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Project Difficulty:
Moderate
Estimated
Project Time: Varies with size of wall
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| Tools and Materials: |
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Furring strips
Masonry fasteners
Hand-drilling hammer, as needed
PAF tool, as needed
Screwdrivers
Safety goggles
Power drill and bits
Drywall screw gun
Electronic stud finder, as needed
Measuring tape
Pencil
Straightedge
4' spirit level
Chalk
Construction adhesive and caulking gun
Shims, as needed
Plane, as needed
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Drywall panels are not always fastened directly to studs, joists, or old walls. In some instances, especially when the framing or surface you intend to cover is out of level or plumb, you will need to first install furring strips. The furring strips can then be shimmed to present a plumb plane on which to attach drywall panels. Furring strips also produce an ideal nailing base when installing drywall over a masonry surface. Milled from softwood (spruce, pine, or fir) and sold in bundles, furring strips measure 1-1/2 inches wide and 5/8 to 1 inch thick (depending on the desired standoff). Steel furring strips are also available.
Furring is a great timesaving way of finishing your basement perimeter walls, but if you have a moisture problem, you might want to think twice about it. A row of nailholes can easily turn into a crack, which can easily lead to leaks--and water-soaked drywall, among other problems. To avoid this, use 2x2s or 2x4s not as furring but to frame an entirely new wall. You don't have to nail them in, and it leaves room for insulation, too.
Choosing the Right Masonry Fastener
When attaching wood to masonry, you'll need special fasteners. You can choose from three basic types: hammered, powder-actuated, or shield-and-anchor.
Hammered fasteners are designed to be driven through furring and into masonry using a heavy hand-drilling hammer. These include spiral masonry nails and cut nails, which are heavy, flat, and tapered. Unfortunately, nails present a serious drawback: You don't have room for error when driving them. A glancing blow can loosen the nail. On the plus side, you don't have to predrill your masonry and furring strips, a requirement of shield-and-anchor systems.
Powder-actuated fasteners (PAFs) are pins that you shoot through the furring and into the masonry. This takes a special handheld tool that discharges a .22 caliber cartridge for each pin it drives; follow the manufacturer's instructions for use. (Use extreme caution--if a PAF is misused, the pin can act like a bullet.) PAFs work only with concrete, not bricks or cinder blocks. The charges come in several different sizes that are color-coded to match the strength of the concrete. Make sure you select a charge that neither overdrives the nail (through the furring strip) nor leaves the nailhead exposed. The nailhead should lie flush with or just below the furring's surface. (Experiment with different charges until you find the right one.) PAFs offer a twofold advantage--you can work very quickly, and you don't have to predrill the masonry and furring strips as you do when using a shield-and-anchor system.
Shield-and-anchor systems consist of two parts. You insert the tapered lead or plastic shields (expanding tubes) into predrilled holes in the masonry. When you drive the screws (matched to the shields) through the furring, they expand the shields, gripping the sides of the hole and resisting withdrawal.
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1.
Make Your Layout
After dampproofing, if necessary, clean the wall you intend to fur out, removing any loose masonry or plaster. Decide whether to install drywall horizontally or vertically, and then lay out your furring strips accordingly. Long strips provide a nail or screw base along the long panel edges, whereas shorter strips provide backing for end-butt joints or for the edges of vertical panels. (Fig. 1)
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2.
Snap Chalk Lines
Snap a vertical chalk line every 16 or 24 inches on center on a masonry wall. Use a level or plumb bob to make sure the chalk lines are plumb. For a plaster wall, locate the studs beneath the plaster using an electronic stud finder, and snap chalk lines on stud locations. (Fig. 2)
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3.
Check the Wall for Irregularities
Run a 4-foot spirit level or straightedge perpendicular to these chalk lines and locate any obvious low spots or bulges. Mark them using chalk or a pencil (Fig. 3). The furring strips can be shimmed at the low spots. If you come across a noticeable high spot, try to bring down the bulge if you can. Otherwise, you'll have to measure out how far the bump protrudes, and fur out at least that far, planing the strips or skipping over that spot to adjust for the bulge.
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4.
Prepare the Furring Strips
Predrill the furring strips every 16 inches for the fasteners. Hold the strips up to your chalk lines, make sure they are plumb, and mark the wall where the fasteners will be located by poking through the holes using a pencil (Fig. 4). Set the strips aside, and drill the wall for your fasteners. (You can skip these steps if you're using PAFs, masonry nails, or hardened-steel cut nails.) If your fastening system requires them, install anchor shields.
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5.
Attach Ends of Furring Strips
Apply construction adhesive to the back of a strip and, using the chalk lines as a guide, place it in position (Fig. 5). Next, use fasteners to firmly attach the two ends of the strip to the masonry. Repeat for each strip. If possible, hold off on tightening the fasteners down until you've completed the shimming.
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6.
Check Furring Strips
Using a straightedge or 4-foot spirit level, check to see that your furring strips form a flat surface. Take care of any bulges; at low points, insert shims behind the furring. Complete the process of attaching all the fasteners. (Fig. 6)
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