Jump to content

OFF TOPIC: Cutting through a wall stud, removing portion..


Recommended Posts

Ok, so i need to install a center channel speaker in my wall below my tv.. however there is a stud in the wall in a rather frustrating place (obviously since the tv is hanging from that same stud, its rather close to the middle.

so i have a few options:

1. install the speaker horizontally as intended, but about 6" off center under the tv. going to look way off balance.

2. install it vertically, about 1.5" off center, probably not super noticeable to most people, but any may notice, we will notice for sure..and not exactly what center channel speakr is intended for.

3. Cut the stud in the wall, and put the speaker centered. this is the most cosmetically pleasing, buuuut seems like a bad idea in general, the studs are at minimum code 24" apart, so cutting off a 7" section of one seems like a bad plan.

In refernce to #3, i DO have access to this wall from the other side in the garage, so i COULD add vertical supports where i cut it off, it would be a huge pain in the ass, and have to cut a 5 foot wide 8" tall peice of drywall out of my garage wall, which would probably get fucked up in the process = huge garage mess...

OR

i could add some sort of metal pracket or brace to the garage wall, screwed into the stud on top and bottom, for support where its missing the peice internally.. but i dont want to do something thats going to cause me structural issues down the road..

suggestions? advice? recommendations?

sorry for the off topic thread, just looking for as much input as possible.... before i go cutting huge holes in my new house walls..

*sigh*

thanks in advance!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cut the stud with plenty of clearance, then run 2 horizontal studs to each adjacent stud, above and below the speaker (horizontal pieces will be about 24" long).

You definitely want the C speaker to be in the center.

Also, if the wall is bare behind the speaker, I'd build a small enclosure behind the speaker ie, frame in the new stud "rectangle" with a piece of plywood or MDF in the garage. Unless your speaker has a back to it or whatnot, I'm just assuming a regular wall/ceiling mount speaker unit.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='ChicagoBengal' timestamp='1295149091' post='962313']
Find Chick Ludwig and ask him. He's the world's leading expert on studs.
[/quote]

HA!! nice ...

[quote name='starkesn' timestamp='1295150002' post='962314']
Since you can access it from the garage, I would just frame in around the area similar to how you frame out a header for a window opening. That way the two adjacent studs are carrying the transferred load.
[/quote]

i am trying to find the best easiest option for this, i dont mind having ugly shit screwed to the wall in the garage, as its behind some shelving anyway, so is there something i can screw to the exterior of the garage wall side to reinforce the stud? like screwing a 2x4 into the 2x4 im going to cut before i cut it, or does that not make sense?

it is a load baring wall it seems...heres essnetially a dumbed down layout of the situation...

[attachment=814:wall.jpg]

its where the orange X is....
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='MaineBengal' timestamp='1295150248' post='962316']
Cut the stud with plenty of clearance, then run 2 horizontal studs to each adjacent stud, above and below the speaker (horizontal pieces will be about 24" long).

You definitely want the C speaker to be in the center.

Also, if the wall is bare behind the speaker, I'd build a small enclosure behind the speaker ie, frame in the new stud "rectangle" with a piece of plywood or MDF in the garage. Unless your speaker has a back to it or whatnot, I'm just assuming a regular wall/ceiling mount speaker unit.
[/quote]

this is definitely the most reliable option, however i wont have access from the front, so from the garage side id have to cut basically a 5' x 8" hole essentially ruining those dry wall peices to get access to put the horizontal supports in..

im wondering if perhaps, since i'll only need to cut about 6-7" out of the stud, if i can do either a 2x4 or two THICK peices of 1" angle iron, and rop like 4 screws above and below the cut before i cut it.. then cut it out.. so the support is already there on the other side of the garage wall before i cut it from the front.. is that logical or just ridiculous and foolish?

i'd like to have this whole project done tomorrow, i have all my cutouts marked except this one, all wires are run via the basement.. so all i need to do is do the cuts and run wires up through the walls to each speaker..

but i also dont want to make a hasty decision just to save some time, im offnext weekend too so i can wait if i have to..

thanks for all the input everyone, keep it comin if possible..
Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK.. so the stud is a 2x6" stud since its a load bearing wall, and the depth of the speaker from flush to back is 3.75" so counting the drywall, i would need to remove about 55-60% of the stud, leaving 40% or so of the original stud.....


given that... if i get some heavy duty steel brackets, like angle iron or something flat, and support it from the back and leave about 40% internally .... would this be safe?

thanks for the advice once again...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='MaineBengal' timestamp='1295153321' post='962322']
Since that's a load bearing wall, honestly I'd just get a center speaker that doesn't have to go into the wall. Or, build an enclosure for that speaker and surface-mount it to the wall.
[/quote]

id probably just go vertical and 1.5" off center before externally mounting.... it wouldnt be all THAT hard to get the tv to move about an inch or so to the right, but thats moving one of the wall mounts, redrilling and toggle bolting, remeasuring and drawing holes for speakers, etc.. probably 2 hrs work total..

id REALLY like to get it horizontal and centered.. and in the wall, is that just unrealistic at this point?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jesus Christ, just cut the stud halfway out and brace the remaining portion with some 4 screw metal plates. It may be load bearing, but the whole damn thing isn't going to come crashing down. The load above is still going to be evenly distributed across the entirety of the top plate.

