Step-by-Step Do-it-Yourself Basement Framing

Measure your basement to determine how much wood you will need. You will need to measure the length of each wall to determine how long each interior wall will be. Determine where you want to put the interior walls for the rooms. Measure the height of the ceiling and subtract 4 inches to determine how tall to cut your height pieces for the frames. You will need to get 2-by-4s that will cover two times the total perimeter amount plus twice the length of each wall. In addition, you will need to purchase enough for the height pieces to be placed 18 inches apart along each wall.

Seal the interior basement walls with basement sealant. Most sealant is painted or sprayed on, but you can also use a plastic sealant that you nail to the walls. You have to ensure that you don't have any leaks in your basement. If you do have a problem with moisture in the basement, you need to get it professionally fixed before you continue with the project, otherwise you could end up with mold in the future.

Cut the wood for the frames. You will need enough height pieces to place them 18 inches apart from each other around all of your walls. The length of your walls determines the length pieces; most frames should be about 12 feet long. If you have a long wall, you might build more than one frame for each wall.

Nail the frames together. The 4-inch side of the length pieces will be flush with the floor and the ceiling. Use two nails on the top of bottom of each piece. It is easier to nail the pieces into the floor piece, and then attach the ceiling piece.

Create a frame for any spots that have windows by cutting out the 2-by-ours where the windows are, then nailing a cross piece between the studs for the top and bottoms of the windows. You will want a 2-by-4 that runs down each side of the window as well. You can do the same thing to create a space for the door, just nail in a cross piece at the height of the top of the door frame. Cut the bottom of the frame out for the door with a hand saw once the frame is installed in the next step.

Install the frames by making them flush with the cement wall of the basement. Then secure the frame into the basement floor with cement nails. Use a nail on either side of each stud. Then nail the top piece into the ceiling or floor jousts. The interior wall pieces will be nailed into the floor and ceiling, as well as the abutting corners need to be nailed from the floor to the ceiling every 18 inches apart. You might need a helper to hold up the frames while you nail them in place.

Put insulation between the studs of the frame. Hang the drywall using the screws to attach it to each stud across the walls. Use the drywall tape and cement to seal the seams and cover the screws. Let it dry. Then sand the seams smooth, and paint the walls. You can put drywall along the ceiling as well. This step may require a helper.