Home Page link

Thin Wall

Home| Search | About
Login Password
Register Now! Lost Password?

Home Repair - - If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Otherwise look here. 

Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >> Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
Thin Wall deans@wdeans.com 01-20-2007
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
Posted by deans@wdeans.com on January 20, 2007, 11:52 pm



I have a room which I would like to turn into a hallway and a room.
The problem is that if I stud out a wall the room, with the minimum
width hallway, will be just less than the magical six feet wide. Would
I be violating any codes if I made the wall out of a piece of 0.5 inch
CDX or OSB held in place by 1x3 molding at the the top and set into a
groove 3/4" deep routed into the floor at the bottom? I would then
panel both sides with the paneling edges staggering the CDX edges and
use surface mount electrical. I could even use tongue and groove
plywood.

Is there any proper way to make a THIN wall?

Thanks.


Room currently:
|-------------|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|-------------|


Room with hallway:
|-------------|
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|-------------|


Posted by on January 21, 2007, 12:58 am



>
> I have a room which I would like to turn into a hallway and a room.
> The problem is that if I stud out a wall the room, with the minimum
> width hallway, will be just less than the magical six feet wide. Would
> I be violating any codes if I made the wall out of a piece of 0.5 inch
> CDX or OSB held in place by 1x3 molding at the the top and set into a
> groove 3/4" deep routed into the floor at the bottom? I would then
> panel both sides with the paneling edges staggering the CDX edges and
> use surface mount electrical. I could even use tongue and groove
> plywood.
>
> Is there any proper way to make a THIN wall?
>
A wall structured as you describe would look cheap, and have a negative
effect on resale value. If the floor is hardwood, routing a slot in it would
be a sin.

I'd look into doing a cabinetry style wall. Think Japanese sliding panels,
except not sliding, or like in a divided-up government office. Hard to make
specific recommendations w/o seeing the space, and knowing what the new room
is to be used for. Home office? Additional bedroom? If it may ever need to
be converted back, a jam-fit wall made up of 2x2 (or edgewise 2x4) studs and
horizontal pieces, with lots of cross pieces, skinned on both sides with
glued paneling, may be stiff enough. You would have to have a thick frame
around the door, probably with a skinny jackpost from floor to ceiling right
there, to keep the door square. The rest of the wall could just be basted
into place with a few easily patchable nails or long screws. Electric could
be surface mount on the non-public side, fed from ceiling light, or even fed
through wall from a discreet hole in ceiling, hooked up in attic- shallow
boxes are easy to find. I've seen temporary walls done this way many times
in office and home situations. With a little artistry and luck to match
adjoining wall coverings and trim style, they blended right in, and when no
longer required (like when the kid moved out) were easy to reverse and
reclaim the space for the original use.

aem sends...



Posted by GeorgeD on January 21, 2007, 6:40 am


deans@wdeans.com wrote:
> I have a room which I would like to turn into a hallway and a room.
> The problem is that if I stud out a wall the room, with the minimum
> width hallway, will be just less than the magical six feet wide. Would
> I be violating any codes if I made the wall out of a piece of 0.5 inch
> CDX or OSB held in place by 1x3 molding at the the top and set into a
> groove 3/4" deep routed into the floor at the bottom? I would then
> panel both sides with the paneling edges staggering the CDX edges and
> use surface mount electrical. I could even use tongue and groove
> plywood.
>
> Is there any proper way to make a THIN wall?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> Room currently:
> |-------------|
> | |
> | |
> | |
> | |
> |-------------|
>
>
> Room with hallway:
> |-------------|
> | | |
> | | |
> | | |
> | | |
> |-------------|
>
Mobile home walls are made with 2x2’s skinned on both sides with
plywood. The resulting wall is about 2” thick.

Walls a single plank thick (as you suggested) were used a long time ago
and are found in historical buildings. I think it would look OK; I
don't know how rigid it would be; noise would be a consideration. I
would not cut a groove in the floor. You could cut grooves 2x4’s and
use them top and bottom, although that seems unnecessarily complex.

