Just a random query re a 1900s stud wall

[!lsx!]

Hi

Am wondering if someone could help me with something I'm unsure of.

I have a stud wall in my house, that had some 'customisation' to fit metal conduit in the past. After a rewire it just so happens that the base of this wall is now something I need to repair.

What's obvious is that when they fitted the conduit, they removed some timber that used to run at floor height between the studs.

My question is what the function of this timber is/was?

Some info:
-The bottom/centre of each stud in the wall looks to have an approx 1" by 1" notch in it.
-Into this notch a small square-shaped section of timber (just slightly smaller than 1" x 1") was nailed.
-This small piece of timber, sits on the floorboards and runs between the studs. It's only fastened to the studs not the floorboards.

I've attached some photos because I doubt any of the above makes sense without them:
1, a view of the notch in the stud with the corresponding timber that was fastened into the centre of the stud missing.
2, a view of a section of wall where this timber is still there.

Sorry if this is such a pointless question. It doesn't look like my house will fall down without it.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

What's obvious is that when they fitted the conduit, they removed some timber that used to run at floor height between the studs.

My question is what the function of this timber is/was?

Do you mean the horizontal, thin latts (sp?) - that was what they used to plaster onto, before plasterboard came along. The predecessor to plasterboard.

 

[!lsx!]

Hi.

I've updated my photo to highlight (in yellow) what I mean by 'the small section of timber'. This is taken looking down to the base of the wall.

Thanks for your reply though

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I've updated my photo to highlight (in yellow) what I mean by 'the small section of timber'. This is taken looking down to the base of the wall.

Thanks for your reply though

I think that is just a part of the frame for the stud work, there will probably be one at the top as well.

 

[conny]

So the strip of timber runs through the cut outs at the bottom of the vertical studs?

May just be some form of alignment bar to stop the studs twisting/warping out of true with each other.

 

[!lsx!]

So the strip of timber runs through the cut outs at the bottom of the vertical studs?

May just be some form of alignment bar to stop the studs twisting/warping out of true with each other.

Sorry it's taken me ages to reply. I didn't notice this.

Yes the strip of timber runs through cut outs at the bottom of each vertical stud.

What you say makes a lot of sense.

I really appreciate your reply.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

May just be some form of alignment bar to stop the studs twisting/warping out of true with each other.

Makes it easier and faster to install longer runs of studs and keep the face alignment (spacing between was set by using a 14" or 16" long hammer as a rough gauge). Also helps resist twist when lath and plaster is applied.

Laths are traditionally cleaved from stuff like "green" chestnut using a froe - a job I've done - whilst undercoat lime plaster is pressed through the gaps in the laths, forming the "snots" which holds the plaster in place. This is a very wet process, and lime plaster needs months to dry out thoroughly, hence the need for extra restraints to reduce warping of stud walls

 

[!lsx!]

Makes it easier and faster to install longer runs of studs and keep the face alignment (spacing between was set by using a 14" or 16" long hammer as a rough gauge). Also helps resist twist when lath and plaster is applied.

Laths are traditionally cleaved from stuff like "green" chestnut using a froe - a job I've done - whilst undercoat lime plaster is pressed through the gaps in the laths, forming the "snots" which holds the plaster in place. This is a very wet process, and lime plaster needs months to dry out thoroughly, hence the need for extra restraints to reduce warping of stud walls

Thank you for all of that this. I find it really interesting.