How to Do Interior Framing

Walls

• 1

  Cut three pieces of lumber the length of the wall you plan to install.

• 2

  Screw one of the pieces you cut in step 1 to the ceiling where you plan to install the wall, using 3-inch screws. Drill pilot holes into the lumber before inserting the screws to make this step easier. The pilot holes should be slightly smaller than the screws. Drill the screws into the ceiling joists. If the ceiling is already finished, use a stud finder to find the joists. If the wall will be running parallel to the ceiling joists, position the wall so it fits directly beneath a ceiling joist.

• 3

  Place the remaining two pieces of lumber, cut in Step 1, side by side. These pieces are the top plate and bottom plate. Clamp them together so their ends meet. Measure 1.5 inches from one end of the plates. This 1.5 inch space indicates the placement of the stud on the end of the wall. Mark this space with an X. Measure 16 inches from the first stud, then mark another section of the plates 1.5 inches long. This is the second stud. Continue to mark the placement of studs, 16 inches apart, down the length of the wall. Place the last stud at the other end of the wall.

• 4

  Measure the distance between the ceiling and the floor and subtract 4.5 inches. Cut the studs to this length.

• 5

  Nail the studs between the top plate and bottom plate, attaching them to the places that you marked with an X.

• 6

  Stand up the frame and nail it to the piece of lumber you screwed into the ceiling. Then nail the frame into the floor.

Doors

• 7

  Cut a space in the bottom plate of the wall equal to the length of the door, plus two inches. Use a reciprocating saw. Remove any studs attached to the frame in the space you just cut from the bottom plate.

• 8

  Measure the length of the space between the top plate and bottom plate. Cut two pieces of lumber to this length. These pieces are called the king studs.

• 9

  Nail the king studs into the space between top plate and bottom plate. Set each stud 1.5 inches away from the opening you cut in the bottom plate. Use metal connector brackets to connect the king studs to the bottom plate and top plate.

• 10

  Cut the jack studs to the height of the door, plus 1 inch. Position the jack studs on each side of the doorway so the bottom of the jack studs are resting on the bottom plate, and the edge of each stud is flush with cut in the bottom plate. Nail the jack studs to the king studs.

• 11

  Measure the distance between the king studs. Cut a piece of lumber to this length and nail it into place above the jack studs. This is called the header.

• 12

  Measure the distance between the header and the top plate. Cut two pieces of lumber to this size. These studs are called the cripple studs. Nail the cripple studs into the space between the header and the top plate. Space the cripple studs approximately 12 inches apart.