Floating wall with steel studs??

[DIYER]

I have built many basements, but now I am entering into steel studs. How does one float a basement wall on concrete slab with steel studs?

[pcprit]

I'm not sure I understand fully what you want to do...do you not want the bottom track(plate) to be fastened to the concrete slab?

[DIYER]

Evactly. In Colorado, where we have extensive expansive soils, and heaving concrete floors, it is necessary to have two bottom plates, with a gap between them to account for heaving and not allow that movement to move throughout the house. This is simple to do with traditional wood framing, but how do I do it with steel?

[pcprit]

The only thing I know that would be similar is a double top track to allow for ceiling deflection. I don't see why you couldn't apply that to the bottom track as well. What you might do is, attach a bottom track to the concrete slab(powder actuated tool, hammer drill anchors, etc.), then place another bottom track directly inside your track that is fastened down. You can achieve this by fastening down a 4" track, then placing a 3 5/8" track inside the 4". Don't screw or fasten the 2nd track in place at all, but you could cut through the flange of both tracks 1/2 way to cause the metal to kind of crimp together.

I hope that was easy to follow and makes a sense to you. Again, I've never framed that way, but I have used the same method on the top track for ceiling deflection.