Wood or Metal ?

[geewhizz]

I am shortly going to be starting my garage conversion, I am going to keep the garage door and build a partition wall at the back of it.
Now when i look at everyone elses project on here, all the before, during and after photos of everyones build, they all seem to be made up of wooden stud.
My understanding is that metal stud is lighter, quicker to put up, and cheaper than wood.
So whats the best to use and what are the pros and cons of each.

Thanks

[Ted White]

Good question. Is the original wall finished with plasterboard?

[geewhizz]

The garage has all the walls and ceiling done, I only have to build a stud wall with plasterboard at the door side.
I was just wondering why everyone uses wood rathe than metal stud.

[snips]

hi i used timber on my garage as i find you get a better fixing than steel and much easier to cut i also covered my stud work with ply and then plaster board that way you can get a fixing any were.

Chris

[Badger0-0]

Originally Posted by snips

hi i used timber on my garage as i find you get a better fixing than steel and much easier to cut i also covered my stud work with ply and then plaster board that way you can get a fixing any were.

Chris

This is a good answer
The benefits that you quote are correct, but (and I have to fix to the metal rubbish as part of my job) it's a bloody nightmare if you want to mount stuff, because it's really flimsy.

People don't go for the more expensive route without a reason

[deckingman]

Originally Posted by geewhizz

I am shortly going to be starting my garage conversion, I am going to keep the garage door and build a partition wall at the back of it.
Now when i look at everyone elses project on here, all the before, during and after photos of everyones build, they all seem to be made up of wooden stud.
My understanding is that metal stud is lighter, quicker to put up, and cheaper than wood.
So whats the best to use and what are the pros and cons of each.

Thanks

For a simple stud wall that doesn't have to take the weight of something heavy like a plasma screen, then yes you are right. Steel is lighter, (can be) cheaper and faster than building a wooden stud frame. The only downside is if you want to start hanging heavy loads on it - gets a bit awkward if you haven't got timber behind the plaster board to fix to. I suspect that the main reason people use timber is because the steel alternative is quite a new idea and most "DIYers" probably are not aware of it.

Edit - beaten to it while I was typing

[Badger0-0]

]For a simple stud wall that doesn't have to take the weight of something heavy like a plasma screen, then yes you are right. Steel is lighter, (can be) cheaper and faster than building a wooden stud frame. The only downside is if you want to start hanging heavy loads on it - gets a bit awkward if you haven't got timber behind the plaster board to fix to. I suspect that the main reason people use timber is because the steel alternative is quite a new idea and most "DIYers" probably are not aware of it.

Edit - beaten to it while I was typing

Great minds and all that

Still a perfectly valid post mate

[Ted White]

In a single stud wall, the steel will isolate sound better. In a double wall it doesn't matter.

You're building a screen wall, sounds like. No plasterboard.

The steel wall will stay flatter in such a case. No warp

[Badger0-0]

Originally Posted by Ted White

In a single stud wall, the steel will isolate sound better. In a double wall it doesn't matter.

You're building a screen wall, sounds like. No plasterboard.

The steel wall will stay flatter in such a case. No warp

Ted, I think there is a translation problem here.

A stud wall here, means plasterboard mate, as in two skins, aka a partition
Me, I prefer brick everytime, but it doesn't work that way nowadays

That said, I always wondered why houses in the mid/south of the US are built of wood in hurricane areas

Slight aside OP, sorry

[Ted White]

Thanks for the clarification. Stud wall means the same here. For sound isolation, I would NOT plasterboard the back of that wall. Instead, insulate and seal the wall to the two adjacent walls and ceiling. You want a bigger air cavity to help isolate (assuming you want to help keep sound in)

[RobertPaulson]

I did a nice simple job in mine, as it didn't need to look like a proper wall. I put decking in to raise the floor and to help keep some of the cold out. I ended the floor in line with the boxed in RSJ above. I then fixed a piece of 3x2 to the wall either side, used two 12mm pieces MDF board to create the inner wall, joining them in the middle and using brackets at the sides, screwed firmly into the MDF, the 3x2 timber and the wall. I then used some 50mm polystyrene insulation and then more 12mm MDF to create the outer wall, again using brackets down either side, but this time also across the top and bottom. Painted the inside and job done.

[deansocial]

"That said, I always wondered why houses in the mid/south of the US are built of wood in hurricane areas "

Timber framed housing is cheaper to build and much more resilient to hurricanes etc and easier to repair.

back to topic.

metal stud walls are cheaper commercially as they are quicker to erect and all the stud work for 1 wall can be carried in 1 trip so quicker which is cheaper.

i have ripped metal stud out before that is brand new as it has to much flex for tiling etc.

there are many types of metal stud many of which are as strong as wood but cost more.

Also need to take the cost of plasterboard in to consideration aswell as some system require 15mm board appossed to 12.5 which will improve your sound proofing but alot heavier.

If you use timber buy decent quality like c24 grade and buy regularised and it is a good idea to go pick your own so it can be eye through to check for bow and twist.

Dont buy wet timber it will cause the screw heads to pop and corners to crack when it drys

[deansocial]

what did you go for in the end?

[geewhizz]

Well to be honest it was always going to be metal as i work for a insulation company that does all the metal and wallboards and insullation, So i will get it at cost price

I will be putting a plasma on the partition wall and i will put in double metal for strength and i will put in a wodden pad to screw the wall bracket into.
I will be doing a "my home cinema thread" in a few months, Just got a garage full of junk to get rid off first,
I will be to doing a step by step guide from start to finish.

Regard
Geewhizz

[deansocial]

inthat case go for the larger stuff not the 50mm crap they use