How to Frame a Interior Wall

Today I will be showing you how to frame and install a interior wall by yourself, this information could save you money over hiring a contractor to do the work for you, also you get the satisfaction of doing a home improvment job by yourself.

The first step to framing an interior wall is finding out the amount of lumber required, the studs will be spaced by 14 ½ inches so they are 16 inches on center with two studs at the end away from the wall. For interior walls 2 by 4 boards are used, they can be bought at a local lumber yard or cut up on a sawmill, either single nails with a hammer or a pneumatic nail gun to put the wall together.

After the proper materials have been gathered measure how high the ceiling is where the wall is to be put, then take three board thicknesses off the height and cut studs at that length. Then baseplates must be cut after that, it should be cut at the length the wall is supposed to be.

After all boards are cut the next step is to mark out on the base and top plate where the studs must be nailed into place spacing them 16 inches on center.

Before putting nails through the plates into the studs they must be crowned, hold the board up to your eye and look down it to see any curves or warps in it, place the warp, also known as a crown, facing upward.

After the studs are crowned line them up with the marks and fasten the boards together by shooting 2-3 nails into each stud on each end, make sure every stud has nails holding it in place or the wall will not hold itself together. After all boards are nailed together nail a second top plate on top of the first one.

When the whole wall is put together its time to raise the wall and put it in place, mark on the floor wherever you plan to put it measuring from a nearby wall to ensure the wall will be straight.

After the wall is in place on the floor it must be leveled, hold a long level on either of the wall on a stud and move it into place, when it is in place nail the stud against the wall into the wall and up into the ceiling along the top plate.

Once the wall is level up and down nails can be put through the stud against the wall into the wall and up into the ceiling along the top plates, Then after all of that is done the wall will be fixed in place and ready for further finishing.