I've been searching, but haven't been able to find information regarding hanging walls, and how they'll have to affect my plans.
According to code in the Denver area, and other areas with expansive soils, basement walls are hung from the joists of the floor above (basement ceiling). A double sole plate is also used. One plate is attached to the floor, the other is held laterally in place with spikes and floats about 2" above the bottom sole plate. Baseboard moulding is attached to the bottom sole plate and the drywall slides up & down behind it; the baseboard covers the gap.
This causes me concern on two levels:
1. This will prevent me from detaching the walls from the ceiling, thus increasing my STC. It seems to me that the sway brackets and other insulating techniques will be useless for this application, because they don't strike me as being a method for attaching the weight of the wall; only managing the wall's movement. Am I correct? If so, what options do I have in this case?
2. It also means that the ceiling will have to bear the entire weight of not only the studio ceiling panels, but also the walls. Am I correct in assuming I shouldn't even think of three sheets of gyp? How about two? Is that out too? My calculations show that for two layers in strategic places (i.e., ceiling and some walls, but not outer walls against the concrete), that adds up to about 25,000 pounds, not including the framing, screws, or mud. Just sheetrock.
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
Thank you for your help.
-Craig