# Securing a Half Wall



## cbaur88 (Jan 25, 2011)

Hi folks, wanted some advice on securing a half wall to the floor. I removed an old iron railing and replacing with a half wall. Below the half wall is a crawl space. Between the half wall and the crawl space are oak wood floors. I wanted to put a 2x4 through the floor into the crawl space and secure to a joist on the one end, however where the half wall is going there are joists completely in my way running vertical and parallel. I'd have to move the wall over and out which is not very ideal at all. 

A friend and I build the wall out and secured it to the wall and down through the oak floors and on the end secured to the joists that were in my way. However I feel it's a little too wobbly and want to tighten it up just a tad. I left the wall open so I can possibly secure it more. 

So my question is what other options do I have to make this thing more secure? Should I use ledger locks or some type of bigger screw? I currently used 2 1/2 and 3 inch screws w/ some liquid nails. I am not looking to make this wall like the Berlin wall as a couch is going up against it but want it a tad more secure. I have no problem with redoing the wall if need be. Any advice or tips on trying to add some stability to this wall would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

One way since you've already built the wall is to make it a double wall, just add another 2 X 4 wall next to it. Would have been better to make it 2 X 6 instead but to late now.
A wider foot print would help.

Did you open up the wall where it's fastened and add nailers to attach it?


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## cbaur88 (Jan 25, 2011)

joecaption said:


> One way since you've already built the wall is to make it a double wall, just add another 2 X 4 wall next to it. Would have been better to make it 2 X 6 instead but to late now.
> A wider foot print would help.
> 
> Did you open up the wall where it's fastened and add nailers to attach it?


Joe I am gonna take some pic's and post. Someone advised me to do a 2x6 wall but I didn't put two and two together as I was trying to keep the wall thin so it wouldn't take space away from room. On the one end that's not open its flush against wall and secured into the studs in the wall. I'll post a pic to hopefully make more sense in a little bit. Thanks much!


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

The thinnest that you could go is 2x3, but 2x4 is better. Personally I would do away with the wall all together, and open up the space, with no divider between them.


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## cbaur88 (Jan 25, 2011)

gregzoll said:


> The thinnest that you could go is 2x3, but 2x4 is better. Personally I would do away with the wall all together, and open up the space, with no divider between them.


I have to put up a wall it's a split level home and it would be a hazard if no wall was there you could fall off it. I used 2x4's to build wall, thanks!


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## cbaur88 (Jan 25, 2011)

*Pic's*

Few Pic's attached!


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## hand drive (Apr 21, 2012)

cbaur88 said:


> I have to put up a wall it's a split level home and it would be a hazard if no wall was there you could fall off it. I used 2x4's to build wall, thanks!



a few horizontal 2x4's 7" long added to tie the walls together will make them one unit, also put many screws in the entire wall and then screw it down to the floor and to the joists where the wall goes over the joist...


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## gogetter (Feb 6, 2013)

Would it be feasible to put a post at the end of the wall that extends up to the ceiling?


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## djlandkpl (Jan 29, 2013)

How far apart are your studs? Missing some in the center of the wall.


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## cbaur88 (Jan 25, 2011)

hand drive said:


> a few horizontal 2x4's 7" long added to tie the walls together will make them one unit, also put many screws in the entire wall and then screw it down to the floor and to the joists where the wall goes over the joist...


So between the studs I'd add some 2x4's to tie them together? My appologies if I am not following, thanks!


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## cbaur88 (Jan 25, 2011)

djlandkpl said:


> How far apart are your studs? Missing some in the center of the wall.


LOL, yes I am missing one ran out of material, LOL good pickup. They are 16 on center except the one aginst the wall it's a little off about 17 1/2.


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## cbaur88 (Jan 25, 2011)

gogetter said:


> Would it be feasible to put a post at the end of the wall that extends up to the ceiling?


Its possible but it would really add some work and take away from the look of the room I suppose, so I would hope not to go that route but a good thought.


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## hand drive (Apr 21, 2012)

cbaur88 said:


> So between the studs I'd add some 2x4's to tie them together? My appologies if I am not following, thanks!



yes, 7" blocks would be the thickness of two walls together. put the ties up to the underside of the top plates attached at each stud and another set of ties in the middle and then the bottom. a total of 15 ties..

as a last resort you can pre drill out on the corner of the wall up a few inches on the outer studs and add toe lags down into the floor framing to strengthen the wall

another option is to add more studs in the wall and screw them to the bottom plate in excess and then screw the bottom plate in excess, the wall would be really stong if the plate does not move and the studs are attached very well to the plate.


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## cbaur88 (Jan 25, 2011)

hand drive said:


> yes, 7" blocks would be the thickness of two walls together. put the ties up to the underside of the top plates attached at each stud and another set of ties in the middle and then the bottom. a total of 15 ties..
> 
> as a last resort you can pre drill out on the corner of the wall up a few inches on the outer studs and add toe lags down into the floor framing to strengthen the wall


So I'd be making it a double wall and attching them together with blocks? Gotcha! Good thought and was thinking something along thos lines but was trying to avoid that and see if there was some magic bolt that would secure this thing more then the dry wall screws. Thanks for Advice!


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Figure how long the wall is going to be, and then adjust the studs accordingly. You are not going to end up with 16 o/c, but may come up with 18 o/c or even 24 o/c. As for the end, place three studs at the end, there the stairs begin, and at the other end, you only need one there. When you measure, measure from the end where the stairs are, not at the wall where the door is.

The other issue, is securing against the wall at the far end, which means that you may have to do some drywall work on that wall, so if someone does push against the corner, it will not flex. From the bottom, you can use lags to secure into the sub floor, if need be if you can, place horizontal members up against the floor, to allow you to give more "meat" for the lags to secure into. The wall will go nowhere if you do it right.

At the beginning though, you did not state that it was a split/bi-level home. Personally though, I would have done something to set it off of others, than just a standard half wall.


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## hand drive (Apr 21, 2012)

cbaur88 said:


> So I'd be making it a double wall and attching them together with blocks? Gotcha! Good thought and was thinking something along thos lines but was trying to avoid that and see if there was some magic bolt that would secure this thing more then the dry wall screws. Thanks for Advice!


spax and other structural screws have quite the magic :wink:


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## cleveman (Dec 17, 2011)

A decorative book case, cabinet, or planter would have looked nice there.

That wall will always be wobbly until you sheathe it. I have seen people brace such wall with diagonal metal bracing also. I would sheathe both sides with 1/2" osb, then sheetrock it. 

You can start by sheathing one side and see how that feels.


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## hand drive (Apr 21, 2012)

cleveman has the right idea. the sheathing would tie the wall to the wall plate also and stop the play there where they join.


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## cbaur88 (Jan 25, 2011)

*Thanks !!*

Thanks everyone for the input. I had a revalation last night laying in bed. Put some heavier duty L brackets at the front where it was wobbly. Man did it make the world of difference. This thing ain't going anywhere it's solid as can be, what a major major difference. I chiseled out the 2x4's so the L would set back and not interfear with the drywall. Thanks again everyone for the help, problem solved!!!! :thumbsup:


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