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How do I fix a crooked wall stud?

12 years ago

My brother and I just finished remodeling my kitchen, but before we can finish we've run into a unique problem.

While reframing around a door, a stud was inadvertenly hammered out of vertical alignment. It now isn't flush with the wall on the other side, which should make it difficult to put up drywall and a corner bead. I need to somehow cut or sand that stud flush with the wall for drywalling. Any ideas on how to fix this?

(I don't know why there was plywood nailed to the studs, but I'm going to have to remove it in order to get to the stud that's out of vertical alignment)

Comments (8)

gwilson2
12 years ago
After you remove the plywood, use a hand planer.

Can you add a strip of wood to the stud, leave the plywood in place and sheetrock over the plywood? If so, all you would do then is custom size you door jams.
User
12 years ago
First of all, that stud is technically not a stud, it is a huge shim. The top is not connected to the framing so it is not supporting any weight.

That means the fix is actually very easy.

Remove that board.

Decide if you want to remove the plywood---the doorway can be fixed to allow the door to be installed over the ply and drywall.

If you want to leave the ply, get a 2" by 6" board. Cut it to fit---ripping off the excess on a table saw or with a circular saw.
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sierraeast
12 years ago
Pull the ply,replace the stud. Make sure the new member isn't wider than the existing studs. If so, plane down to that width.
jonnyp
12 years ago
Scribe a line , pull it off and rip along line with circular saw.Reinstall. Now you know why the guys are always eyeballing studs and all the crap is on top.
bsspewer
Original Author
12 years ago
That stud is nailed in place with a neighboring stud (there are 3 all next to each other: 2 to hold up the lintel, one to take up space since the cabinet extends 1/2 inch into doorway) The cabinets are also screwed into that stud along with the drywall. So I can't easy take that stud out. I have to cut a part of it off with it in place.

I'll have probably have to do the hand planing idea, and finish the part near the floor with a hacksaw or something.

A door will not be hung there. This was just going to be drywalled over to be an entryway.

Jonnyp - The stud was straight. I know about eyeballing studs. The issue is that it was squared up, and nobody noticed it shifted as it was nailed into place.
snoonyb
12 years ago
Remove any material in the cabinet, cut a 2' length of 2x6, place it over the bulge and give it a couple of good whacks with a 4lb. hammer.
steveinjersey
12 years ago
The best way would be to take down the cabinet, unscrew the drywall that's screwed to the stud, then remove the stud, put it back in correctly, ...

I suspect that doing this will take less time than trying to plane it down, or using a bigger hammer. It will look better too.

Good luck.
bsspewer
Original Author
12 years ago
KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid.

There's always a simple solution to a complicated issue. After removing the plywood I noticed that the amount the stud was sticking out equals the thickness of the plywood. Solution: Don't put the plywood over the stud. Now the wall is perfectly flat and even because the plywood 'shims' everything to be inline with the stud.

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