Is blocking necessary in walls?
So any sheathing edges that don't land on standard framing (studs, plates, windows/doors) need to be supported by blocking. All edges of wall sheathing must be supported by and nailed to framing. This edge didn't land on plates, so install blocking to support it.
What is the purpose of wall blocking?
Blocking provides a solid spot in the wall for attaching things such as cabinets or handrails. In some situations, blocking is required as a fire-stop where a stud bay extends between floors.
What does blocking mean in construction?
Blocking (dwang, nog, noggin, and nogging) is the use of short pieces of dimensional lumber in wood framed construction to brace longer members or to provide grounds for fixings.
Is back-blocking necessary?
Back-blocking is strongly recommended as an added precaution for longitudinal recessed edge plasterboard joints in ceilings and for butt or end joint walls and ceilings. Where mid-span butt or end-joints are not required, but are used to minimise plasterboard wastage, these joints must also be back-blocked.
Where is blocking required?
Building code requires the use of blocking for floor joists that exceed 2 inches in width by 12 inches in depth. Blocking also needs to be provided at the supporting end of a joist. In addition to providing lateral support, blocking helps transfer weight to adjacent joists, so that the floor acts as a unified system.
Does drywall need horizontal blocking?
Horizontal hanging reduces the lineal footage of seams by about 25%. Keeping the footage of seams to a minimum will result in less taping and a better looking finished job. Hanging horizontally also allows the drywall to flow over the framing so that bowed studs create less of a problem.
Do basement walls need blocking?
Blocking for wall framing are short pieces of 2 by 4 that you install between two joists of the basement ceiling. It's not a "building code" thing and it's not optional, you'll more than likely have to install some blocking to complete your wall framing.
How far apart should blocking be?
Blocking required every 4' - 6'. Blocking must be equally spaced in rows, maximum of 4 to 6 feet apart. WHY IS BLOCKING NEEDED? Solid wood blocking will help reduce up or down movement and/or twisting of joists.
What is a blocking panel?
Blocking Panels- are pieces of TJI® Joists or solid sections of Structural Composite Lumber (SCL) that fit perpendicular between the joists. Blocking panels transfer both vertical and lateral loads through the floor. Five primary uses of blocking are: To transfer load from stacking bearing walls above to bearings below.
Where do you put drywall blocks?
Drywall is installed perpendicularly to the framing. Inside corners, be they wall to wall, or wall to ceiling, are where you are most likely to find a need for blocking.
Should you back block a ceiling?
All ceilings should be back-blocked to avoid cracking, irrespective of the plasterboard type and thickness, or whether batterns are used or not. However, back-blocking is especially necessary near the girder truss framework.
What is back blocking adhesive?
Back-Blocking Adhesive is a plaster-based setting type compound specially formulated for back-blocking ceiling joints or wall joints. Back-blocking reinforces plasterboard joints and minimises cracking and peaking that results from building movement.
Do 10 foot walls need blocking?
These requirements, contained in IBC 2015 Section 718.2. 2, state that fire blocking is required vertically at the ceiling and floor levels and horizontally at intervals not exceeding 10 feet.
Do basement walls need blocking?
Blocking for wall framing are short pieces of 2 by 4 that you install between two joists of the basement ceiling. It's not a "building code" thing and it's not optional, you'll more than likely have to install some blocking to complete your wall framing.
Is blocking between rafters required?
Things You'll Need Rafter blocking is an essential part of the roof framing process in that the blocks provide a stop for ceiling insulation and a continuous surface for the roof sheathing to be edge nailed to. Each block is 2x4 or 2x6 depending on the size of the rafters, and is secured to the top plate.
What is a blocking panel?
Blocking Panels- are pieces of TJI® Joists or solid sections of Structural Composite Lumber (SCL) that fit perpendicular between the joists. Blocking panels transfer both vertical and lateral loads through the floor. Five primary uses of blocking are: To transfer load from stacking bearing walls above to bearings below.
How does drywall contract?
