I am looking for a good method(s) to remodel a basement . The flat walls are simple enough but the hot air system poses a challenge. Can someone offer a good method to frame the duct work so it won’t be flimsy. I picture this area being boxed in with everything being supported from the joists.
The sanitation pipes are another obstacle but I think that I will just frame the area a little smaller and have all the pipes behind. the new wall.
I am going to use 2″ foam board along the basement walls then build a 2×4 wall to hang the dry wall.
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There is a slightly better method of doing this, but to keep it simple for a first timer... this is about as easy as it gets, and you should get excellent results.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vuzvh94pP0
If you're not using steel framing, consider using OSB rips framed with 2x2s for the side walls of your duct chases. I saw photos of this technique after finishing my basement remodel, and it seems to beat the pants off the ladder-frame technique I used. I spent hours diddling around with 6" lengths of 2x4, twisty 2x2s, etc.
Duct chase method I have seen is 2x2 on the top and 2x2 on the bottom of a ripped piece of osb plywood. Rip the sheet wide enough to clear the bottom of the duct and attach 2x to the top and bottom (on the side). Then, turn the plywood side towards the duct leaving the 2xs on the outside. Nail the top 2x to the joists and then span the bottom of the duct with additional ripped ply attached to the bottom 2x. You can get the OSB for $5 bucks a sheet so its cheap and you don't have to mess with building a ladder frame.
You would have this in cross section then left to right
2x, ripped ply, duct wall, duct wall, ripped ply, 2x
Bottom to top in cross section you would have horizontal OSB spanning duct attached to 2x, 2x attached to bottom of vertical OSB, 2x attached to top of vertical OSB and to bottom of floor joists.
Cover with finish material of your choice.
If you subscribed to the Mike Holmes method, you won't just stop this "bulkhead" when the duct stops but continue it across the room. In other words if the duct stops midway through the room, he boxes in the whole length just to get some visual consistency.