If you can't get the plates screwed on because you don't have enough space for tools, then just cut out the back from the garage. I mean, hang a damn Bratkowski poster over the hole you cut and be done with it.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='MaineBengal' timestamp='1295153321' post='962322']
Since that's a load bearing wall, honestly I'd just get a center speaker that doesn't have to go into the wall. Or, build an enclosure for that speaker and surface-mount it to the wall.
[/quote]

Bingo! I wouldn't mess with a load bearing stud without consulting the OC or another trusted contractor. Just my opinion.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Cricket' timestamp='1295156655' post='962332']
...or get a 2nd "center" speaker...placing each on either side of the center stud, thereby ending up with two, evenly positioned speakers under the TV....
[/quote]

I wouldn't recommend that. Having the same sound coming from 2 different speakers, even in close proximity, will introduce phase issues and will muddy up the soundstage.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Scoutforlife591' timestamp='1295154056' post='962324']
Jesus Christ, just cut the stud halfway out and brace the remaining portion with some 4 screw metal plates. It may be load bearing, but the whole damn thing isn't going to come crashing down. The load above is still going to be evenly distributed across the entirety of the top plate.

If you can't get the plates screwed on because you don't have enough space for tools, then just cut out the back from the garage. I mean, hang a damn Bratkowski poster over the hole you cut and be done with it.
[/quote]


Honestly.... this dude is right. You're overstating the load that is being put on this one stud. If it were in the middle of the wall and was actually 2 or more 2"x6" studs screwed together, it's not holding a ton of the weight. Once the whole wall is put together, the load gets distributed across all of it. You could just cut that whole stud out and not bring the place down.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Removing 1 stud from a load bearing wall will not make any difference at all. Cutting out about 60% definitely won't.

I removed some studs from a load bearing wall to make a wide door way, i threw in a header obviously to support it.

BTW since this is a wall your garage, expect there to be insulation that you will have to deal with also.

In all honesty, I'd just cut out the dry wall in the garage with a stanley knife, on the center of the 2 studs next to the one you want to remove, cut it out neatly so you can easily place it back in and just mud it up.

Then remove the portion of the stud you want to remove, and place in a footer and header.

Install the speaker, and then reinsulate around the speaker.


Place back the piece of dry wall, mud and tap the joints and you'll be finished.

You can easily mud and tape the joint it will probably take your 3-4 coats since your a noob, but just remember when starting out lots is good, you can always just sand it down.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Scoutforlife591' timestamp='1295154056' post='962324']
Jesus Christ, just cut the stud halfway out and brace the remaining portion with some 4 screw metal plates. It may be load bearing, but the whole damn thing isn't going to come crashing down. The load above is still going to be evenly distributed across the entirety of the top plate.

If you can't get the plates screwed on because you don't have enough space for tools, then just cut out the back from the garage. I mean, hang a damn Bratkowski poster over the hole you cut and be done with it.
[/quote]

Agreed...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='MaineBengal' timestamp='1295164336' post='962335']
I wouldn't recommend that. Having the same sound coming from 2 different speakers, even in close proximity, will introduce phase issues and will muddy up the soundstage.
[/quote]


Two things:

I have two in-walls for my center channel (because of an inconveniennt stud) and I think it sounds fine...

If you needed to go that route because of asthetics, you could just leave one of them disconnected if your concerned about what maine mentioned
Link to comment
Share on other sites

ok, so in doing some work and research and talking to my dad, who built his house and has been researching thesehouses out here as he is about to build one.. and looking at the speaker itself.. it looks like i got lucky..

the stud is 5.5", i have 1/2" dry wall, so 6 inches to work with..

the speaker has2x 6.5 and a tweeter in the middle, which isnt nearly as deep as the 6.5"s. so where the stud is, i only need to get about 2.5 inches of depth, so counting the drywall .5", ill only need to chunk out 2" of the 5.5" stud thats left.. leaving almost 60% of it there.. and ill make my cut curved(bowl shaped) to leaveas much support in the cut as possible, not making hard cuts that may give an easy place to crack ,etc..

so looks like i should be golden with the stud being slightly off center, giving me less needed depth at that exact spot..

thanks for all of the advice everyone..
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='scharm' timestamp='1295308192' post='962611']
Measure twice, cut once.
[/quote]

measured 15 times.. cut once...

3 large holes in my wall now.. and my cordless drill died while i was drilling into the wall from the basement to poke the speaker wire through.. so i gave up for the night last night.. and will resume tonight.. im probably going to get a looong extension cord so I can use the far more powerfull drill vs the cordless one... drilling up through plywood then the 2" wall footer is a bitch while standing on a step stool in the basement.... and im a candy ass since my muscle building activities each day involve a computer mouse...

should get this shit finished up tonight though... cant wait.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...