Building materials expand and contract as the temperature and humidity inside a building change. As the building materials move, tension builds up against the drywall panels. The tension is relieved as the panels bend outward, usually at a joint.
Can drywall be reinforced?
The drywall is hung perpendicular to the framing members, so that the butt ends can be reinforced along the back of each panel, behind the joint. The panel seams can be reinforced by installing a drywall panel behind the seam (see the drawing below). But commercial products designed for back-blocking are much easier to use.
How tall is drywall?
And don’t scrimp on materials. Drywall is cheap. If the walls you’re planning to drywall are between 8 ft. 1 in. and 9 ft. 1 in. tall, consider ordering special 54 -in.-wide sheets of drywall to avoid an extra horizontal joint. You’ll find 54 -in.-wide drywall at drywall suppliers, or you can special-order it from most home centers and lumberyards.
Where is the blocking nailed?
Normally blocking is nailed to the top plate of the wall during the framing phase , but it’s often missing. If you have to add blocking and don’t have room to swing a hammer, drive screws into the blocking at an angle from below. Check out these 20 tips for working with drywall to make your next build or repair easier.
Can you line up drywall with a door?
Avoid lining up a sheet of drywall with the edge of a door or window opening (left). Your home tends to shift and settle slightly, and that movement shows up at the corners of windows and doors. A joint at this location, even if it’s well taped, is weaker than solid drywall. Chances are it’ll crack in the future.
Can you fasten drywall at the corners?
Framing at inside corners is often inadequate or lacking altogether, making it impossible to fasten the edge of the drywall (left). The solution is to inspect the framing before you start hanging drywall. Make sure there’s at least 1 in. of exposed framing at corners. If not, add another 2×4 alongside the existing framing (right).
Can you hang drywall vertically?
Hanging Drywall Vertically: Avoid Tapered Edges on Outside Corners. If you hang a sheet of drywall with the tapered edge along an outside corner, it will be hard to install the corner bead accurately (left). The corner of the bead will lie too low, making it difficult to cover with joint compound.
Can you measure drywall for exact fit?
There’s no reason to measure and cut drywall for an exact fit. It’ll usually just cause trouble. Jamming in a piece that’s too tight will crumble the edge or break out a corner (left). And removing a piece to shave a too-tight edge is messy and time consuming. A loose fit avoids this problem.
Can you notch drywall around openings?
It’s better to notch drywall around openings rather than to make a joint. For interior walls, simply continue over the opening with a full sheet and cut out the opening after you fasten the sheet (right). Windows on exterior walls are a little trickier. Measure and notch the sheet before hanging it.
What is a dry wall?
Drywall (also known as plasterboard, wallboard, sheet rock, gypsum board, buster board, custard board, or gypsum panel) is a panel made of calcium sulfate dihydrate ( gypsum ), with or without additives, typically extruded between thick sheets of facer and backer paper, used in the construction of interior walls and ceilings. The plaster is mixed with fiber (typically paper, glass wool, or a combination of these materials), plasticizer, foaming agent, and various additives that can reduce mildew, flammability, and water absorption.
Where did drywall come from?
A substantial amount of defective drywall was imported into the United States from China and incorporated into tens of thousands of homes during rebuilding in 2006 and 2007 following Hurricane Katrina and in other places. Complaints included foul odour, health effects, and corrosion of metal within the structure.
What is a drywall fastener?
Drywall fasteners, also referred to as drywall clips or stops, are gaining popularity in both residential and commercial construction. Drywall fasteners are used for supporting interior drywall corners and replacing the non-structural wood or metal blocking that traditionally was used to install drywall.
Why is drywall so vulnerable to moisture?
Drywall is highly vulnerable to moisture due to the inherent properties of the materials that comprise it: gypsum, paper, and organic additives and binders. Gypsum will soften with exposure to moisture, and eventually turn to a gooey paste with prolonged immersion, such as during a flood. During such incidents, some or all of the drywall in an entire building may need to be removed and replaced. Furthermore, the paper facings and organic additives mixed with the gypsum core are food for mold.
Why does drywall sag?
