Warsaw14 OP t1_jadl01m wrote on February 28, 2023 at 5:51 PM

Reply to comment by nagmay in Basement wall framing, slight gaps due to crowning of studs. Please advise on next steps if any are needed. by Warsaw14

Thanks! Am I correct that I likely used studs that had too much crown here? I wanna pinpoint whatever error I made to improve in the future. I’m pretty sure the studs that are “low” are the issue. Everything is plumb, I did check with a six foot level and a plumb bob. Wouldn’t just shimming out the few studs in this case be the easiest route overall?

nagmay t1_jadqnl4 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 6:27 PM

> Wouldn’t just shimming out the few studs in this case be the easiest route overall

Yes- in my experience, it is much easier to shim a few than to grind/remove a stud that is bowed out. No need to get them perfect, just within 1/8" for flat drywall.

As for the why, there are two things to help in the future:

Watch out for large bows when selecting lumber. The stuff from the big box stores can be really bad. Sight down each piece as you select it.
Match all the bows into the same direction when building the wall. You won't notice if all the lumber bows out 1/8" in the same direction... but if one bows the opposite way, you now have 1/4" to deal with.

Warsaw14 OP t1_jaeg8e7 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 9:09 PM

Quick clarification, you mentioned large bows but did you mean crown?

nagmay t1_jaeli54 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 9:43 PM

Potato/Potatoe

It is regional, but I usually refer to "crown" when referring to joists and bow when referring to studs or raw framing lumber.

In example: Joists should always be crowned up. Studs can be bowed in either direction, but the direction should be the same for all the studs in a single wall.