Metal Framed Stud Walls Southampton

If you need to partition a room where sound penetration is not an issue, using a metal-frame stud wall kit can be an easier and cleaner option to building a traditional stud wall. The finished wall will only be about 75mm thick and will be much lighter than a normal stud wall, so there is less danger of overloading the floor.

Lay the stud wall kit out on the floor and make sure you know which parts are which. The kit will come with all the parts you need to make an opening in the wall (door linings, lintels, etc), so put these aside for the moment. Identify the head plate (or profile) and the sole plate and cut them to the length required using a hacksaw. You should be careful when cutting this material to avoid any sharp edges. We recommend wearing light diy gloves and filing down any sharp edges as you cut each piece.

Head Plate and Sole Plate

Fit the head plate first, screwing into each joist if it runs at a right angle to them, or along the length of the joist if it runs parallel. You may need to alter the planned position of the head plate if it does not line up with a parallel joist. Once the head plate is in place, use a plumb line to mark the position of the sole plate on the floor. Apply the adhesive tape (which should be included in the kit) to the bottom of the sole plate and screw this into place. If you are planning to include a doorway in the partition wall, it is easier to fix the sole plate first and then cut the gap for the doorway afterwards as this ensures that the sole plate on either side of the doorway are in line.

Studs

Measure the distance between the inside of the head plate and the sole plate and cut your first vertical stud to this length, minus 5mm to allow for clearance. This stud will sit against the wall at one end of the partition, so now hold it in place, mark the screw holes and then drill and plug the holes. Screw the stud to the wall before repeating the process at the other end of the partition. Check the distance between the head and sole plate 600mm out from the wall stud and cut a new stud to length. The intermediate studs are not screwed into place, instead they clip into the head and sole plate, so accuracy is important. If you cut all the studs at once from one measurement, any dips in the floor could cause problems. Place the first stud so that its centre is 600mm from the wall stud. This ensures that the plasterboards will meet in the middle of the studs. Continue to fit studs all the way along the partition in this way.

Creating an Opening

If you need to have an opening in the partition, try to work it out so that you just have to slightly reposition one stud for the width of the doorway. You can then continue measuring your 600mm centres from the repositioned stud. If you do not do this, you will have problems attaching the plasterboards correctly and will just make more work for yourself. You can then fit the door head at the required height and cut away the sole plate between th...