back of bowed studs, ensuring minimum design size is maintained.
• 🛠️ Pack gaps with melamine strips to correct bowing in studs.
• 📐 If necessary, cripple the stud according to the Australian Timber Framing Code guidelines.
• 🪛 Use wedges to straighten studs by cutting a saw cut and driving the wedge in to correct the bow.
• 🔩 Secure wedges and cleats with nails to maintain straightness.
• 🧱 Add extra noggins for support in wet areas and places where fixtures will be mounted.

Q & A

What is a 'Pre Sheet' in the context of construction?

A 'Pre Sheet' involves checking the walls of a house for straightness and plumbness before installing the interior wall sheeting. This process ensures the walls are properly aligned and prepared for sheeting.

What tools are mentioned for checking if a wall is plumb?

The tools mentioned for checking if a wall is plumb include a straight edge, a spirit level, and potentially a longer spirit level that can span from the top plate to the bottom plate of the wall.

How do you check if a wall is straight using a string line?

To check if a wall is straight using a string line, you drive a nail at one end, stretch the string line across the length of the wall using three blocks of timber (of the same thickness), and fit the middle block between the string line and the plate. If the block fits snugly without gaps, the wall is straight; otherwise, adjustments are needed.

What should you do if a stud is not straight?

If a stud is not straight, you can either plane the back of the stud, ensuring not to reduce it below the minimum required size, or use packing materials like strips of melamine to even out the surface. Alternatively, you can use a method called 'crippling,' which involves cutting into the concave side of the stud and inserting a wedge to straighten it.

What does the Australian Timber Framing Code say about planing studs?

The Australian Timber Framing Code allows for studs to be planed down as long as the remaining size meets the minimum design requirements. For example, a 90mm stud can be planed down to 70mm if 70mm is the minimum required depth.

What is 'crippling' in the context of wall framing, and when can it be used?

'Crippling' involves making a saw cut halfway through a stud on the concave side to straighten it by inserting a wedge. According to the Australian Timber Framing Code, it can be used on up to 20% of common studs, but not on studs that are part of openings or that support concentrated loads.

What are 'noggins' and why are they important in wall framing?

'Noggins' are horizontal pieces of timber inserted between studs. They are important for providing support and stability, particularly for fixtures and fittings that will be attached to the walls, such as handrails and towel rails.

How do you secure a wedge after using it to straighten a stud?

After using a wedge to straighten a stud, you secure it by skewing a nail down through the wedge, then cutting off any excess wedge material. Additionally, cleats are added for extra reinforcement.

What should be checked or added during the 'Pre Sheet' stage besides wall alignment?

During the 'Pre Sheet' stage, it's important to check for and add any necessary noggins, especially in wet areas, to support fixtures like toilet roll holders, handrails, and towel rails. This ensures that there are solid mounting points behind the wall sheeting.

Why is it important not to rely on hollow wall anchors for securing fixtures?

It is important not to rely on hollow wall anchors because they may not provide sufficient support for fixtures and fittings, especially in areas where they will be frequently used or subjected to force. Instead, solid backing from noggins or other supports within the wall frame should be used.

Outlines

00:00

🏗️ Pre-Sheeting Wall Preparation

This paragraph outlines the procedure for a 'Pre Sheet' in wall construction. It involves checking and ensuring that all internal walls are plumb and straight before sheeting. The process starts by selecting a wall section and using a straight edge or spirit level to check for plumbness from the top plate to the bottom plate. If the wall is not straight, adjustments are made by pulling, clamping, and rescrewing the studs. The top and bottom plates are also checked for straightness, either with a straight edge or a string line and blocks method. If needed, the studs can be planed down to the minimum design size or supported with melamine strips to correct any bowing. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of having a properly aligned and straight wall structure before proceeding with sheeting.

05:03

🔨 Correcting Bowed Studs and Pre-Sheeting Final Steps

The second paragraph details methods for correcting bowed studs in wall framing. It describes two primary techniques: planing the back of the stud to remove the bow and using melamine strips to fill gaps, or 'crippling' the stud by making a saw cut halfway through its depth on the concave side and driving a wedge to straighten it. After straightening, the stud must be cleated with a 42 x 19 x 600mm piece of timber and fastened with 4 x 50mm nails. The paragraph also advises checking for and installing additional noggins in wet areas and other locations that require support for fixtures like toilet roll holders, handrails, and towel rails. The summary concludes with the importance of having proper blocking in the frame for secure attachment of fittings and fixtures, rather than relying on hollow wall anchors.