The drywall may also soften around the screws holding the drywall in place and with the aid of gravity, the weight of the water may cause the drywall to sag and eventually collapse, requiring replacement.
How is drywall delivered?
Drywall is delivered to a building site on a flatbed truck and unloaded with a forked material handler crane. The bulk drywall sheets are unloaded directly to upper floors via a window or exterior doorway.
Why is deflection important in drywall?
It's important to consider deflection of drywall assemblies to maintain their assembly integrity to preserve their ratings. Deflection of drywall assemblies can vary somewhat from one test to another. Importantly, penetrants do not follow the deflection movement of the drywall assemblies they penetrate. For example, see cable tray movement in a German test. It is, therefore, important to test firestops in full scale wall panel tests, so that the deflection of each applicable assembly can be taken into account.
How many layers of drywall are there in QuietRock?
QuietRock and other soundproofing drywall products make claims that a single layer offers a sound-transmission barrier equal to as many as eight layers of standard drywall. It is, therefore, theoretically possible to achieve good soundproofing with multiple layers of standard drywall.
What is the best soundproofing drywall?
There are several brands of soundproof drywall available, but the best known is QuietRock. Other brands include CertainTeed's SilentFX and National Gypsum's SoundBreak. Some building experts claim that QuietRock and similar products can produce sound dampening qualities equal to eight layers of standard drywall.
How much does QuietRock cost?
Currently, the cost of QuietRock 510 at Lowes is about $54 per sheet of 1/2-inch-thick, 4 x 8-foot panel. This compares to a sheet of conventional 1/2-inch-thick drywall selling for about $7.50 per panel. This means that you can purchase roughly 7 sheets of standard drywall for the cost of one QuietRock panel. If sound transmission is a serious issue for you, the extra expense might well be worth the investment, especially if quiet is very important to you. Installing QuietRock or another form of soundproofing drywall might well be an excellent choice for bedrooms, for example.
What is the middle layer of QuietRock?
QuietRock products use a three-layer design: two layers of gypsum drywall about 1/4-inch thick, sandwiched around "viscoelastic sound-absorbing polymers" in the middle. In crude terms, this middle layer can be thought of as rubber, though it is more accurately defined as a viscoelastic material that dissipates energy and sound waves much better than any synthetic rubber or polymer. It is a special material that combines the elasticity of rubber with a viscous (sticky and thick) quality. Elastic + viscous = viscoelastic .
What is a quiet rock?
The current owner of QuietRock, the PABCO corporation, says that QuietRock was the first such sound-dampening panel on the market, introduced in 2002. The current entry-level product most suitable for DIY installation is product #510, carried by Lowes Home Improvement centers. It comes in 8-, 9-, 10-, and 12-foot-long panels, and is cut and installed in exactly the same way as traditional drywall. Additional products offered by the company include: 1 QuietRock EZSnap: designed with a special paper that easily scores and snaps. 2 QuietRock EZSnap mold resistant: uses a non-paper facing that can't harbor mold 3 QuietRock 530: a 5/8-inch thick version, used where fire-resistance is required 4 QuietRock 530 RF: A radio-frequency (RF) shielding version of drywall, 5/8-inch thick 5 QuietRock 545: the top-end product, used in commercial settings, such as theaters and recording studios.
Is drywall rated for sound transmission?
Drywall panels, both sound-dampening and conventional, are rated for Sound Transmission Class (STC). Higher STC numbers mean better sound-proofing. But it is important to note that STC ratings are not for single panels, but rather a rating for an entire wall construction system including the surface panels. This means two layers of soundproofing wallboard, framing studs, and insulation. While soundproofing drywall panels are all inherently better than standard drywall at resisting sound transmission, it is not until these panels are integrated into a complete wall system that the true benefit is enjoyed.
Is drywall a conductor of sound?
This tight, dense layer is actually quite a good conductor of sound, and soundproofing a wall constructed with standard drywall requires other framing adaptations, such as building extra-thick walls and filling the cavities with insulation, or installing sound-dampening sheets behind the standard drywall.
