AlSmith

I am adding two walls (one 4ft and one 5.5 ft wall) to construct a small storeroom in a corner of a commercial building with a suspended ceiling. I will be attaching the 2 new walls perpendicullary to the 2 existing walls in the corner. Since the top plate will not be attached to anything (due to suspended ceiling), do you think the 2 small wall additions will be sturdy?

Thanks

kok328

Your going to want to attach the two new walls to the existing walls using the first stud of the new wall. Your top plate will attach to that wall stud which has been attached to the existing wall. Where the corner of the two new walls meet, you'll want to run a stud on a 45 degree angle, tying the two new walls together at the top plate. One thing I tell my guys is to look at the big picture (legal egress, carpeting, mop board, HVAC, fire supression, wall outlets, separate lighting, etc....). Good Luck.

Slawth

Yes, they will be sturdy. Build the walls with a single bottom plate and single top plate to about 2 " short of the suspended ceiling. Stand them up and tie in the outside corner then pull the suspended ceiling panels and double up the plate on the top, over-lapping the plates in the opposite direction the the single top plates run (at the outside corner). As long as where you are attaching the new walls to the existing walls is solid (ie into wood framing or block- not drywall) it will be very solid.