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Wall of metal studs intended to be semi-load-bearing?
My house has floor joists in 170-rule supported by HEA beams over the basement. The maximum span is 3m between the steel beams, and the 170-rule is somewhat under-dimensioned by today's building standards but shouldn't be catastrophic.
However, I find that it creaks and flexes a bit too much, and since I plan to lay tiles in the hall (right over the 3m span), I am worried it might be insufficient.
Now, the basement, which is currently completely open without any interior walls due to the HEA structure, is to be furnished. Various walls will be put up, and I think it is suitable to build these walls "semi-load-bearing" as support points to eliminate the floor sway.
However, this leads to a consideration regarding the choice of metal or wooden studs. My thought had been to exclusively use metal studs in the basement (except for door/window etc.), but the question is whether I dare load a metal stud with this function.
To achieve any noticeable difference, I probably need to "pre-tension" the new interior wall somewhat in height, and this likely doesn't work with metal studs?
This might be obvious to someone accustomed to working with metal, but I have only built with wood before.
What do you think?
However, I find that it creaks and flexes a bit too much, and since I plan to lay tiles in the hall (right over the 3m span), I am worried it might be insufficient.
Now, the basement, which is currently completely open without any interior walls due to the HEA structure, is to be furnished. Various walls will be put up, and I think it is suitable to build these walls "semi-load-bearing" as support points to eliminate the floor sway.
However, this leads to a consideration regarding the choice of metal or wooden studs. My thought had been to exclusively use metal studs in the basement (except for door/window etc.), but the question is whether I dare load a metal stud with this function.
To achieve any noticeable difference, I probably need to "pre-tension" the new interior wall somewhat in height, and this likely doesn't work with metal studs?
This might be obvious to someone accustomed to working with metal, but I have only built with wood before.
What do you think?
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I understand how you think, but I believe I'm realizing the inappropriateness of sheet metal in this case as a whole. Even if the metal studs can theoretically handle some buckling loads supported/fixed by surrounding panels, it will likely be borderline impossible to build with any maintained tension effect when the last screw is in place.
It will probably have to be wooden studs anyway. Moisture fear is the primary reason to avoid wood, but I indeed have studs screwed directly into the concrete wall that have supported the water heater for 20 years without so much as a color deviation, so maybe the moisture isn't really an issue.
It will probably have to be wooden studs anyway. Moisture fear is the primary reason to avoid wood, but I indeed have studs screwed directly into the concrete wall that have supported the water heater for 20 years without so much as a color deviation, so maybe the moisture isn't really an issue.
ullberg
Tool enthusiast
· Stockholm
· 4 026 posts
ullberg
Tool enthusiast
- Stockholm
- 4,026 posts
If moisture is the concern, you can use sheet metal (rails) and wooden studs in these. Then you get moisture protection in the form of the rail, and the wooden studs bear the load (though more pointwise compared to a construction made solely of wood)
/U
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Sure sounds wise. The lintel can still be wood, so you don't apply any point loads except onto the concrete floor.
I also have an idea that all interior wall sills in the basement should rest on spacers made of inorganic material, allowing air to circulate under the Platon mats between rooms without being obstructed by walls.
Sounds smart or seems silly?
I also have an idea that all interior wall sills in the basement should rest on spacers made of inorganic material, allowing air to circulate under the Platon mats between rooms without being obstructed by walls.
Sounds smart or seems silly?
ullberg
Tool enthusiast
· Stockholm
· 4 026 posts
ullberg
Tool enthusiast
- Stockholm
- 4,026 posts
Sounds like you're an engineer with a license to tinker. 
Unfortunately, my expertise doesn't quite extend far enough to determine how clever that thought is, but spontaneously I think: "overworked but hardly counterproductive"
/U
Unfortunately, my expertise doesn't quite extend far enough to determine how clever that thought is, but spontaneously I think: "overworked but hardly counterproductive"
/U
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