# The science of studs. Please help



## Jimstr (Dec 3, 2015)

Why is metal framing better on a single stud wall than wood? I've heard because it flexes. 

If I put two pieces of drywall, one on either side of thick threaded bolts( as if to hang) would it ruin the benefits of steel? For example, if I wanted to use bolts and nuts to hold two pieces of drywall to both sides of the stud instead of screwing each piece to the stud. Would I lose the benefit? I know it's not practical but I'm trying to understand the science


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## Talley (Dec 8, 2010)

Why in the world would you want to use nuts and bolts? with drywall your only securing a small portion and your using it's inherent strength to maintain it's rigidness between fasteners. 

You want ultimate? Just glue the drywall to the stud... get a good quality construction adhesive glue every inch of the stud... slam the drywal on there and throw down screws as normal.... once glue dries then your rock solid.


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## Jimstr (Dec 3, 2015)

Talley said:


> Why in the world would you want to use nuts and bolts? with drywall your only securing a small portion and your using it's inherent strength to maintain it's rigidness between fasteners.
> 
> You want ultimate? Just glue the drywall to the stud... get a good quality construction adhesive glue every inch of the stud... slam the drywal on there and throw down screws as normal.... once glue dries then your rock solid.


Talley, your response did not address my questions, but thank you for the bump. Could anyone with information pertaining to my questions please weigh in?


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## DqMcClain (Sep 16, 2015)

Steel studs have a few advantages, and a few disadvantages.

*Pros:*
1) Much lighter, making transportation and positioning easier
2) Pre-fab cutouts for electrical wiring
3) Pre-fab top and bottom plates make accurate and repeatable stud spacing easier
4) Assuming they aren't damaged, they're pretty close to perfectly straight, making it easier to get a plumb wall
5) If you're somewhere lumber and steel both have to be brought in by freight car, it is often cheaper to construct a steel-framed structure than a wood-framed structure of equal properties. (This is the case in Vegas)
6) Not susceptible to rotting and insect damage. They are typically zinc-coated, which prevents rusting as well. 
*Cons:*
1) Less sturdy than wood. Operations like hanging cabinets/appliances from a wall are much more complex with steel studs. 
2) Better thermal conductor, which is generally not beneficial for residential applications. Look up "thermal short-circuiting" on home construction and drywall forums.

As for flexing... I'm not sure if you're saying the steel flexes, or the wood flexes. Both can and will flex, depending on the design and application of the wall. Either material can produce a highly rigid, or highly flexible wall. If you're talking about steel studs that have an open side (kind of a C-profile), those have similar end-to-end compression strength as wood, but much less resistance to torsional forces. This is part of what makes them less sturdy for hanging things on the wall after it is built. 

Did that get closer to answering your question?


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## Jimstr (Dec 3, 2015)

Dg, thank you, this does answer my questions. I'm testing a design that requires me to be able to get inside the wall cavity. (basically removing the interior drywall, thus bolts opposed to screws) My question arose from the fear that using too many bolts would create too many contact points between the pieces of drywall, allowing for vibrations to pass through too easily.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Jimstr said:


> Dg, thank you, this does answer my questions. I'm testing a design that requires me to be able to get inside the wall cavity. (basically removing the interior drywall, thus bolts opposed to screws) My question arose from the fear that using too many bolts would create too many contact points between the pieces of drywall, allowing for vibrations to pass through too easily.


Could you hing the wall with a piano hinge for access?


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## Jimstr (Dec 3, 2015)

ellisr63 said:


> Could you hing the wall with a piano hinge for access?


A beautiful suggestion, thank you. I just searched a few images and my first wonder is if two (one uptop and one down low ((I would assume a necessity for two)) could hold a 4x6 sheet of 5/8" drywall. Or were you suggesting putting it on both vertical ends? Any input?


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Jimstr said:


> A beautiful suggestion, thank you. I just searched a few images and my first wonder is if two (one uptop and one down low ((I would assume a necessity for two)) could hold a 4x6 sheet of 5/8" drywall. Or were you suggesting putting it on both vertical ends? Any input?


My idea was to do it like a door, but use a long piano hinge to give you a better hold, and also seal the panel better. All you want it for is an access panel correct? We made a couple of access panels that are removable, but our largest one is for the Circuit panel...hence why I suggest a piano hinge.


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## Jimstr (Dec 3, 2015)

ellisr63 said:


> My idea was to do it like a door, but use a long piano hinge to give you a better hold, and also seal the panel better. All you want it for is an access panel correct? We made a couple of access panels that are removable, but our largest one is for the Circuit panel...hence why I suggest a piano hinge.


In terms of this project, every panel will be an access panel. The idea is for the entire room to be portable; it should break down into panels and reconnect to create a sealed, soundproof room. To connect the panels together (stud to stud) I was simply thinking screws since degradation of material doesn't seem to be an issue with metal studs; however, the problem is in being able to access the wall cavity on every panel to separate them from one another when I'm ready to move. Would you have any pictures of that circuit panel? Already I feel this idea could be better. How close to the edge of the DW are the screws for the hinge? not a problem?


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## DqMcClain (Sep 16, 2015)

If you're planning on making the wall portable, and assembly and disassembly are part of the plan, then I'd suggest avoiding drywall like the Ebola virus. The more often you put hardware through it, the weaker it will get. 

You'd be better off using a sheet of wood for this application. Depending on the specifics of your project, you might be able to make sections of wall that are permanently assembled units, and bolt them together on the outside. Or perhaps have the studs and drywall remain assembled, and have only one side of the panels be removable. 

In any case, making a moving part out of drywall is going to prove to be a messy and painful experience.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Have you looked at something like this
http://www.dricore.com/en/smart_home.aspx


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## Jimstr (Dec 3, 2015)

DqMcClain said:


> If you're planning on making the wall portable, and assembly and disassembly are part of the plan, then I'd suggest avoiding drywall like the Ebola virus. The more often you put hardware through it, the weaker it will get.
> 
> You'd be better off using a sheet of wood for this application. Depending on the specifics of your project, you might be able to make sections of wall that are permanently assembled units, and bolt them together on the outside. Or perhaps have the studs and drywall remain assembled, and have only one side of the panels be removable.
> 
> In any case, making a moving part out of drywall is going to prove to be a messy and painful experience.


This is definitely one of the hurdles to jump. I have heard in so many places that drywall is SO superior to drywall that switching them out will result in a much less soundproof room. Going off of that notion my plan is to leave the back piece of drywall assembled at all times, only removing the front panel to move it (movement will occur roughly once per year), and cover each panel once fully assembled in MLV or some carpet underpadding just to make everything a bit softer. I will also have bushings mounted in the drywall holes where the bolt will go through, so as to allow for easy sliding. 

Gaining a lot of valuable information here and I appreciate HTS for all of it so I'm not :spend:


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## Jimstr (Dec 3, 2015)

tonyvdb said:


> Have you looked at something like this
> http://www.dricore.com/en/smart_home.aspx


I've never seen this but had ideas like it in a post i made on this forum a week or so back. That post was derailed by a tangent argument (hence this post) and thought the sliding option would be nice. I do wonder however how they keep the flange or lip in tact if it's just drywall. I think I'll give them a call to learn more


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