# Basement: framing doors close to corners



## bsmenthelp (May 6, 2012)

I am planning a basement finishing project. I want to find the best way to frame the rough openings for the doors that will be close to corners. Currently I have set the opening to start 6 inches away from the corner. When I place (1 king, 1 jack) that takes 3 inches, then when i place the corner stud for drywall that takes 1.5 inches, so out of the 6 inches, 4.5 are solid 2x4. This seems a bit overkill. 

I was thinking maybe i could just use the king and jack directly in the corner but i dont know if this would look professional (be enough space for trim) also how would i secure the bottom plate to the cement?

Space is not tight so I want to do this the correct way whatever that is.

As a add-on question.

I am trying to keep 16 inch oc stud spacing. Can I skip a stud if there is a manditory stud that will be placed within a few inches, is there a rule of thumb for this, do i need to plan how the drywall will layout? Or must I place studs ever 16 inches plus and extra studs?

Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

Is this a load bearing wall?

If so yes you would have your stud at the end, to catch the drywall on the inside corner. then a 1.5" space then your king and jack.
For non load bearing you really do not need a header.








They used 24" OC spacing. 16" is fine too. Also if your door casing is going to be 2 &1/4" wide or less you only need one stud on each side of the door not two, although many will put two.


----------



## bsmenthelp (May 6, 2012)

All walls are non load bearing. I would be using a standard prehung door. I believe the casing is 4.5 inches wide to match the stud plus drywall, Not sure? I would be more that happy to space studs 24 inches if that is ok. What is the standard for finishing a basement?


----------



## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

for 4.5" casing I would stay the 6" out from the corner minimum.
24" is allowed by code but many prefer 16" spacing as they feel the drywall can flex too much with the 24" spacing.
Here is lots of information on using 24" stud spacing https://www.google.ca/search?aq=1&oq=Optimum+value&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=optimum+value+engineering


----------



## hand drive (Apr 21, 2012)

when placing doors onto the end of a wall that meets another wall, depending on which way the door opens ( usually doors open to a dead wall instead of out into the room ) it is advisable to just do a king and jack 3" . if the door opens into the room maybe come a foot off of the wall and set the door there. depending on which way you start the drywall -> pull a 16" layout on entire wall and fill in with extra studs wherever a door lands in the wall or/and when another wall ties in...

edit to add... with 4.5" casing you would just rip the piece of casing in the corner to fit. with casing added to prehung from factory rip the casing while it is attached to the prehung and then set the door.

on a prehung the jamb is 3/4" thick with some allowable spacing between rough opening so figure 1". then 3" ( framing) off of wall plus one inch ( jamb) equals 4". casing is 4.5 inches so the end amount need to be ripped off will something like 1/2". does this sound correct?


----------



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Far more common to see 2-1/4 or 3-1/4" casing.


----------



## bsmenthelp (May 6, 2012)

thanks for the feedback. I dont now much obviously you are correct about the size of the casing. I was referring to the width of the door jam?
Eitherway I now clearly understand what you meant.

All doors will be opening to dead walls. If I just use the king and jack stud how will i secure the bottom plate to the cement floor? As it will be a solid piece of wood? Would I just glue it down, secure it to the adjacent wall and try to toenail into the concrete

Thanks


----------



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Going to have to attach the bottom plate first then the studs.
I would use Tap Con screws.


----------



## hand drive (Apr 21, 2012)

bsmenthelp said:


> thanks for the feedback. I dont now much obviously you are correct about the size of the casing. I was referring to the width of the door jam?
> Eitherway I now clearly understand what you meant.
> 
> All doors will be opening to dead walls. If I just use the king and jack stud how will i secure the bottom plate to the cement floor? As it will be a solid piece of wood? Would I just glue it down, secure it to the adjacent wall and try to toenail into the concrete
> ...



it is best to use pressure treated lumber for that king and jack and run both directly to the floor without a bottom plate in that one spot. a 3" plate will split and is impossible to attach well enough, the only way I would advise a plate there is if it could cut back into the existing wall thereby making the plate 6.5" which is much stronger. be sure and attach the king and jack ( nails, bolts, ramsets, glue, etc...) to the existing wall very well as there will be no bottom plate to hold them at the bottom. you will most likely be able to attach king and jack to the framing at the ceiling height easily enough.


----------



## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

On 6" wall section I would do as Joe said, plate first then wall. On 3" wall section I do as hand drive posted above.

With wider casing I would go the 6" way if at all possible. To me cutting down the casing looks bad, yes I have had to do it even in brand new homes but If I could I avoided it at all costs.


----------



## bsmenthelp (May 6, 2012)

So to recap if you were to design the framing for finishing a basement and you were going to place a door swinging to a dead wall how would you frame it. standard casing no space restrictions. What is the best practice.


----------



## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

bsmenthelp said:


> So to recap if you were to design the framing for finishing a basement and you were going to place a door swinging to a dead wall how would you frame it. standard casing no space restrictions. What is the best practice.


King stud and jack... 3" is all you need.


----------

