Building Homes or Extensions/Tricky Interior Wall

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Expert: - 10/20/2008


Question

Three Pics of Area
I need advice on how to build an interior wall with a few hiccups.  First, the home is already finished (5+ years).  Second, I'm extending a wall in a room with a vaulted ceiling.  The room that it will enclose is behind the "new" wall, but has a standard 8' ceiling.  There is a 19.5" space from where the vaulted ceiling is and the standard ceiling begins.  I want to take the wall up 8' then build a connection between the new wall and the standard ceiling.  This will create a kind of shelf.  I'm having trouble finding information on how to build a wall that does not go all the way to the ceiling AND how to connect the new wall to the old ceiling.  Please help.  I'm attached a few images to see how the current set-up is.  I can send more pics if needed.

Answer
Hi Brian, if I understand you correctly the answer is fairly simple.  First of all you build your new wall so that the top of it is 5/8" higher than the 8' ceiling you are tying into.  Then on top of the new wall you build a short wall ( shelf wall ) that lays flat on top of the new wall and screw the short wall top plate into the face of the vertical edge of the 8' ceiling, 5/8" higher than the 8' ceiling.  Then you attach the bottom plate of the short wall to the top of the new wall.  So, in essence you have built an upside down L shaped wall.  The reason for the new wall being 5/8" higher than the old ceiling is that when you sheet rock the underside of the short wall or shelf wall, the new drywall will level out with the old drywall ceiling. I hope this information helps feel free to write again regarding this or other matters, sincerely bruce e johnson..bejohnsonconsulting.com

Bruce E. Johnson

Expertise

I can answer any construction related question in regards to carpentry, concrete, drywall, masonry, structural elements of any type of building, residential or commercial. Interior or exterior.

Experience

Custom Commercial and residential buildings. Churches, theaters, schools and auditoriums. Most recently I am working with the Catholic Church on several design build committees. I have a website related to scheduling and project supervision. Although my expertise is more related to multimillion dollar commercial, educational and theatrical projects my generous credentials in residential and remodelling construction make me a viable source of information regarding all forms of building questions.

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