# Do I need furring strips



## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

i would use 5/8" drywall or you can use 1/2" ultra light. its rated for up to 24" o.c
as for the being 1/4" out on the one joist you probably wont even notice it with the 5/8".
or put 1/4" plywood strips on the other joists to level it up.


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## MikeKy55 (Nov 4, 2009)

When I framed my basement I didn't get to the drywall until about 4 to 6 weeks later. Being a bit anal, I kept putting a 4 foot level across the studs before starting to hang drywall. One of the studs had bowed outward about 1/4". I did as you thought of and ran a power planer on that stud and brought it in plumb first. I used 1/2 inch drywall on the vertical walls and was afraid it would show.
Being a DIY'er myself, that's all I'm going to say on the topic.


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## unionmember78 (Mar 31, 2013)

IMO, I would not hang drywall/blueboard directly to your rafters. Hang strapping its 3/4 of an inch thick. If you don't it will crack. Do it right the first time.


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## framer52 (Jul 17, 2009)

garywade78 said:


> IMO, I would not hang drywall/blueboard directly to your rafters. Hang strapping its 3/4 of an inch thick. If you don't it will crack. Do it right the first time.




Those of us not living in NE do not use firring on ceiling joists and rarely have cracking problems you speak of.


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## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

i've never used furring strips unless it was needed to straighten things up. i've been in thousands of houses new and old and rarely i see furring strips. it is not the standard, atleast not around here. if its a large ceiling 1/4" really isnt that bad and that is why in most homes ceilings are painted flat. it hides lots of imperfections.


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## unionmember78 (Mar 31, 2013)

The Holmes don't do it? You are kidding right? You must not watch the show. Everyone of there shows that they hang drywall or blueboard to ceilings they install strapping. It's stranded in the NE. Again it's my opinion.


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## Ray103 (Jun 12, 2012)

I hate to step into this war, but you guys have to ease off.

By the way, I WOULD like to know if and what the difference is between furring strips and strapping. I have no idea, and would like to be enlightened.


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## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

to me furring strips and strapping is basically the same thing. although when you walk into the hardware store you better say it correctly. if you say you want strapping your going to get a bunch of tooth pick twisted branch wood that as far as im concerned is useless. then if you ask for furring channel your going to get some nice straight light gauge steel for "strapping" a ceiling. and yes i agree there are a few on here that are above it all that dont have an open mind. im open to others ppls opinions and ideas because hey i might learn something. everyone has a different way of doing things in different parts of the world. but for furring strips on new framing it must be a NE thing cause its rarely done in my part of the world.


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## Nailbags (Feb 1, 2012)

well some times you get that odd 2x and it is less then even with the rest so you have to fur it out. so the framing is equal.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Every place I have been and fortunately for me Ohio is as close to NE as I have been. Strapping for a ceiling was a piece of 1x that went from joist to joist and was basically a nailer strip, Furring was usually a 1x1 and was used to bring the sheet rock out. Like here in Fla. they are used on ext. walls that are cement block. It gives you a space for insulation and something to screw the rock to.
UAW workers make over $70 an hour including benefits selling cars to people making $20 an hour. And the car companies are broke, go figure.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Ray103 said:


> I hate to step into this war, but you guys have to ease off.
> 
> By the way, I WOULD like to know if and what the difference is between furring strips and strapping. I have no idea, and would like to be enlightened.


Ray, different things in different parts of the world must be called by other names according to what I am seeing. All my career furring strips was referred to strips of wood ripped to a certain thickness to fur something out down or up. Strapping was steel straps to tie something together as in hurricane straps in a wall.


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## davemarz (Apr 26, 2011)

*Wow*

I certainly didn't mean to start a fight here when I asked this question. Hopefully this next one won't restart things.

I think I'm going to pass on the furring strips since, as I mentioned, the ceilings are low and I am tall. However, when reading up on the lightweight drywall I have read some complaints that it is more brittle then normal drywall. Has anyone else run into this??

Thanks.


