What's the best way to add studs to existing framing?

jbs1

Hi Team, this may have an obvious answer, but I'm trying to confirm the best way to add extra studs to existing framing in my workshop; this is an old house and this framing is only holding up fibre cement sheeting on the exterior, and so before I go securing a lot of shelving on the inside I wanted to add some extra studs to reinforce it and help distribute the weight.

Is there a right or wrong way to add extra studs? Attached is a picture of one section, which is representative of the rest of the wall.

Thanks for your time,

Jim

JacobZ

Hi Jim (@jbs1),

Thank you for your question about adding framing to your existing timber stud walls.

There is not really a right or wrong way to do it as long as they are cut so they fit tight and they are fixed at both the top and bottom of the studs so there is no movement. Generally speaking, the process is fairly simple, but your wall has some slight intricacies that will need to be considered.

Do you have a wider shot of the entire wall that you can share? Is there a full-height stud on the right side of your image?

Are you planning on closing in this side of the wall with a sheet product like plasterboard or fibre cement?

I ask because this shelf would need to be considered as it juts out beyond the face of the studs.

 

If you're happy for it to stay there, then there are no issues at all, we will just have to cut the studs accordingly, but if you want to add full-height studs, or close in the wall, you will need to remove the shelf.

If the shelf is staying in place, mark the location of the stud on the bottom plate and noggin using a spirit level to ensure they are plumb with each other. You will then measure the distance between the two marks and cut the studs to that length. You will need to cut notches into the top of your studs, so they sit around the noggins which aren't as deep as the studs. 

If they are cut well, you'll have to angle them slightly and tap them with a hammer to rotate them into place. You should then check they are on your marks, and that they are perfectly plumb.

You can then skew-nail the stud to the bottom plate and either skew-nail the stud to the noggin or drive nails straight through the stud into the noggin. If you are not confident with skew nailing, then you can create a pilot that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the nail and then drive the nail through it. This will set the angle of the nail correctly so you can drive it home. You can also use screws if you'd like to, but they are not as commonly used in timber framing.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob