Fought with a warped stud for 2 hours before I finally cut it out

On a bathroom remodel last month, I spent way too long trying to shim and screw drywall onto a stud that was twisted maybe half an inch off plane. I figured I could muscle it with extra shims and angle the screws just right, but every piece came out wavy and the corners wouldn't line up. After about 15 tries and a lot of cussing, I pulled the cutoff saw and hacked that stud out in 5 minutes, then sistered a straight one next to it. Cost me maybe $8 in lumber and a half hour of lost time versus the 2 hours I wasted fighting it. Is it better to just replace a bad stud right away or do you guys have a trick for pulling them straight without demolishing everything?

2 comments

2 Comments

adam_nguyen710d ago

Been there. Once you start fighting a stud that long you already lost. Cut it out and sister a new one next to it, way faster and the wall comes out dead flat. Only time I try to save one is if it's load bearing or I'm working alone and can't handle the weight. Pulling them straight with a come-along or ratchet strap works sometimes but you risk cracking the drywall on the other side. Better to just spend the $8 and move on with your life.

adam_hernandez10d ago

Wait, you actually just cut them out instead of fighting with it? I always thought that was the lazy way but you got a point, never thought about the drywall cracks from trying to pull it straight. Guess I been making this harder than it needs to be.