I'm in the process of finishing a portion of my basement, but I've hit a snag. The top plate of the main wall doesn't align directly with the joist, and I'm trying to figure out how to approach framing a 7' section of wall in a way that preserves headroom, especially since the basement stairs lead down to this area. There's also a drain line that sits 1.75" from the wall, and I plan to use 1.5" foam board against the block. The spacing between the drain and the first water line is 3 inches, with 13 inches to the closest water line, so I'd prefer not to start the wall too far back. My family member suggested a two-tier soffit for support, which sounds nice, but I'm concerned about the top plate not being nailed to the joist. What are your thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance!
5 Answers
Remember, the framing only needs to support the drywall, not the ceiling. You can use 2x2s or horizontal 2x4s without an issue. Moving those water pipes might be a good idea; shift them above the drain line and throw some insulation on the hot line to keep the temperatures in check.
I’d go with glue and tapcon some 2x2s to the wall, then stick your foam in between. If you’re uncomfortable without a top plate, put a glued/screwed 2x4 or 2x6 along the top before setting the studs. Don’t forget, a treated 2x along the bottom plate can help with moisture issues too!
If headroom's a big deal, I’d suggest trying to move any plumbing up into the floor joists if possible. It’s pretty simple for the water supply if you're fine with using PEX, but the copper drain is trickier. However, if you can adjust that, it would really help! Also, not having the top plate extend all the way might not be a major issue later on, but yeah, the stepped soffit will definitely complicate things during construction. It could still look sharp when finished though!
What about using one angled surface instead of a stepped design? Also, I like the idea of rerouting the smaller water lines through the center of the joists, then just boxing around the larger pipe. It might simplify things for you.
The two tiers could work, but I can see why you'd be worried about the studs floating at the top. That could make it tough to hang anything significant on that wall. Would you consider shifting the drain off a bit to make room for some 2x2 framing behind it?
Exactly! If you can get that drain out of the way, it opens up so many more options for your framing.