Studs for 2000 thomas

[skytz]

I know it's too early to even consider wall studs, but been I've dying to know if anyone has used metal studs instead of wood. If so would you recommend using them? And how do you go about using them.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by skytz

I know it's too early to even consider wall studs, but been I've dying to know if anyone has used metal studs instead of wood. If so would you recommend using them? And how do you go about using them.

Others have used steel studs to construct their interior with good results. The metal wall studs are easier to conform to the curves of the ceiling. Make kerf cuts in the flange w/ tin snips and they bend.

[skytz]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Others have used steel studs to construct their interior with good results. The metal wall studs are easier to conform to the curves of the ceiling. Make kerf cuts in the flange w/ tin snips and they bend.

One of the issues I will be running into based on the layout I'm going to use, is that I'm going to need every free inch of the 90 inches. The only option I have is to use 2 × 2's, but I want something stronger but lighter.

[somewhereinusa]

I recently used metal studs for a project (not bus related, shed to house my wood stove for shop, so no wood) and I can say that I would never use them for anything other than that. Granted they are easy to work with but that is about it. I think they are just too flimsy.

I'm going to need every free inch

I don't see how using metal studs will conserve space. They are same dimensions as a 2x4 and can't be cut down.

There are a number of ways to make thinner interior walls. For most of my interior I ripped 2x4s into 1.5x1.5s. For the most part none of the walls bear any weight, even then you can hang quite a bit on a wall that is 1.5s.

If the wall won't have any plumbing or electrical inside you can use 3/4 plywood for even less space requirements. I have one cabinet that carries a lot of weight on slide out shelves, I made it out of 3/4 ply. I was going to make my pantry walls that way but, had it all framed before I remembered so, I just left it.

Some random things from a web search of steel vs wood studs.

Surprisingly, steel studs aren't as strong as wooden ones, especially the lighter versions that can only be used on interior, non-load-bearing walls. ... Steel studs can also cost more than wood ones, and you have to consider some special issues that come along with framing in metal.

If you want to surface-mount the TV then you can use toggle bolts through a steel stud, but a cantilevered arm WILL fail. The only appropriate solution is to open up the wall and either replace the steel studs in question with wooden studs, or slide the wooden stud in to the steel stud.Aug 27, 2014

There is some debate about whether or not metal is suitable for hanging cabinets or heavy mirrors. Canadian contractor and construction expert Mike Holmes (Holmes on Home, Holmes Inspection) says absolutely NO WAY

.

There was someone on this board that welded up 1inch square tubing for all of his walls and cabinets. That, in my opinion, is the only way to use metal for wall studs.

Dick

[skytz]

My bus has wc lift that will be retrofitted for a motorcycle. There will be a wall there. Against that I want to put the bed and bathroom side by side. I can only use a full size bed and the bathroom will be 30 inches in width. That leaves me exactly 2 inches for the outer supports and the wall separating the bed and bathroom.

[Robin97396]

I like the way you're planning and researching. Those wheelchair lifts are ideal for a motorcycle. A little dual sport so you can ride trails or visit the local market without moving the whole house.

At first I lamented over the fact that my quad wouldn't fit through the lift door, let alone fitting through the even narrower lift itself. Also I couldn't get away with riding a quad to the grocery store.

[BlackJohn]

Originally Posted by skytz

I know it's too early to even consider wall studs, but been I've dying to know if anyone has used metal studs instead of wood. If so would you recommend using them? And how do you go about using them.

Skytz, I used metal studding in several areas in my bus with great success.
In another life I found just how easy and versatile they are for framing. There is a bit of a knack to it of course but using them becomes fun when you know the tricks for their purpose. Mostly they are used for drywall framing for fireproofing and ease of use compared to wood. They are not for saving space which sounds like you what you want.
I disagree with those who find them flimsy. There must be images on google various techniques in using them.

I installed a woodstove near the back of my bus. Then I built an insulated steel wall to woodstove from my bathroom area. The hot side of the wall gets as hot as the stove itself and chimney piping. It is super strong clad in a metal siding with high heat paint. The opposite side of the wall is barely warm on the touch of your hand. I couldn't do that with wood.

Instance #2...the long heater hose runs front to back of 1"hose. I laid on the floor some metal channel used for wall building. Inside that I put an insulation blanket enough to encompass the heater hoses. In went both hoses side by each. Then I took metal wall studs and used them as a cover over the whole affair. The hoses stay good and hot, have mechanical protection and are easily accessed if need be.

If one wants to hang heavy things off a metal wall, go for it. You just determine where your fasteners have to be for that heavy item just put for example plywood between the studs as a backboard to fasten too.

Talk to a drywall framer for advice on how to use it. They know better than anyone.

