Extending existing wall studs

[sw]

I am working on completing drawings for a home in the east end of Toronto. I am showing the existing roof being taken off to facilitate adding a second floor. The existing wood stud walls must be extended to satisfy an owner request for additional headroom.

Does anyone have a suggestion, or can refer me to a previous post where wall studs are extended up, or a short stud wall is added and securely attached to the lower stud wall without having to replace the existing wall studs?

Thankyou in advance.

Scott.

[Michael Bulatovich]

Aren't you working with an engineer?

[Bob Morrison]

Don't mess with it. If this is platform framing then remove the studs to the second floor and install new ones.

Otherwise, contact a local engineer for advice.

[M&S]

A healthy bead of wood glue and some perforated plumbers tape screwed across the stud/plate connections wouldnt suffice?

Mark

[HerHusband]

In most cases, framing one wall directly on top of the other would create a pivot point. It would act sort of like a large hinge. Strong winds or seismic forces could easily cause the wall to bend (and possibly fail) at the point where the two walls meet.

If this wall extends unsupported from the first floor to the second, you should tear it out and reframe with continuous studs. Then add fireblocking every 8' or so in the studbays.

If you can't remove the existing wall for some reason, you could probably sister full height studs next to the existing shorter studs. But, that's probably more work than just reframing the wall.

Anthony

[Bob Morrison]

I could see this being the case if the wall is balloon framed. The number of fasteners required will depend on the loads.

[sw]

I think you've answered my question. I believe it's best to sister a new 2"X6" wd stud wall to the existing 2"X4". I"ll widen the base plate to accept. We need the extra depth to obtain the min required insulation anyways. I should clarify that there is no second floor yet, just a roof. It's an existing bungalow whose roof we're removing. You were very helpful in this, thankyou once again.

[longshot]

you could build your mini wall like you are saying & add light gage steel gussets to each side if you think saving the existing is worth the trouble.

>

[sw]

hmmm. more or less a kind of strapping on the face of the joist. I think that the nice thing about sistering new 2x6's to the existing

2x4 is that I have more room to achieve the r value im going to need. Good suggestion though. Thanks

[Alan]

[Alan]