Building a Closet With a Pre-Hung Door

Design your closet space. Use the stud finder to find the studs in your already existing walls. You need to attach the wall frames to an existing stud through the drywall, so this will help determine the size of your closet. If you are building your closet in a corner you will only need to build two wall frames. Measure the length of each wall frame. Measure from floor to ceiling, and then subtract 4 inches for the length of the height pieces or studs. You should remove the trim around the walls and pull up the carpet where the closet will go, just roll it back, because you can cut out around the new walls and roll it back into place.

Cut two pieces of 2-by-4 lumber the length of each wall using the circular saw, and enough upright support pieces, or studs, so you have enough to space them 16 inches apart across the length of the frame. Measure the your door casing for the prehung door. Lay out the wood for the frames. Nail the corner cross pieces into the ceiling pieces, so that the 4-inch side is flush with the ceiling. The put in the other pieces spacing them 16 inches apart. Leave a space where the door will go, placing a cross piece on each side of it, so the frame will just fit in the space. Nail the bottom piece onto the studs. Then nail the top piece for the door at the correct height so the frame will just fit into it.

Nail the frames into place on either side of each stud along the floor, and into the ceiling joists. Then nail them into the corners every 12 to 18 inches up the side of the wall. Cut out the bottom of the frame where the door will go using a handsaw. Hang the drywall using screws. The screws should go into each 2-by-4 stud along the top and bottom of drywall piece. Add another row in the middle to keep it secure.

Attach drywall panels to the studs from both the interior and exterior sides of of your wall frames with drywall screws. Trim the panels to size by running a utility knife along one side of the desired cut, bending the panel back along the line, then cutting through the paper on the other side.

Seal the seams of the drywall with the compound. Cover the screw holes with the compound. Allow it to dry completely then sand smooth. Paint the walls. Tack in baseboards along the bottom of the closet walls.

Install the closet door by sliding the prehung frame into the frame you created. Use a level to make the door frame is level, adding shims to adjust the frame if necessary, and check to see that swings freely. Use a mallet to knock it into place until it is level then nail it into place using a nail every 12 inches along each side of the frame. Lay the carpet back in, cutting out sections where the walls now exist, and pushing it under the baseboards.

Hang a closet rod in the closet using screws to mount it to the wall into studs on either side. You can also install shelves by nailing 2-by-4 braces to the walls, and laying plywood on top of the 2-by-4s. Be sure to sand and paint the wood before installing it.