Mastering Metal Studs Construction: Key Points & Quality Inspection for Optimal Results

Ensure the success of your metal studs construction project by mastering the key points and understanding the importance of quality inspection. Learn about proper installation techniques, including accurate framing, bracing, and track placement. Discover the critical factors to consider during quality inspection, such as dimensional accuracy, material integrity, and compliance with safety standards. Gain insights into troubleshooting common issues and ensuring a sturdy, durable, and visually appealing finished product. With this comprehensive guide, elevate your metal studs construction expertise and deliver exceptional results every time.

**I. Process Flow**

1. **Wall Position Laying Out**

Before installing the light steel keel, the partition wall position should be determined according to the design drawings, and the line should be snapped on the floor and extended to the ceiling and side walls.

2. **Baseboard Construction**

If the drawings require the setting of a baseboard, the floor base layer should be cleaned first, the interface treatment agent should be painted, and then the C20 plain concrete baseboard should be poured to keep the upper surface flat and the two side faces vertical. Finally, it should be determined whether to equip the baseboard with structural reinforcement or to embed pre-embedded components according to the requirements.

3. **Installation of Edge Keels Along the Floor, Ceiling, and Walls**

The connection between the horizontal keel and the building ceiling and floor, as well as the connection between the vertical keel and the wall and column, can generally be fixed with M5×35 nails. If the light steel keel comes into contact with the surface of the building base, a continuous rubber seal strip is usually pasted on both sides of the contact surface of the keel to play a role in waterproofing and sound insulation.

4. **Installation of Vertical Keel**

When installing the vertical keel, it should be arranged from one end of the partition wall. If there are doors and windows, it should be unfolded from both sides of the door and window openings. If the distance of the last vertical keel from the edge wall (column) keel is larger than the keel center distance specified in the design, an additional vertical keel must be added. The cut vertical keel of the appropriate length is pushed between the top and floor keels, with the flange facing the direction of the lining panel. If the upper and lower ends of the keel are connected with steel columns, they are fixed with self-tapping screws or core extraction rivets and horizontal keels. When using punched vertical keels, the upper and lower directions should not be reversed. When cutting the vertical keel on site, it must be cut from the upper end, and the height of the through holes of each keel should be kept at the same level.

5. **Installation of Through Keel**

The through keel is horizontally穿过 every vertical keel's through hole, and can be extended with matching connectors. Install the bracket or support block on the open side of the vertical keel, connect and lock with the through horizontal support keel, and a corner block can be added on the back of the vertical keel for fixing with the through keel.

**II. Construction Highlights**

1. Rubber strips or asphalt foam plastic strips should be filled at the contact points between the edge keels along the floor and ceiling and the floor and ceiling surface, and then the edge keels along the floor and ceiling should be fixed to the ground and ceiling at the specified distance with nails (or with an electric drill to make holes and plug expansion bolts).

2. Nails should be arranged at an interval of 0.6~1.0m, not more than 0.8m in the horizontal direction, and not more than 1.0m in the vertical direction. The depth of nail penetration can refer to the following values according to the material: concrete is 22~32mm; brick wall is 30~50mm.

3. The pre-cut vertical keels should be pushed into the horizontal top and floor keels, with the flange facing the direction of the plasterboard. The upper and lower directions of the vertical keel should not be reversed. When cutting on site, it can only be cut from the upper end. The vertical keel can be extended with U-shaped keels fitted over the seams of the C-shaped keels, fixed with pull rivets or white screws.

4. The vertical keel is usually determined according to the width of the lining panel. If the width of the lining panel is larger, an additional vertical keel should be added in the middle. The center distance of the vertical keel should not exceed 600mm. The center distance of the vertical keel for the heavier lining layer of the partition wall should not be greater than 420mm. When the height of the partition wall is larger, the layout of the vertical keel should be relatively dense.

5. When installing the through keel, when using the keel of the support block series, the support block should be installed on the open side of the vertical keel, with a block distance of 400~600mm, and 20~25mm from both ends of the keel.

**III. Quality Inspection**

1. The main and secondary keels should be straight, and the arch height should not be less than 1/200 of the short span of the room. When the large-area ceiling is installed, a horizontal large keel should be welded on the main keel every 12 meters. The light steel main keel can be welded, but it is preferable to use spot welding, and the secondary keel should not be welded. After correction, the hanging pieces and connecting pieces where the keel is located should be tightened.

2. Fully correct the position and level of the main and secondary keels; the connecting pieces should be installed out of phase. The exposed keel should have no obvious curvature when visually inspected. The error of the secondary keel joint should not exceed 2mm. When the spacing of the secondary keel is greater than 800mm, a horizontal prop should be added between them, fixed vertically to the main keel with a small hanging piece.

3. The quality of light steel keel forming equipment, high-quality steel tape, the thickness deviation of the steel tape, the double-sided galvanized amount of the light steel keel, the meticulous management of the keel manufacturer, and the quality of the light steel all directly affect the quality of the light steel keel. Regardless of which part the light steel keel is used for, it should have a smooth appearance, clear edges, and corners, and the cut should not have burrs and deformations that affect use. The galvanized layer should not have peeling, nodules, or falling off and other defects. When inspecting the appearance quality, it should be visually inspected under bright light conditions 0.5m away from the product.