Re: Building a separator wall in shop (garage) with sloped floor
Good morning guys and gals,
My dad decided he wants a wall in his shop (garage) that will separate two car spaces from the third car space.
The ceiling is level, however the floor is sloped.
How would you build the wall?
I'm going to cut the ceiling sheetrock away and screw the header to the ceiling joists.
But should I nail the floor plate down on the sloped floor and build a wall with each stud a different length ????
What else would I do, what have you guys done?
I'm going to build it on new year's day, so I hope you have some ideas!
KRS
I would not build the wall on a stud by stud basis. You will find this takes a long to figure out and to install. You also stand a good chance of ending up with it neither level or the studs square to the ceiling...which is the only flat reference at this point.
Here is another choice:
-Find the min/max of the slope difference on the floor. Then build a single, complete wall (with all studs in) nice and square flat on the floor based on the shortest length of vertical wall space measured...minus perhaps 1/8"-1/4". That way you know it will fit the space available for the wall.
Next: with this completed wall (now laying flat on the floor) measure diagonally from long corner to the opposite long corner to ensure it's square and compare measurements. (Note: don't try to use a 'square' to square a wall, it won't work). Tap the end of the top or bottom plate 2x4's accordingly to get this two measurements to the same length. At that point the wall will be square. Then Screw or temporarily nail at least (2) diagonal braces across this pre-built wall to keep it square while you stand it up as one assembly.
Now when you stand it up, one end of it will sit on the floor and hopefully be within 1/8" or 1/4" away from the top joist line and the other end will obviously be above it the floor because the floor is sloping away. This short are under the 'lifted'/free end of the wall can be easily filled in with a few short pieces of 2x4 down to the concrete. The top plate will be fastened to the upper flat roof joist line and it will appear like the wall is hanging loose on one end at first....just block it up on that end (from below) temporarily.
You will find this goes way faster and you will get a straighter wall and it will probably be easier to deal with when you actually go to put it up...in pretty much one go. The short little studded fill in on the sloped bottom area is a pretty easy space to deal with...and nice and close to the floor for working proximity.
Give it some thought and let me know if my somewhat unorganized explanation makes sense. I've had to do this type of build more than once and this has always worked well for me (as taught to me by my Dad who was a contractor/carpenter).
Good luck.
BP
