Anchoring a non-load bearing wall

[Tom Porter]

I'm framing up a few small walls to make a mud room in my garage. I need to anchor the plate to the concrete floor of the garage. I've been researching but can't figure out how many wedge anchors to use, how far they should be spaced and how deep into the concrete they should go. I've tried going through the building code without finding out much. Most of my searches have come up with guidelines for exterior and load-bearing walls.

I know there are a lot of different options for fasteners and I don't want to get to far into the tall grass on this. I'm beginning to suspect that 1/2 wedges anchors are overkill. Maybe I should be using something else.

Can anyone give me guidelines on this?

[Sam Murdoch]

I think you could easily do this with tap cons and a tube of PL construction adhesive caulk. More caulk /fewer tap cons.
You are just locating the walls at the floor as I assume that at least one edge will be secured to another wall and the top
to the framing in the ceiling.

[Bill Dufour]

In California a load bearing wall would need 1/2" bolts about 10" from the end of each separate board making up the mudsill and one every 4-6 feet between. I would say for a simple short wall, one bolt at each end and maybe one in the middle to prevent bowing. This assumes you mudsill boards are one piece full length.
I would use at least one at each end so it does not move around out of square while nailing it together.
Use square washers, not round.
Bill

[Bruce Wrenn]

I would use "Tapcons", and NO adhesive. This way if wall ever has to come down, you aren't left with a mess to clean up.

[John K Jordan]

None of the walls in my shop are load-bearing. (post and beam construction) All walls are 2x6. I used adhesive plus a powder actuated driver to fire fasteners every few feet into the concrete through the wood, Ramset I think, used with a 22cal cartridge. I bought a driver smacked on the end with a small sledge. This was very quick. I put in almost 250 linear ft of walls and I think I had only a couple of misfires. For walls with doorways, to keep things aligned perfectly I put in a continuous PT2x6 then cut away the section for the door. I did take out one glued section and it pried up ok - it was work but not all that difficult. I like the idea of a few strips of glue under the boards to discourage any little crawling things.

JKJ

[Todd Mason-Darnell]

Given that it is non load bearing, I would use RAMMSET nails. Quickest and easiest.

[Lee Schierer]

I would use "Tapcons", and NO adhesive. This way if wall ever has to come down, you aren't left with a mess to clean up.

This is what I would do as well. I would also place some5-6 mil plastic under the plates unless I was using treated lumber.

[roger wiegand]

I'd use ramsets or tapcons, 1/2" bolts are overkill for this use. All you are trying to do is to keep the bottom of the wall in place. One close to each end and one in every third or fourth stud bay should be plenty. I always use treated lumber against concrete, especially if drilling holes or possibly making cracks. I've seen termites use walls anchored to basement floors as an entry point too often.

When I've done demolition any time I've run into 30+ year old construction adhesive it's been brittle and crumbly, not actually doing anything. I wouldn't bother with it.

[Jerome Stanek]

I have a Hilti DX350 that I use 2 shot at each end and every 4 ft

[Al Launier]

A .22 cal stud gun is all you need. You can get a single-shot, triggered stud gun for about $80. Not knowing what the floor is like, i.e. how flat it is, if you need to protect against unwanted insect intruders you could also use the sill seal to fill any gaps & to keep the 2/4's off the concrete. In any event, if you decide to use a stud gun be sure that the sill plate is in contact with the floor for a better connection and use safety glasses and sound protection.

[Marc Jeske]

Far as I know, on a garage slab, you should use Treated bottom plates, and ?maybe ?ideally that roll foam "Sill Sealer" under them. Marc

[Charles Lent]

If you go with Tapcons, drill the holes all the way through the concrete, or at least far deeper than the Tapcon is long. That way, they can be driven down through if you decide to remove the wall. The hole becomes an easy patch that way. If you don't do this, the only way is to cut and grind off the Tapcon flush with the concrete surface and patching for a smooth concrete surface then becomes difficult. I would use Tapcons, installed per code like others have said. I don't like nailing into concrete, even with the explosive methods.

Charley

[Marc Jeske]

Another big benefit of the through drilling above, is the ease of cleaning out the dust.

Pretty tough to do in such a small diameter hole, no matter what compressed air/tiny hoses, etc tricks you may try. Marc

[Malcolm McLeod]

Another big benefit of the through drilling above, is the ease of cleaning out the dust.

Pretty tough to do in such a small diameter hole, no matter what compressed air/tiny hoses, etc tricks you may try. Marc

...or drill and then blow the dust away from the hole with the bit still in the hole.

[Tom Porter]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. The walls are already in place; I just haven't anchored them yet. I used pressure treated lumber for the bottom plates, so no worries there. I think I'll use Tapcons. It'll give me an excuse to use my new hammer drill. Now if I only had answers to the other 20 framing questions I've got.