# How to Add a Top Plate With No Floor Joist
Every framed wall comprises three elements: sole plate, which is the bottom horizontal framing member; studs, the vertical members that compose the bulk of the wall's surface are; and top plate, the top horizontal framing member that runs parallel to the sole plate and on which upper floors or rafters rest. Adding a top plate to a wall that does not support floor joists requires only the most basic carpentry skills and tools.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Carpenter's pencil
- Circular or hand saw
- Hammer or nail gun
- Framing nails
- Step ladder
Instructions
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1
Measure the span from the outside edges of the two studs at the end of the wall section. Cut a piece to fit the span if your lumber is longer than the wall section.
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2
Place the board atop the studs so that the ends of the board are flush with the outer edges of the end studs: This is the first half of your top plate. Drive two nails through the top plate at each stud to attach the plate and hold the studs in place.
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3
Place a second board atop the first: This is the second half of your top plate. Drive two nails through the board every 2' to attach the second board to the first.
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Walls
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- How to Nail a Sole Plate to a Concrete Floor
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