How would you do this:?

[Michael Jones]

My A/C contractor asked if I could lower the ceiling in the bathroom and Mech. closet to 9'.
Its currently at 10'

The 10' height allows me to simply run stringers across the top caps of the walls.
But there's no top caps at 9'.

Should I use some lag bolts to bolt a header to the studs at 9', and use joist hangers on those to hold the 2x4 framing for the ceiling?

I have no doubt that that would be sturdy enough to hold up the sheetrock, but keep in mind these guys are going to be standing on this thing as they do the duct work up there. And the top of that, the attic side, would get decked with 3/4" plywood.

Any thoughts?

[Amped]

Michael,
Drop ceilings are a common practise, when I was in the busines, we would simply affix the ceiling joist to the wall studs using a 16 penny air nailer about 3-4 nails per attatchment point. Thats more than enough adheration to support the workers and whatever you plan on putting up there. And dont forget about the deadwood.
Jim

[knightfly]

Jim's right Michael, just be sure they don't compromise any isolation by tying into both frames in any of your double walls, and observe span calculations... Steve

[Michael Jones]

Well the inside staggered studs are on 16" centers. So if I hit every one of those, it should be good to go then. Right?

The thing is... the staggered studs are most likely NOT in line with the bathroom and mech. room studs. PLUS... the staggered stud wall is straight, and the bathroom and Mech room walls are angled.

What's this about deadwood?

[Amped]

Michael, the fact that the walls are angled shouldnt be a problem at all...... If the studs line up on center then yes, youre good to go, actually, the only ones that need to be on center is where two pieces of sheetrock are to be joined, IE; 2' 4' 8' etc. ....You can install a ledger board (2x4) on the backside of the staggered wall at a 90 degree angle to the studs at the desired height, that way you can place the joists so they are at equal spacing as the ones on the adjacent wall. OR,, you can frame the interior perameter with 2x4's at the desired heigth and install your joists between the the framing bevelling the one end thats angled. Deadwood is just pieces of 2x4 or 2x6 installed in areas where additional nailing surfaces are required, usually for sheetrock, and usually in corners and where the ceiling meets the walls. Hopefully this isnt too confusing.
Jim

[Michael Jones]

Nope. Not confusing at all.
What you call deadwood, I refer to as "Nailers". Same diff.

I should get my jargon down.
When I said "header" I meant ledger board.

So what I'll do then is just bolt a ledger board to the staggered stud wall, and come off of it with the new ceiling joists.

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Hello Michael. Say, did you come to a conclusion on the surround issues? Hope I didn't piss ya off with the "mission impossible" joke. I was jus kiddin around. You know me. I hope you didn't take it wrong. Doggone, sometimes my humor doesn't come off right when I type it.

fitZ

[Michael Jones]

Yeah, I came to issue with it.
I'm going to do it right, and build the surrounds in isolation from the CR wall.

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Cool. I was wondering though. In my mind, after I drew those, it occured to me that those "baffle extention panels" would or might be a direct reflection plane for the front speakers, since those panels are directed at the engineering position, right. Seems like a paradox for stereo mixing. Probably a brain fart though. Anyway, can't wait to see what you came up with.

fitZ

ps, sorry for bringing this up on this thread. I'll refrain from now on.