Stop my wall from twisting

[MrBS]

I am building a house on stage that opens up. The walls measure 12' w x 16' h constructed out of 2x4's. For weeks we have been using them in rehearsal just as framing with no problem. I've added exterior siding (luaun) and a roof with no problem. several days in rehearsal, working great. Today I did one of the interiors (faux brick panel board from a home center). My wall started to twist and lean from the added weight. I need to find a way to arrest the twist and stiffen the wall. The walls are hinged on one side with fixed casters along the bottom.

I am contemplating adding 2 x 6 headers to the top of the wall. Any suggestions how to keep taller walls from twisting?

 

[AudJ]

Trying to envision this. Any chance of a photo?

Couple of initial thoughts:

Seems thin for a wall that tall on wheels. Are these 4x8 Luan? What is fastening it, and what horizontal or vertical pattern is utilized? If you can find a good pattern for the Luan, laying the wall flat, gluing and fastening the materials and allowing dry time will provide more rigidity to the wall, but height and weight are definitely a factor here, So no guarantees.

Adding a header might just add weight if it on the moving wall.

 

[AudJ]

Can you strike the weight and do Muslim instead?

 

[MrBS]

Trying to envision this. Any chance of a photo?

Couple of initial thoughts:

Seems thin for a wall that tall on wheels. Are these 4x8 Luan? What is fastening it, and what horizontal or vertical pattern is utilized? If you can find a good pattern for the Luan, laying the wall flat, gluing and fastening the materials and allowing dry time will provide more rigidity to the wall, but height and weight are definitely a factor here, So no guarantees.

Adding a header might just add weight if it on the moving wall.

Since I had to cut out the nitch on the top corner to fit it to the front porch, I think that compromised the integrity a bit. But I did that a week ago with no problem. The problem is the BIG wall. Although it is not listing as much as it was last night. weird.

 

[Reggie]

Rebuild it as a torsion box. http://www.core77.com/posts/26334/A-Look-at-Torsion-Boxes

 

[Robert]

Just checking to see if you are using fixed casters. Swivel casters would cause some problems.

 

[Chris Rigby]

For something that tall, with so little bracing, I would have used 4x4 for your two really tall side supports. At this point, its extremely impractical to replace them, but something worth considering in the future. If there was a way to add more support (a different facade) I see that being a good option.
I'm aware that all of these are design changes and not fixes, so that's probably not as much help as you would like. However, that would be recommendation, just from an outsiders prospective.

 

[bobgaggle]

I don't think there's much more you can do at this point. Like others have said its the torsional stiffness, or lack thereof, that's the issue. Rather than correct the underlying problem, you can maybe treat the symptom. I'm guessing your casters are in a straight line tangential to the arc the wall makes as it rotates. If the wall leans onstage (leans towards the interior face) you could try to move the caster at the end towards the way it leans. The wall looks like its 14-18" wide? If you can shift the center or gravity to the exterior side you'll counteract the lean. Alternatively you can just add a caster if its easier than moving the existing ones and make it a bit higher than the others. Should achieve the same effect.

 

[Reggie]

How about a length of angle iron, top to bottom capping both outside corners of the wall? Bolts instead of drywall screws.
Or treat the wall like the arm of a jib crane and run a tensioned cable from the top of a post at the pivot point to the top outside corner of the wall.

 

[bobgaggle]

For something that tall, with so little bracing, I would have used 4x4 for your two really tall side supports.

How about a length of angle iron, top to bottom capping both outside corners of the wall? Bolts instead of drywall screws.
Or treat the wall like the arm of a jib crane and run a tensioned cable from the top of a post at the pivot point to the top outside corner of the wall.

Even if these were incorporated from the get go, OP would have still run into the same problem. Its not the structural members that are bending, its the joints in the framing that cause this issue. The torsion box idea would have been a solid way to go, but we're past that now. If you can roll that wall off the edge of your stage to get at the far caster, I'd move it back towards the interior face. Shift that center of gravity beyond the center of the caster and it'll lean the other way. It won't make the wall solid as its rolling, it'll probably still wobble back and forth, so hopefully the change can be done in the dark?