How to Build a Basic Interior Wall in Just a Couple of Days

1. Locate the Wall

   Assess the suitability of where you want to build the interior wall. If the wall will be built on a wooden floor system, the wall should be placed perpendicular to the floor joists. Alternatively, it can be placed parallel to and on top of a beam or joist. If the floor is concrete, any point on the concrete is solid for an interior wall.

2. Mark Stud Locations on the Plates

   Mark the intended stud locations on the top and bottom plates. Put two two-by-fours against each other. Place a short scrap piece of two-by-four at each end and mark these spots. Finally, mark five positions between the outside marks. The marks should be 16 inches apart, on-center.

   Tip

   Stud positions may vary slightly after the plates are installed.

3. Fasten the Bottom Plate to the Floor

   For wood floor systems, attach one of the two-by-fours with a hammer and nails. Drive the nails by hand directly through the two-by-four. The nails should make contact with a joist or beam.

   For concrete floors, use a powder-actuated nail gun to attach a pressure-treated two-by-four directly to the concrete.

   Tip

   If the two-by-four is slightly bent, it can be used. Just be sure to install it with the curve facing up.

4. Fasten the Top Plate to the Ceiling

   The top plate must be directly above the bottom plate. It must be connected across perpendicular ceiling joists or directly on one joist. Use the laser-level plumb function to ensure that the top plate is directly above the bottom plate. Nail the top plate into place.

5. Measure and Cut the Studs

   Cut the vertical studs with the electric miter saw. Begin with one stud at the end. Measure between the bottom plate and the top plate. Transfer the measurement to a stud, then cut the stud with the saw. Continue for the remaining studs. Number each stud and corresponding plate position (1,2,3, etc.).

   Tip

   It helps to cut studs a bit on the long side. Studs that are too short can't be used. You can always shave off extra length if you need.

6. Nail the Studs in Place

   Tap the first stud into position. To ensure plumb, strike a vertical laser line down the center of the stud from the side. If you need to adjust the stud, gently tap the top or the bottom of the stud with the hammer.

   With the framing hammer, toenail each stud into its corresponding position. Toenail by driving the nail in straight until it grabs the stud. Next, angle the top of the nail up to about 60 degrees. Drive the nail the rest of the way. Make sure that the nail sinks into the plate.

7. Hang the Drywall

   Hang the drywall horizontally on the studs, one above the other. Fasten the sheets to the studs with the cordless drill and coarse-thread 1-1/4-inch drywall screws.

   Tip

   For walls longer than 8 feet long, the drywall ends should break, or stagger, over the framing to avoid four corners meeting in one spot. With this project, though, only two full sheets of drywall are used per side, rendering it unnecessary to break the ends.

8. Fill the Screw Holes

   Use the drywall knife to fill the screw holes with joint compound.

9. Fill the Drywall Seams

   Finish the drywall by embedding the paper joint tape in the joint compound laid along the seam. Cover the tape with another layer of joint compound. Do not exceed the space of the seam.

   Let the compound dry, then check for any gaps and fill if necessary. Sand any parts that aren't completely smooth.

10. Paint the Wall

    Roll drywall primer onto the drywall. Let the primer dry. Paint the wall with two coats of the paint color of your choice. Estimate one gallon of drywall primer and two to three gallons of paint for each 8-foot section of wall.

When to Call a Professional

When building a load-bearing wall, you may want to call a contractor or carpenter for assistance.

If the non-load-bearing wall in this project does not have a solid base to rest on (joists, beams, or concrete), speak to a contractor about building supplemental supports for the wall.