How to Frame a Wall on Brick

Determine how long the wall will be and cut one piece of 2-by-4-inch treated lumber to this length. Cut a second length of regular 2-by-4-inch lumber to this length. These will be the top and bottom parts of the frame, which are called "plates."

Mark the floor with a chalk line where you will install the wall -- the wall should be about 1/2 inch from the existing brick wall. Line up the pressure-treated lumber along the chalk line and secure it with concrete screws every 12 inches or so.

Line up the top plate with a plumb bob or laser level and secure it to the ceiling joists with wood screws -- use two screws for every joist.

Place a piece of scrap 2-by-4-inch wood so that its edge is flush with the end of the bottom plate. Draw a line along the inside edge of the scrap to indicate where the first stud will be placed. From here, measure out 16 inches and mark the wood at this length.

Continue measuring every 16 inches until you reach the other end of the bottom plate. Line up the piece of scrap wood so that every 16-inch mark is centered on it. Draw lines along either side of the scrap to indicate where each stud will go.

Measure from the bottom plate to the top plate at every stud mark you made earlier. Take each measurement to cut the studs from 2-by-4-inch lumber. Concrete floors, particularly older ones, are often uneven, so it is recommended that you measure and cut each stud individually to account for this.

Secure each stud to the top and bottom plates with framing nails. Before nailing the studs in place, check each one with a spirit level to ensure that they are all at 90-degree angles.

Toe-nail each stud in place with two nails on one side of the stud, and one nail on the other -- do this for the top and bottom of each one. Repeat until you have secured all of the studs you cut.