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## Nailbags (Feb 1, 2012)

5/8 is what I would stick with


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## Nailbags (Feb 1, 2012)

davemarz said:


> I certainly didn't mean to start a fight here when I asked this question. Hopefully this next one won't restart things.
> 
> I think I'm going to pass on the furring strips since, as I mentioned, the ceilings are low and I am tall. However, when reading up on the lightweight drywall I have read some complaints that it is more brittle then normal drywall. Has anyone else run into this??
> 
> Thanks.


Don't worry about a starting a fight some peoples ego's are a bit tender.


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## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

i find the ultra light is not more brittle but when you cut it with your knife there are air pockets that your knife sinks into and when shaving off a bit it just crumbles. i know a lot of guys on here are all for 5/8" i try and avoid it if i can and use the 1/2" but your case for the ceiling go 5/8".


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

I also find the light weight to be crumbly and I think it's a little harder to cut and snap. So I also vote for the 5/8".


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Strapping refers to thin wood strips typically ranging from "1x2" down to perhaps 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch.

Furring strips are wood strips of any suitable thickness to provide a place to nail paneling to and/or to offset the panel slightly from other structure such as framework or a concrete wall.

I still don't understand why furring strips are needed for mounting drywall as ceiling paneling under joists or rafters, other than in a situation where the framing members are too far apart.


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## framer52 (Jul 17, 2009)

davemarz said:


> I certainly didn't mean to start a fight here when I asked this question. Hopefully this next one won't restart things.
> 
> I think I'm going to pass on the furring strips since, as I mentioned, the ceilings are low and I am tall. However, when reading up on the lightweight drywall I have read some complaints that it is more brittle then normal drywall. Has anyone else run into this??
> 
> Thanks.



No problem at all. Use it!:thumbsup:


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## framer52 (Jul 17, 2009)

AllanJ said:


> Strapping refers to thin wood strips typically ranging from "1x2" down to perhaps 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch.
> 
> Furring strips are wood strips of any suitable thickness to provide a place to nail paneling to and/or to offset the panel slightly from other structure such as framework or a concrete wall.
> 
> I still don't understand why furring strips are needed for mounting drywall as ceiling paneling under joists or rafters, other than in a situation where the framing members are too far apart.


We were discussing the strapping as you know it.

It is known differently in different parts of the US.

In NE thinks are done differently that we do in upstate NY. In fact we have different terms.

as far as strapping, to me and most of the US and Canada, using it is simply a method to derive more income.


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## unionmember78 (Mar 31, 2013)

RE: Drywall : ceiling strapped or not ? New Home

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Posted by macv (My Page) on Wed, Jul 28, 10 at 9:33
I suspect this issue is often determined by common usage which was probably determined by the nature of the lumber available at one time or another.
Lumber in the Northeast has never been as reliably straight as lumber in the West so carpenters will still install ceiling strapping unless you ask them not to and then the drywall contractor will probably give you a hard time or just raise his price. Not only are the joists crowned but the edges are not always perfect. Strapping provides a wider, straighter, more level substrate and the drywall contractors expect it.

I design a lot of 19th century house renovations in the New England area and have never seen one without ceiling strapping. I've also never seen new construction without strapping. This is probably due to do with the strong plastering tradition that still survives in this area. Taped drywall is rare with veneer plaster (blueboard) being the standard and a bit cheaper. And the installers are picky about the trueness of the framing.

In the old houses, the amount of wood added or removed to get the strapping level speaks for itself. I don't believe it has ever been realistic to expect an unlevel ceiling to be leveled by the plasterer.


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## Sir MixAlot (Apr 4, 2008)

davemarz said:


> I am refinishing my attic and I want to keep the ceilings as high as possible so I would rather not use furring strips if it can be avoided. The joist are nearly level and are 20 to 21 inches on center. Will that be close enough or will the drywall sag??
> 
> Thanks


You could just use 1/2" Sag-Resistant ceiling board without any furring/strapping. :thumbsup:
http://www.usg.com/sheetrock-sag-resistant-interior-gypsum-ceiling-board.html


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