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Building an addition with a multi-slide door in California. Exterior walls are 2x4 with anchor bolts at 48in on center. However, Multi-side door is 8-5/8 inches deep. So, I am thinking of either:

  1. building a double-stud wall about 9 in deep, or
  2. keeping single stud wall and increasing the depth of the framing just around the multi-slide door.

Questions: For option 1 - double-stud wall. While the exterior wall is anchored at 48in on center, does the sill at the bottom of the inner wall framing have to be anchored at 48in also? Or, no anchors on inner framing is ok because the exterior framing has the anchors already? Any feedback on anchoring the inner wall of a double-stud wall? What does the California code say about this? I could not find the answer.

For option 2 - single-stud wall. Increasing the depth of the rough framing around the multi-slide window to 9in. While keeping the rest of the wall around 5in depth rather than 9in depth (ie no double-stud wall). Any feedback on this one? What does the code say?

Many thanks

Max
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  • Is this slab on grade? (Hopefully somebody will put a real answer together, but I don't think code cares about holding down interior walls, or -- imho -- weird bump-ins (option 2) for doors.) – Aloysius Defenestrate Jul 30 '22 at 00:23
  • Thank you for your response Aloysius Defenestrate. Yes, Slab on grade with perimeter 15in wide footings. The walls seat on top of the footing. For Option 1 - I could place anchors before pouring concrete, but I would need an advice on how to hold them in place at 7.25in (9in - 1.75in) away from the formwork. For Option 2 - I agree with the weird framing around door opening, trying to avoid it if possible. – Max Jul 31 '22 at 02:41
  • The final answer would fall to your AHJ, but I would make an argument that the interior portion of the wall is really just an interior wall, so a handful of beefy tapcons should be sufficient to hold it in place. (And if it really came down to a disagreement from the inspector, you could set 5/8 threaded rod in epoxy and hold the interior wall down as if it were the exterior wall.) – Aloysius Defenestrate Jul 31 '22 at 03:06
  • Thank you. Epoxy requires special inspection, so it would be simpler to place the anchors before pouring. Yet, I am not sure how to keep the anchors in place while pouring. I could perhaps place them in the fresh poured concrete by hand, but its usually not recommended. – Max Jul 31 '22 at 04:30
  • If needed, your concrete guy can set the anchors in a temporary 2x4 that sits on the forms and accurately locates the anchors. That said, hand placement isn’t terrible if you align to a taut string, though I get that you have to hit the center of the 2x4 pretty accurately. – Aloysius Defenestrate Jul 31 '22 at 14:46
  • Thanks again for your help Aloysius. – Max Aug 09 '22 at 03:59

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