replacing old narrow panels

[joebeadg]

Just curious what others r doing in this situation, I come across many narrow panels where the studs or not 16" apart. Ive always found a way to make it happen, but costs me extra time on the job.

 

[JFletcher]

I have found extra framing in the area of narrow panels, I have never seen the wall framing set narrower for a panel.

worst I saw was a panel change about 2 years ago where the studs in the exterior wall flexed inward when the panel was removed. when we went to put the new panel in, we had to put a 4 by 4 block across the face of it and gently beat it in with a sledgehammer.

 

[joebeadg]

Yea, Ive found short piece of 2by4 nailed to one stud to accomodate the narrow panel, have been able to pry them out, those are the easiest to deal with

 

[Coppersmith]

We did one just the other day where the narrow panel was located toward the end of a wing wall with a cathedral ceiling above it. My stud finder said there were three stacked 2x4's on one side of the panel and two stacked 2x4's on the other. I thought "uh-oh, this is a bearing wall and there are posts on both sides of the panel". After ripping out the panel it turned out the side with two 2x4's was a standard stud with another shorter piece nailed on to accommodate narrow panel, but it was still spaced about 1" too close and had to be removed to get the new panel in. We debated about whether the ceiling was going to fall in before we cut it out.