John

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

I used 16-gauge wall studs 1-1/2x3-1/2" flat wise and boxed two together so that I had something to screw on each side and used 1-1/2x1-1/2" track to secure them top and bottom which left me with 1-1/2" framing and 3/8" bead board or wainscoting on each side that ended up 2-1/4" total for all of my dividing walls and the same studs on my exterior walls boxed together to give me room for 1-1/2" insulation with a whole drilled big enough to get a screw head and 5/16" drill chuck into to attach the studs to the ribs,chair rail or whatever solid point I needed to hit with the same insulation board pieces I cut out to fit around the studs pushed into the stud openings to fill the voids.
I weld and fabricate for a living but the use of heavy gauge studs,tracking was so much cheaper,quicker and simpler to not pass up?
Really what made my mind up was a commercial construction dumpster find that was all left over from an onsite light gauge truss production and I just happened to be there and had been working with the men getting ready to dump 3-4 entire skids of 20'ers in the dumpster and the company I worked for at that time had a flat bed truck on the job that could handle it all.
They wanted one skid and I took two home.
Good luck and have fun

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger bus 223

I used 16-gauge wall studs 1-1/2x3-1/2" flat wise and boxed two together so that I had something to screw on each side and used 1-1/2x1-1/2" track to secure them top and bottom which left me with 1-1/2" framing and 3/8" bead board or wainscoting on each side that ended up 2-1/4" total for all of my dividing walls and the same studs on my exterior walls boxed together to give me room for 1-1/2" insulation with a whole drilled big enough to get a screw head and 5/16" drill chuck into to attach the studs to the ribs,chair rail or whatever solid point I needed to hit with the same insulation board pieces I cut out to fit around the studs pushed into the stud openings to fill the voids.
I weld and fabricate for a living but the use of heavy gauge studs,tracking was so much cheaper,quicker and simpler to not pass up?
Really what made my mind up was a commercial construction dumpster find that was all left over from an onsite light gauge truss production and I just happened to be there and had been working with the men getting ready to dump 3-4 entire skids of 20'ers in the dumpster and the company I worked for at that time had a flat bed truck on the job that could handle it all.
They wanted one skid and I took two home.
Good luck and have fun

added some pics hopefully they showed up thought I had some framing ones? These are all finished stuff
Good luck

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

I suck at this?
Let's try a few more

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

Sorry guess I can only do one pic at a time.

[skytz]

Thanks guys for giving such helpful tips, so there are pros and cons from both sides. If I show you a couple of pictures that got me sold hopefully you'll see what I'm trying to accomplish. These pictures are based off of a structure that is at least 10 ft wide. That's why I'm trying to maximize as much as I can. Mind you I'm interested in the back part only. Still trying to figure out how to set up the front half.

[skytz]

These next pictures are of the layout I taped out. The bus is a total of 300 inches from back door to just a few inches short from the back of the driver's seat. 66 inches will be walled off from the rest of the bus for my little garage and storage area. I will be gutting the whole inside of the bus, but there are some obstacles that I am facing, hopefully you can give me some advice. Also the 1st pictures I uploaded, the bathroom and bed are reversed. As you can see the strip of metal on the 1st one is 2 inches, as well as the 2d where the metal juts out. The 3rd the picture is the wall dividing which is also 2 inches wide. In the previous pictures, the bed and bathroom are both even. The problem is the only access to make the bed is from the bottom of the bed, that's a no go for me. So you can shower I'm planning on using is a corner shower where the front is round not square. The toilet wll be a composting toilet. but I'm looking for one where the lengh of it will not impede access to the shower. I kind of fudged on the bike I have, technically it's a scooter. It's a honda forza 300, its 300cc. Don't ask me why, but to me I feel like I'm disrespecting it by calling it a scooter. That word is meant for the less powerful ones. To me it's a motorcycle. Weird huh, oh well. Now this where the obstacle that I running into. You can see in the 2d picture where the cover juts out. In order to maximize the space, that has to go but I don't know what its covering. Can you help?

[skytz]

What I want to do is store the fresh water reserve under the bed. At the foot of the bed, put drawers there. And depending on the space, put a hydrolic lift on the bed so it can be accessed. I have a cat, so I'm considering in cutting a hole either at the base of the bed or from the bathroom itself so I can put the litter pan. Make a box so the the litter pan won't go sliding and it's also the kind where it is enclosed.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

Okay. For the the metal that has to go. You need to pull it and post pics of what it's protecting? Probably heater hoses and a heater?
You could also entertain the idea of a wet bath? The toilet,shower,sink are all in the same space?
Food for thought?

[Twigg]

It's a scooter, and nothing to be ashamed of. We have two. A Sym RV250 and a Kymco Like 200

I also have a Long Distance Rally Prepped, Yamaha FJR1300A, but that's another story

[skytz]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger bus 223

Okay. For the the metal that has to go. You need to pull it and post pics of what it's protecting? Probably heater hoses and a heater?
You could also entertain the idea of a wet bath? The toilet,shower,sink are all in the same space?
Food for thought?

Yes, I've thought about it. But the way the bathroom is situated, it can only be accessed from the front, not from the side like so many buses are setup.

[skytz]

Originally Posted by Twigg

It's a scooter, and nothing to be ashamed of. We have two. A Sym RV250 and a Kymco Like 200

I also have a Long Distance Rally Prepped, Yamaha FJR1300A, but that's another story

I know it's just the way I see it. It's the size of a motorcycle, which is the other reason. Given a choice, I'd prefer to put the bike on the outside and utilize the entire space. But based on what I've researched on, if I decide to spend the winter up north, it can mess up the bike

[skytz]

No problem. Thanks for the pics.

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by skytz

I know it's just the way I see it. It's the size of a motorcycle, which is the other reason. Given a choice, I'd prefer to put the bike on the outside and utilize the entire space. But based on what I've researched on, if I decide to spend the winter up north, it can mess up the bike

I'm planning a 1000# motorcycle lift on either the front or back. The Yamaha weighs around 650# and I want to be able to carry it.