Knee Wall

[ki4hpz]

I am still confused how to create a knee wall. Is it on the second story? HELP!  lol

[glenn kangiser]

From the construction Library posted by Kin.

Knee wall *      (1)A wall that shortens the span of the roof rafters by acting as a knee brace,in that it supports the rafters at some intermediate point along their length. (2)A short wall constructed to extend the height of an existing foundation or other wall system.

I take it as being the short wall sticking up above the second floor -strongest if continued with extended first floor studs -- but what do I know? --- I'm a steel guy. :-/

[Amanda_931]

I've always thought it could be made exactly the same way as the second story in platformed framing.  

Or with balloon framing, as Glenn suggests.

[Jimmy C.]

I've always thought it could be made exactly the same way as the second story in platformed framing.  

My 2nd story started out as three foot walls upstairs.
We pushed them up to 6 feet.
So it is not a knee wall, it is a neck wall!  
The upstairs walls were built downstairs during one of the rained out weekends.
We carried them upstairs and installed them the next
weekend when the weather was better.
Because we platform framed we had to beef up the
ridge beam support framing and add two support walls
in the center of the house to strengthen against racking.
We will also add rafter ties at 8-9 feet from the floor to help keep it all together.

[glenn kangiser]

Really looking good Jimmy-- I'll bet you even amaze yourself sometimes.

[Amanda_931]

Yes, it is looking good.