Back again with another framing question that I simply haven't been able to answer.
For Reference:
- Gray – Concrete
- Pink – XPS Insulation
- Darker Browns – Existing Wood
- Light Brown w/ Dashes – new wall placement)
The concrete foundation on one side of my house steps up as the outside grade rises. Above the concrete is the exterior load-bearing wall. My idea (to conserve additional space), was to frame knee-wall height non-bearing walls along these walls. I have seen this done in other houses and would provide me with useful space.
My questions is: How do I properly attach these new lower walls to the upper walls in a way that will meet code, or do I need to approach this differently?
Best Answer
As I understand your question, you do not want to run the inside wall all the way to the ceiling so that you can keep the wall space above the new knee walls. If so you will certainly want to cap the space at the top of the knee wall to leave a good grounding for a finished surface. One way that you can do this is to attach a 2x2 to the inside of the exterior wall and then bridge across from the exterior wall and the top of the knee wall. The bridging plank can be cut to width from a standard sized plank such as a 2x10 or 2x12. Installation in this manner will both support the top of your knee wall and cover the gap between the two walls.
In terms of finishing you could choose to cover this area with drywall or a nice looking board that you would finish to suit your needs.