Attaching Framed Walls to Concrete Floors

Three methods for Attaching Basement Framed Walls to Concrete Floors

By Mark J. Donovan




 When finishing a basement one of the most common questions asked is how to attach framed walls to concrete floors. There are three common methods that I have used.

The method I prefer to use most for attaching framed walls to concrete floors is to use a hammer drill and Tapcon screws. I simply drill a hole through the bottom plate of the framed wall, and into the concrete the necessary depth for the particular Tapcon screw that I am using. Typically I use a 2-3/4 inch Tapcon screw.

Another method for attaching framed walls to concrete floors is to use a powder actuated tool.

A powder actuated tool can quickly drive a concrete nail through the bottom plate into the concrete floor. A powder actuated tool / nail gun typically uses a 0.22 or 0.27 caliber shot load explosive.



The third alternative for attaching framed walls to concrete floors is to use concrete nails with a framing hammer. In my experience this method is the least accurate as the concrete nails sometime wander from the desired locations, thus causing the wall not to be perfectly positioned.

When framing basement walls, I normally stick build them. Unlike framing a home or home addition, there are inconsistent heights in a basement due to the concrete slab and deflections in the various overhead floor joists.

Consequently, I fasten the bottom plate of the framed wall to the concrete floor first. I then install the top plate to the overhead floor joists, and finally I attach the vertical stud members in-between the plates.

  How to attached framed basement walls to concrete floor

When attaching the bottom plate to the concrete floor, I first apply a bead of liquid nails to the underside of it. I then put it in position and attach it to the concrete floor via one of the three methods described above.

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