Non load-bearing interior demising wall or partition

Abstract

A non load-bearing interior demising wall construction comprising a plurality of CAF panels each sized to span the full wall height and placed in aligned edge to edge abutted position and a plurality of stiffening means also sized to span the full wall height. CAF panels and stiffening means slidably disposed within a top and bottom track and sized to provide a friction fit therein. A plurality of wall facing sheets sized to span the full wall height placed in edge to edge abutted position to as to provide a seamless wall face with said wall facing sheets residing outside said top and bottom tracks and attached to said stiffening means. Preferably, top and bottom track and stiffening means are comprised of readily available standard drywall materials.

1 . An improved wall or partition construction, comprising:
 a bottom track member having a U-shaped cross section with front and back legs defining an interior channel area, said bottom track member centered along the bottom of a wall line with said interior channel area opening upward;   a top track member having a U-shaped cross section with front and back legs defining an interior channel, said top track member centered along the top of a wall line with said interior channel area opening downward, said top track member positioned in generally aligned and opposed proximity to said bottom track member and defining a vertical distance therebetween;   a plurality of CAF panels, each having a generally rectangular shape with a front and rear face and a top, bottom, left and right edge, said panels positioned between said top and bottom track members such that each top and bottom edge are slidably disposed within respective channel area, said panels positioned in relative edge to edge abutted relation;   stiffening means spanning vertical distance between said top and bottom tracks and slidably disposed within said interior channel areas;   a plurality of front wall facing sheets, each facing sheet having a generally rectangular shape with a top, bottom, left and right edge, said facing sheets positioned in relative edge to edge abutted relation, sized to span said vertical distance between said top and bottom track members and positioned such that said top and bottom edge of each facing sheet resides outside respective channel areas; and   penetrating connector means, said penetrating connector means positioned through each said front wall facing sheet and further penetrating into said stiffening means so as to make a rigid attachment therebetween.   
   
   
       2 . The construction of  claim 1  wherein said stiffening means comprises a plurality of elongated rail members, each having a length substantially equal to the distance between said top and bottom track members and sized to provide a friction fit when slidably disposed within said channel area of said top or bottom channel along with said CAF panel. 
   
   
       3 . The construction of  claim 2  wherein said elongated rail members have a cross sectional shape selected from the following group; square, rectangle, hat, circle, ellipse, U, C, I, and H. 
   
   
       4 . The construction of  claim 2  wherein said elongated rail members are comprised of standard SSMA 2½″×1½″ furring channels. 
   
   
       5 . The construction of  claim 1  wherein said top and bottom track members are comprised of standard SSMA 3½″ drywall track. 
   
   
       6 . The construction of  claim 1  wherein said front wall facing sheets are comprised of gypsum wall board. 
   
   
       7 . The construction of  claim 1  wherein said front wall facing sheets are comprised of plywood, oriented strand board, or other wood-based paneling. 
   
   
       8 . The construction of  claim 1  wherein said front wall facing sheets include a compressed non-wood fiber core. 
   
   
       9 . The construction of  claim 8  wherein said front wall facing sheets further comprise a CAF panel. 
   
   
       10 . The construction of  claim 1  wherein said penetrating connector means comprises a conventional penetrating connector selected from the group; drywall screw, deck screw, screw, nail, brad, tack and rivet. 
   
   
       11 . The construction of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of rear cladding sheets, each cladding sheet having a generally rectangular shape with a top, bottom, left and right edge, said cladding sheets positioned in relative edge to edge abutted relation and positioned to span said vertical distance between said top and bottom track members and positioned such that said top and bottom edge of each facing sheet resides outside respective channel areas; and   penetrating connector means, said penetrating connector means positioned through each said rear cladding sheet and further penetrating into a said CAF panel so as to make a rigid attachment therebetween.   
   
   
       12 . The construction of  claim 11  wherein said rear cladding sheets are comprised of gypsum wall board. 
   
   
       13 . The construction of  claim 11  wherein said rear cladding sheets are comprised of plywood, oriented strand board, or other wood-based paneling. 
   
   
       14 . The construction of  claim 11  wherein said rear cladding sheets include a compressed non-wood fiber core. 
   
   
       15 . The construction of  claim 11  wherein said penetrating connector means comprises a conventional penetrating connector selected from the group; drywall screw, deck screw, screw, nail, brad, tack and rivet.