Straight Edging

After the rough electrical and plumbing but before insulation and drywall is the time to check to ensure that the studs are in line from floor to ceiling. We do all we can to help prevent those random studs bowed beyond their fellow members but still we have these issues. Some people use strong backing where they cut a block into the bowing stud and nail it into the studs on each side. The notching of the bowed member to tightly fit the block forces the Bowed member back into plane. Others cut into the bowed member itself and use wedges to bring it into plane.  Each of these methods work but I feel they over weaken the stud and therefore the building.

To bring my over bowed members back into plan, I plane them. This was once the tried-and-true method but with the rush of production demands it fell by the wayside for the forementioned methods. Once the studs bowed out side is planned, I can cut rip strips to bring them into plane or I can use the 1/8-inch cardboard leveling strips for most improvement centers. If I use the cardboard strips, I like to run a health strip of good caulking down them to help fill the voids of stacking them before screwing off the sheet of dry wall. This gives a continuous point of contact for the drywall as it bonds it into plane.

But to find these radical members I go through the unit and straight edge the walls. I use a 6-foot level of straight piece of lumber.  By sliding the straight edge along the center of the studs (approximately 4 foot off floor) these over warped studs identify themselves. I then mark where the bow was formed and determine the amount of the bow. I mark the stud accordingly. These studs are not numerous so I can easily return to them once the straitening is completed. I take many passes at them to help create the feathering needed and I also plane the fire blocking as I go. The method takes longer, is messier but the build is stronger and worth the delay I feel. It is important that this is done anywhere you plan on tiling because tiles will shout if the walls are not straightened.

Note: Images on this blog site are from a free source or taken by the author. No image or group of photos is intended to represent the people the author serves. The author does not care about Race (that is a politically correct term that he does not like because we are all of the same Race, the Human Race. He prefers the term ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, marital status, disability, genetic information, national origin, source of income, Veteran or military status, ancestry, citizenship, primary language or immigration status.) He is a service provider for all people. We will all rise together when we band together and help one another. Joseph Erwin is a Real Estate Broker, DRE # O2131799, and a CA general contractor # B 696662. He’s a member of the CRMLS and The East Valley Association of Realtors located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California.