Wall Construction - Without Lags in the Floor

Breckt

Member
I have two walls to build for an upcoming production. These are the details:
  • Walls are 26' in length. At either end, a wall at 90° turns in and extends 5'. (the set looks like 2 brackets with the audience in the middle; like this>> [ ] )
  • The walls are 6" thick and 6'9" high.
  • Drywall on all sides with the drywall floating 1/2 from ground.
  • Theater is a Black Box with a grid at 12'
My issue is thus: We are unable to screw into the stage floor for any reason. Not with screws nor with lags.

My immediate solution was to stabilize the walls with aircraft cable attached to the grid. Our Designer is firmly against this proposal.

Does anyone have thoughts or another solution to this build? I though about adding weight at the base of the walls and conceal it between the sheetrock, but I still believe with it being such a long run that it must be secured either into the floor (not possible) or vertically to the grid.

Thanks.
 
I have two walls to build for an upcoming production. These are the details:
  • Walls are 26' in length. At either end, a wall at 90° turns in and extends 5'. (the set looks like 2 brackets with the audience in the middle; like this>> [ ] )
  • The walls are 6" thick and 6'9" high.
  • Drywall on all sides with the drywall floating 1/2 from ground.
  • Theater is a Black Box with a grid at 12'
My issue is thus: We are unable to screw into the stage floor for any reason. Not with screws nor with lags.

My immediate solution was to stabilize the walls with aircraft cable attached to the grid. Our Designer is firmly against this proposal.

Does anyone have thoughts or another solution to this build? I though about adding weight at the base of the walls and conceal it between the sheetrock, but I still believe with it being such a long run that it must be secured either into the floor (not possible) or vertically to the grid.

Thanks.

Use a significant amount of velcro along the bottom. At the top, use your cables in both directions up to the grid on 45 degree angles (and perpendicular to the plane of the wall). First, have the grid strengthened (too resist lateral movement) as needed, for this and future uses. Best of luck. Bob-MN
... How far apart are the two walls? Perhaps you could build them higher and connect them at top of top with a truss.
 
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If you can turn the end walls into an I instead of a C it would be inherently stable from tipping. This is essentially a 5' wide by 7'9" structure. Failing that, any brace on the outside of the C would go a long way, maybe a 2' wall in the middle of the 23' wall.

The more likely issue is sliding as a patron leans against it, which could scratch the floor.
 
Ah yes, that was an option I suggested as well. Our designer is very keen on it being flush to the floor. I believe he would prefer to the aircraft cable solution than the false floor.

Thank you though, Skervald.
 
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Use a significant amount of velcro along the bottom. At the top, use your cables in both directions up to the grid on 45 degree angles (and perpendicular to the plane of the wall). First, have the grid strengthened (too resist lateral movement) as needed, for this and future uses. Best of luck. Bob-MN
... How far apart are the two walls? Perhaps you could build them higher and connect them at top of top with a truss.

I hadn't thought about using the velcro, but it makes absolute sense.

Anyone else have thoughts on this solution? It seems the most plausible and cleanest execution.
 
Can you connect them to each other up top to complete the square? Otherwise I prefer Sk8rsdad's idea of making them I shaped or just hiding some triangle bracing behind it. If the audience is in the middle I don't see why you cant just build some triangle braces on the back of the wall.
 
Couple of stage weights hidden inside the walls behind a small hinged flap in the farthest ends of the return walls? Seems like they'll be pretty stable to begin with as long as the 90-degree joints are solid, given the long span and short height... plus the weight. You might not need anything unless they are being run into in the action of the show.
 
Some general questions.

How do you plan to build the structure. 6 inch thick is a strange number. Why did you pick that?

Why WHY are you using sheet rock? It is heavy, it does not stand up to abuse at the edges, and it does not add much strength to the structure. Why not use plywood or luan?

26 feet is a long run to have with no supports to keep it from wiggling. For me ( unless you are planning to build this monster out of 2x6 ) that will be a large problem. Even if you use heavy dimensional lumber, I would still worry.

Does anyone see the 'back side of the wall ? If not, I would consider a stage jack or three on the back,side. This would make it stable and solve the wiggle issue.
 
I am not as familiar with the term "stage jack" not fastened to the floor, however I expect the effect is similar the effect of the weight in the rear of a Wenger audio/music shell. If you have enough weight behind the 2 walls, they should be able to resist whatever you expect, say, the weight of an actor/performer who is supposed to fall against it!! (or any accident involving a guest).
 
I presume metal studs, maybe sitting on a plywood or lumber base. It all should be not bad except the top of the long section will be hard to keep straight, and the ends of the "[" may tip in or out. I wish you could run a member to the walls from maybe third or quarter points at the top of your wall to the side walls. (Is outside the [ ] really that important?) Would some black pipes - flanged to free floating base and roto-locked to grid - really matter?

I think if you could use 8" steel studs, it would be stiff enough for the 26' run.

Building it without support will be the hard part - and may require temporary jacks.
 
I don't know what fabrication capabilities are, but one thing that we do to stabilize long runs of walls is to put a pipe pocket into the bottom of the walls, then have 1/4" steel base plates made with a 1 1/2" SCH 40 pipe that sleeves into the pipe pocket. just be sure that the pipe goes through at least two of the bottom ribs when using this method.

To clean up the base plates we normally roll out carpet then cut holes in it so that the pipe pokes out of the top of the carpet, then set the walls over the top. Looking at the height of the walls you should only need to place the base plates every 3rd wall or so (centered & assuming that you will be building them in 4' increments)

Other options of course for finishes could be to have the base plates powder coated with a nice finish.
 
We do it all the time on corporate gigs. Here's one with no attachments to anything.
photo.jpg
 

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