Keywords

💡Pre Sheet

The term 'Pre Sheet' refers to the preparatory work done just before installing the internal wall sheets. It is a crucial step in ensuring the structural integrity and alignment of the walls. In the video, the process involves checking and correcting the plumb and straightness of walls, which is essential for a successful sheeting installation.

💡Plumb

To be 'plumb' means to be perfectly vertical. In the context of the video, it is about ensuring that the corners and studs of the wall are vertically aligned. The script describes using a spirit level or straight edge to check for plumb and making necessary adjustments to the wall's structure.

💡Straight Edge

A 'straight edge' is a tool used for checking the straightness of surfaces or lines. In the video, it is used to verify that the walls and studs are straight and not bowed. The script mentions using a straight edge to check the alignment of studs and to correct any deviations.

💡Spirit Level

A 'spirit level' is an instrument used to check if a surface is level or plumb. The video script describes using a spirit level to ensure that the top and bottom plates of the wall are level and that the wall itself is plumb from top to bottom.

💡Top and Bottom Plate

The 'top and bottom plate' refers to the horizontal structural members at the top and bottom of a wall frame. In the video, it is important to ensure these plates are level and straight to maintain the wall's alignment and stability.

💡Stud

A 'stud' is a vertical structural member in a wall frame. The script discusses checking each stud for straightness and addressing any issues with bowing or deviation from the plumb line, which is critical for the wall's structural soundness.

💡Bow

A 'bow' in the context of wall framing refers to a deviation from a straight line, indicating that the stud is not perfectly vertical or horizontal. The video describes identifying and correcting bows in studs to ensure the wall's structural integrity.

💡Planing

To 'plane' means to shave off a thin layer of material to achieve a desired shape or size. In the video, planing is suggested as a method to correct minor bows in studs, ensuring they meet the minimum design size requirements as per the Australian Timber Framing Code.

💡Crippling

In the context of the video, 'crippling' refers to the process of partially cutting through a stud to correct a bow, without compromising its structural integrity. The script explains that this method is allowed under certain conditions as per the Timber Framing Code.

💡Wedge

A 'wedge' is a triangular piece used to split or hold apart two pieces of material. In the video, a wedge is driven into a saw cut in a bowed stud to force it back into alignment, demonstrating a practical technique for straightening studs.

💡Cleat

A 'cleat' is a piece of wood or metal used to reinforce or secure a joint or connection. The script describes using cleats to stabilize a stud after it has been crippled, ensuring the wall's structural stability.

💡Noggins

Noggins are small pieces of wood used to support and space the studs in a wall frame. The video emphasizes the importance of having noggins in place, especially in wet areas, to support fixtures and fittings that will be attached to the wall.

Highlights

Introduction to the Pre Sheet procedure for internal wall sheeting.

Importance of checking walls for plumb and straightness before sheeting.

Using a straight edge and spirit level to ensure wall corners are plumb.

Technique for fixing a stud that is not straight by pulling and rescrewing.

Checking top and bottom plates for straightness with a straight edge or string line.

Using a string line and blocks to adjust the position of wall plates.

Ensuring end studs are plumb and top and bottom plates are level.

Method for checking and straightening individual studs with a straight edge.

Australian Timber Framing Code guidelines on planing studs.

Technique of planing the back of a stud to correct a bow.

Using melamine strips to pack and feather out gaps in studs.

Crippling method to straighten studs as per Timber Framing Code.

Maximum depth for saw cuts in crippling and requirement for cleating.

Process of inserting a wedge to straighten a bowed stud.

Securing the wedge with a nail and cutting it off after straightening.

Using cleats to support the straightened stud according to code.

Importance of adding extra noggins for supporting fixtures in wet areas.

Ensuring there are blocks in the frame for attaching fittings and fixtures.

Conclusion summarizing the Pre Sheet wall process.

