9.24.3.

(1) Runners shall be provided at the tops and bottoms of walls.

(2) Runners required in Sentence (1) shall be securely attached to the building at approximately 50 mm from the ends, and at intervals of not more than 600 mm o.c. for interior walls and 300 mm o.c. for exterior walls.

(3) Fasteners used for attachment described in Sentence (2) shall consist of the equivalent of 63 mm nails or 25 mm screws.

(4) Studs at openings and that are not full wall height shall be supported by a runner at the ends of the studs, securely fastened to the full length studs at the sides of the opening.

(1) Steel studs used in walls required to have a fire-resistance rating shall be installed so that there is not less than a 12 mm clearance between the top of the stud and the top of the runner to allow for expansion in the event of fire.

(2) Except as provided in Article 9.24.3.6., studs in walls referred to in Sentence (1) shall not be attached to the runners in a manner that will prevent such expansion.

(3) Framing above doors with steel door frames in non-loadbearing fire separations required to have a fire-resistance rating shall consist of 2 runners on the flat fastened back to back.

(4) The lower runner required in Sentence (3) shall be cut through the flanges and be bent at each end to extend upwards at least 150 mm and fastened to the adjacent studs.

(1) Steel studs shall be installed with webs at right angles to the wall face and, except at openings, shall be continuous for the full wall height.

(1) Corners and intersections of walls shall be constructed to provide support for the cladding materials.

(1) Studs shall be doubled on each side of every opening where such openings involve more than 1 stud space, and shall be tripled where the openings in exterior walls exceed 2 400 mm in width.

(2) Studs described in Sentence (1) shall be fastened together by screws, crimping or welding to act as a single structural unit in resisting transverse loads.

(1) Studs shall be attached to runners by screws, crimping or welding around wall openings, and elsewhere where necessary to keep the studs in alignment during construction.

(2) Where clearance for expansion is required in Article 9.24.3.2., attachment required in Sentence (1) shall be applied between studs and bottom runners only.

(1) Openings for fire dampers in non-loadbearing fire separations required to have a fire-resistance rating shall be framed with double studs on each side of the opening.

(2) The sill and header for openings described in Sentence (1) shall consist of a runner track with right angle bends made on each end so as to extend 300 mm above the header or below the sill and fastened to the studs.

(3) The openings described in Sentence (1) shall be lined with a layer of gypsum board at least 12.7 mm thick fastened to stud and runner webs.