Correct 8 foot high ceiling/wall

[Mudball]

Bare with me as I try and word these questions and ask them the best I can. I have concrete block for walls. There will be sill plate sitting on top of the block for the trusses to sit on. There will be a concrete pad floor poured. My question is to be able to determine where the top of the pad will be pored then shouldnt I measure from where the top of the sill plate is (where the trusses sit)? If I measure from the top of the sill plate just where the trusses sit on them down exactly 8' then that is where the concrete pad should be poured to...correct ?
I want my walls and drywall to come out good without cutting as much (if possible)
Wouldnt I be attaching the top side of the drywall to the "side" of the 2X4 that is straight across and horizontally even with the sill plate sitting on the block ?
For my walls I know there would be a treated 2X4 on the concrete and I believe a 2X4 nailed to the bottom of the trusses just even across from the sill plate (?) and I believe they sell 2X4's that are 92 5/8" long that wouls fit in between these two boards but I want to make sure I have the correct 8' distance from top to bottom.
Does is sound like Im on the right track  :-/

[glenn-k]

You need a bit more, Mudball.  I think it is about 8' 1 1/2"  so make the concrete wall 8'0" down to top of floor.  Plate on top the wall gives 8' 1 1/2" .  This gives room to get the sheetrock or wall covering if used off the floor a bit so it doesn't wick up every water spill etc.  It also gives you a bit for your ceiliing sheetrock to drop down 1/2 or 5/8 without encroaching on the standard 8' for wall paneling etc.

8' 1/1/2" - 1/2" for ceiling sheetrock - 1/2" for walls covering off the floor, leaves 1/2" for carpet or floor covering still leaving you a full 8' ceiling height.

Note that this is not absolute or entirely critical -- it is just something that works out good and has been the main way of doing it over the years so that everything fits.  Code has more allowance than this.

[Mudball]

That sounds great. Thanks for explaining that.

[glenn-k]

My pleasure.

[hunter63]

Yes thanks , it's the little details like that that only rear their heads when you are finishing up, kinda like my 24' x 24' grarge the is actually 24'- 1' long and wide. Forgot about the sheeting and siding.

Wouldn't  have been a problem, but the siding was 16 ft, so a full piece and a half should fit right?

Wrong!!!, the corners didn't fit. Made my own out of soffit  material, bent with a piece if angle iron and some key stock, two "C" clamps.
I had to "cut corners" to cover up my mistake.

[Amanda_931]

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Not to be confused with the Mothers of Invention.  (they got stranded in Honolulu for a while, became friends of a friend of mine--I never met them)

[John Raabe]

Here is a good overview of wall studs and such. Back up to the top for the whole framing review.

http://www.hometime.com/Howto/projects/framing/frame_3.htm#plate

See the "Cutting Wall Studs" Subheading.

[Pa_Kettle]

Ok, here's a nagging question I have on this general subject.

First you layout one wall so that the external sheathing's edge falls even with the outside edge of the corner stud.  Fine.  Now, do you lay out the other wall (the one that hits this same corner) so that this sheathing's edge falls even with the outside edge of the corner stud OR so that the sheathing's edge falls even with the outside edge of the other sheathing?

So like this (view from above):

                           ______  < --- sheathing
sheathing --->       | |     |   < ---- stud

or this:
                              _____  < --- sheathing
sheathing --->       | |     |   < ---- stud


PK

[glenn kangiser]

Considering wall widths and sheathing widths, I would go even with the edge of the stud - this should put you even with the edge of the stud on the opposite corner on a 24 'wall -- on a 30' wall you will cut a sheet anyway but the half could be used on the opposite wall - windows and doors may change things a bit anyway. but as Mark Chenail says -- The trim will hide it.

[PEG688]

All most alway lay out flush to framing the sheathing" flushing up" is generally inconsequential.

   In fact it is better (read less likely to bite you ) if it is back a fuzz, (1/8" )  Same as your cuts at door and window opening , much better cut back a fuzz, instead of sticking     INTO    the R/O .

 As Glenn  said the trim will cover it . Lets not get crazy and cut it a 1" short  , that won't help ya  

  Back a fuzz , always better then sticking proud a fuzz

 

[John Raabe]

Always good to get a reality check from folks like PEG who actually pound these plant fibers into shapes that resemble houses.  

You can drive yourself crazy trying to layout the house based on the cutting of the sheathing panels. That does not drive the design! Many more things are far more important.

"back a fuzz" - gotta remember that!  8-)

[Pa_Kettle]

Always good to get a reality check from folks like PEG who actually pound these plant fibers into shapes that resemble houses.  

Yeah, I think I'm up to two beers per person on my "I owe you a beer if we ever meet" IOU.

You can drive yourself crazy trying to layout the house based on the cutting of the sheathing panels. That does not drive the design! Many more things are far more important.

I was primarily concerned with the placement of my inner studs, so that they'd be on center with the sheathing.

Thanks for info and thanks for the site John!
PK