Transcripts

As you can see we're out on site and inside the house today and what I want to show you in this video is

The procedure for doing what I call a Pre Sheet

This happens just before you're about to

sheet your internal walls and all it is is going around and checking that all your walls are plumb and straight

and how you actually fix them if they're not

So obviously the first thing to do is make sure you also plumb so pick a length of wall

plumb one corner

now this in this case I've got a straight edge and a spirit level

But you might be lucky enough to have a spirit level that will do it in one hit

but need to go from top plate to bottom plate

making sure that the wall is straight

Then plumb the other end

okay, so in making sure that it's plumb make sure there's no bow in this stud and

Because we've got that stud up against the wall we might be able to pull it across clamp it across and

rescrew it to the wall to straighten that that stud

So once we've done the two ends the next thing to do is

To check the top and bottom plate are straight, and if the wall is short enough

or you've got a straight edge that's long enough you could do it with a straight edge

just by placing it against the against the plates

but if you don't have a straight edge, then you can use a string line and blocks, so

all you do is at one end

drive in a nail you

have three blocks of timber of the same thickness

And you pull the sting line tight across the end two blocks

and then you should be able to fit the middle block in between the string line and your plate

And of course if they touch then it's in the right spot if there's a gap

then your plate needs to come over so you can then

adjust your plate fasten it back to the floor

so do that on the bottom

do that on the top as well

Okay, so now we've got our two

end studs plumb and our top and bottom plate level

So then what we need to do is we can start going through

And just using a straight edge again

Checking that out studs are straight

so check each stud individually and

When you find one that's not straight, then we have to do something about it, so I'll go in and show you this stud

So here's our stud

You can see there's a gap here between the stud and our straight edge

And you can actually see that the line our noggins is out as well so that tells us. There's a bow

Going this way

In this stud so a couple of ways we can do it for the back of the stud

We can plane the back of the start off with electric plane and the timber framing code

Australian Timber framing code actually says that

Studs may be planed to provide the minimum size remaining

provided the minimum size remaining is not less than[the minimum design size required for example a

stud of 90mm may be planed down to 70mm depth if the minimum design depth is

Required is 70mm

So you can plane them as long as you haven't built

the frame to the absolute minimum standard that's required

so you can plane the back off the stud, but this gap here

there's two options if you're going to plane in it, then you really need to pack this

you need to pack this area what I used to use was

strips of 3mm melamine and

you just put one layer on at a time and feather it out at the ends, so

This particular bow, there's the back cutoff so find the back off there still got a gap here

so there's two strips of the melamine, and you'll see they feather off

at the top and

Similarly at the bottom so what you do is you staple them on

used to use an air staple and staple them on and then give them a touch with the electric plane

the Staples would do minimal damage to the electric plane, so that's how you feather out the ends just an electric plane

You keep building it up until you eliminate the bow

the other option is

to do what they call crippling now

Again the timber framing code says you can cripple [20%] of the common studs including those embracing walls

But the only restriction is that the studs at the size of an opening or the studs

supporting concentrated loads shall not be crippled and we can see here. It says that the maximum depth and saw cuts

half the depth or depth divided by two and we

have to cleat

the stud afterwards with a

42 x 19 x 600mm cleat

All right, it has to be fastened with 2 / 50mm nails

I'm sorry with 4 / 50mm nails

So we will go back and i will show you the process

So there's our stud you can see at the bone. It is how long the noggins, the first thing we do

pull out the noggins to give some room to work and

then about halfway in the bow, we're going to cut a

saw cut halfway through the stud on

the concave side of the stud

so you have the

the inside of the bow if you like

we can't go any more than half the depth of stud deep and

Yep, let's about it. So then we cut ourselves a wedge

And we drive the wedge into the stud and as we drive the wedge in

The stud, the saw cut will open up and will actually pull the stud back tight or back straight and to drive that back

drive the wedge in pulls that back until you get it back straight

Once you've got it straight

you can drive a nail, skew a nail down through the wedge, so it doesn't want to move and

then

Cut the wedge off and then we put on 2 cleats now in the Timber Framing Code it says 42 x 19

but it's just as easy to use the same size timber that's in the in the wall already

So it makes a little bit easier to put your noggins back in

So there you go. That's the process of straightening and

Pre Sheeting a wall

also at this stage

I would go around and check that I've had all my extra noggins in

Especially in my wet areas you want to put on noggins in to support your toilet roll holders any

handrails, towel rails any of that sort of thing you're going to have throughout out the house, blocking for your cistern

Anything you're going to screw to your walls you want to make sure there's a block

in the actual frame to take it we don't want to rely on hollow wall anchors to be holding up up fittings and fixtures

So as I said that's it. That's how we Pre Sheet a wall