Home Improvement → Re: Garage addition

The half wall materials were delivered today. I'm planning to make a 4' high by 8' long half wall between the knee wall and the end of the stairs for a stair guard. I'll be using 2x4 to frame the half wall and 1/2" gypsum to cover it. I picked up a 1x6 clear pine board to go on top which will make the top into a 6" wide shelf. I picked up some 4" 1/2 lag bolts to help reinforce the bottom plate in addition to toe nailing the bottom plate. I'm planning to add in some blocking as well so the stairs railing can attach to the half wall at the top very solid.

Did I miss anything or anything else I can do to improve the strength of the half wall?

Edit: I think I'm going to scrap installing lag screws in favor of using structural screws.
»www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N ··· 3OW9gYyA

Gang up the studs on the end of the existing knee wall to tie the new half wall into.

I don't remember if you have a double or single joist under that wall. If you can figure out that it is definitely a single then this is what I would do. Build the wall like normal but stop the bottom plate and studs 3.5 inches short of where you really want the framed wall to end. The top plate will extend the full length but will have to go on last. You are going to use a good quality straight 4x4 (oak or some other hardwood, not PT pine) to fill out the remaining 3.5 inches. Cut a small hole in the subfloor for the 4x4 to go down. The rim joist will be partially blocking that 3.5 by 3.5 footprint of the 4x4 so only cut where the rim joist isn't. Then notch the 4x4 so part of it will drop down next to the rim joist. Then while standing on the stairs you can drill a couple holes through the rim joist and into the 4x4. Use lag bolts that are only threaded half way, you don't want threads in the rim joist otherwise it won't suck the 4x4 tight to the rim joist. Make sure to drill a countersink so the head of the lag will sit flush and not stick out. That's somewhat confusing so I made a pic real quick in SketchUp.