# Furring strips for sheet rock



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

An 1/8" can be floated over easly. 
Why are there even shims there?
You did get the house treated for termites right?


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## titanoman (Nov 27, 2011)

It won't be too noticeable until at night when the lighting could create shadows. But I think only you will know.
And yeah. Why are they there?

Sent from a Samsung Galaxy S2


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## miamicuse (Nov 13, 2011)

I assume they are there because that's how they do it in the old days.

The trusses are spaced every 24" apart. Then a strip of 3" wide x 7/8" thick furring is used, not along the bottom chords, but across them, spaced 18" apart. The trusses were made of very hard Southern yellow pine, the furring strips of much softer wood.

In fact, the millwork place I order these 7/8" thick strips call them "Ceiling strips". They said this was how they did it for years. I am glad they did it, because these strips were eaten by termites, but they left the hard yellow pine alone (probably because they are much harder).

I will get the house treated for termites before sheetrock goes up.


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## titanoman (Nov 27, 2011)

That's pretty normal in old houses. They keep the studs or joists straight and solid and serve as a wider member to hit with your screws or nails at the same time. 
I've heard them called laterals, lathing strips, cross-runners...


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

It could show with a strong o.h. light or even sunlight....depends on the texture finish, though acceptable by;http://gypsum.org/pdf/GA-216-2010.html

Add some 1/8" pressed board strips or; http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...Id=10051&catalogId=10053&superSkuId=202939056

Gary


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## Piedmont (Nov 1, 2007)

I personally hate those furring strips used in that manner. My house has them, I have 16" oc ceiling joists with 16" oc furring strips going perpendicular. Makes trying to put in a recessed light hell. The stud finder only finds the furring strips, the ceiling joists going the other way remain hidden floating 3/4" above the drywall.

To put in a recessed light, I have to try to locate the center of the 16" x 16" box created with that method when you can only see the furring strips (not ceiling joists) with the stud finder. I end up drilling a hole, then putting some wire in it and poking it in/out trying to locate where the ceiling joists are so I can then see if I need to move left/right and how much. Or, I go in the attic and pull back 20" insulation to locate the hole I drilled to find out if I can put a recessed light where I drilled without hitting a ceiling joist. 

I feel for you, if I were you I would furr out at least one ceiling joist per room the entire length so it can be located with a studfinder later just incase you want recessed lights or something else. At least with one furred out you'll be able to find it with a studfinder and can calculate where the other ceiling joists are if you need. My brother ripped out his entire ceiling so he could toss those furring strips, then have almost free reign of where recessed lights can go. I also have to try to watch out for wires, makes easy passing of wires under the ceiling joists without drilling so all my wires are under the joists so when I drill my test hole there's a chance I'll drill into a wire.


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## miamicuse (Nov 13, 2011)

here is a picture.










The strips are 7/8" thick, just a tad thicker than the 1x. In my case, I am GLAD they used it because the termites ate them instead of the trusses (joists).

The "sheetrock" I took down was not really sheetrock we use today. It was a layer of 1/2" gysum board. They were nailed onto the ceiling strips at every 8" or so. Then they applied staples literally every inch. I suspect they won't be able to use staples on the hard southern yellow pine. After that they applied a layer of brown coat about 1/2" thick, then finally a thin layer of plaster. The whole "sheetrock" is over 1" thick.


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