You can make a wall out of strands beads; they were popular in the 60’s.
The walls are thin and you needn’t worry about doors and such.

If the space is inhabitable and you put up a wall, you will have to meet
code requirements such as electrical outlets every six feet. Also the
HVAC system and fire safety must be considered. It is simpler if the
space is storage like a closet.

I doubt a small room like you suggested would be desirable by future
occupants. I would look at a temporary partition. There is a wide
variety used in offices; some even look like real walls. Look around;
there might be something satisfactory to you. Offices come and go and
you could possibly snag used materials from the office outfitters or a
building super.

Regards,

Posted by SteveF on January 21, 2007, 9:52 am



> deans@wdeans.com wrote:
>> I have a room which I would like to turn into a hallway and a room.
>> The problem is that if I stud out a wall the room, with the minimum
>> width hallway, will be just less than the magical six feet wide. Would
>> I be violating any codes if I made the wall out of a piece of 0.5 inch
>> CDX or OSB held in place by 1x3 molding at the the top and set into a
>> groove 3/4" deep routed into the floor at the bottom? I would then
>> panel both sides with the paneling edges staggering the CDX edges and
>> use surface mount electrical. I could even use tongue and groove
>> plywood.
>>
>> Is there any proper way to make a THIN wall?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>>
>> Room currently:
>> |-------------|
>> | |
>> | |
>> | |
>> | |
>> |-------------|
>>
>>
>> Room with hallway:
>> |-------------|
>> | | |
>> | | |
>> | | |
>> | | |
>> |-------------|
>>
> Mobile home walls are made with 2x2’s skinned on both sides with plywood.
> The resulting wall is about 2” thick.
>
> Walls a single plank thick (as you suggested) were used a long time ago
> and are found in historical buildings. I think it would look OK; I don't
> know how rigid it would be; noise would be a consideration. I would not
> cut a groove in the floor. You could cut grooves 2x4’s and use them top
> and bottom, although that seems unnecessarily complex.
>
> You can make a wall out of strands beads; they were popular in the 60’s.
> The walls are thin and you needn’t worry about doors and such.
>
> If the space is inhabitable and you put up a wall, you will have to meet
> code requirements such as electrical outlets every six feet. Also the
> HVAC system and fire safety must be considered. It is simpler if the
> space is storage like a closet.
>

Electrical outlets are not required every six feet. NEC section 210.52
requires that at no place on the wall will an outlet be more than six feet
away. For a long wall that requirement would be met with an outlet every 12
feet. Additional rules apply to short wall sections and kitchens.

Steve.



Posted by Lawrence on January 21, 2007, 10:17 am


> Mobile home walls are made with 2x2's skinned on both sides with
> plywood. The resulting wall is about 2" thick.

Maybe in some places down south but not in Minnesota. All new mobile
homes built or sold in MN are required to have a 2x6 stud wall just
like a real house. The old ones were built with 2x2's, for sure, and
are still around. The trailer parks still have them, side by side with
the newer ones. When someone abandons one of those old ones they bring
in a trac-hoe to demolish it and haul it away in a dumpster.


Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >>
Similar ThreadsPosted
What is this thin-wall plastic tube? November 2, 2007, 2:56 pm
What's your favorite thin-wall anchor? August 31, 2008, 11:43 am
Using 3/8" thin Gypsum board for fireplace wall? August 6, 2006, 10:03 am
Best way to pull heavy wire in thin wall May 23, 2007, 9:15 am
installing thin accent wall tile August 8, 2007, 4:26 pm
How can I fix 2 pounds heavy plaster plaques to a painted wooden wall? (Those thin wooden panels that they had in the 70s) November 4, 2007, 10:48 pm
pre-mix thin-set vs. bag November 2, 2005, 10:55 pm
Thin Water Heaters July 18, 2005, 9:23 am
Welding Thin Copper November 2, 2005, 4:27 pm
Re: How to Thin Latex Paint? June 25, 2005, 8:41 am

Contact Us | Privacy Policy

XML SitemapXML Sitemap